August 21 is Senior Citizens Day,
a U.S. observance established in honor of older adults who have made
positive contributions in their communities. The day is also a time to bring
awareness of social and health issues that affect senior citizens – like veins!
Paying attention to venous health
is an important aspect of successful aging – and one that has historically gone
untreated. Many seniors have been told that heavy, aching legs are a normal
part of aging, but that’s often not the case. There are solutions for venous
insufficiency that make people feel better, no matter what their age
Venous insufficiency occurs when
healthy veins become damaged and allow the backward flow of blood into the
lower extremities. This pooling of blood can lead to a feeling of heaviness,
aching, and can cause skin changes, such as spider veins or a brown, woody
appearance of the lower legs.
Seniors’ veins respond
differently to everyday stress compared to that of a younger person’s because
vein walls are primarily made of collagen. As the body ages, a decrease in the
production of collagen causes the veins to become more brittle and the valves
more likely to fail, especially in the superficial veins. Thus, there is a
higher incidence of varicose veins in the elderly population.
Additionally, the skin begins to
lose its elasticity and doesn’t respond to stress the way it once did. And
because skin is the “end organ” of venous disease, ulcers can occur as a result
of damaged veins.
Some seniors might think that
“vein stripping” is the only option. While it was the go-to procedure for many
years, treatment of venous disease today is vastly different. Breakthroughs in
phlebology and new approaches to treatment involve less time and less pain, and
they are overwhelmingly successful over the long term when performed by an
experienced specialist.
The risk-benefit ratio makes
treatment an ideal option for seniors. Although seniors have a 50% greater
chance of suffering from vein disease, they have the same success with modern
treatment options as anyone else.
