September is Vascular Awareness Month. Although vascular diseases affect 40-50% of the population, many of these diseases are not well-known by most people.
Rebecca Van Zanen from the Corewell Health Vascular Surgery and Vein Center discusses the dangers of vascular disease and how they can be treated at Corewell Health.
Vascular disease includes any condition that affects your circulatory system, or system of blood vessels. This ranges from diseases of your arteries, veins, and lymph vessels to blood disorders that affect circulation. Some vascular diseases affect your arteries, while others occur in your veins. They can also happen in specific parts of your body, such as your legs.
Avoiding smoking, maintaining an active lifestyle, choosing healthy foods, and following treatment plans are the main ways to prevent vascular disease.
There are differences between artery disease and vein disease in the legs:
o Artery disease
- What it feels like: cramping in buttocks or legs, skin on legs feeling cold to touch, burning pain in feet/toes, numbness or weakness in legs, erectile dysfunction, no pulses in your feet.
- What it looks like: shiny skin on legs, hair loss on legs, bluish skin discoloration on feet, sores on feet/toes that won’t heal, slow growing or brittle toenails.
- When it bothers you: Artery disease causes cramping in the legs DURING ACTIVITY (like walking, climbing stairs, etc.) that gets better after you stop or DURING REST (when your legs are elevated, like sleeping)
o Vein disease
- What it feels like: aching in the legs, tired/heavy feeling in the legs, restless legs.
- What it looks like: bulging veins, swollen ankles/calves, reddish/brown skin discoloration near ankles, sores near ankles that won’t heal.
- When it bothers you: Vein disease causes aching/heaviness/SWELLING in the legs AFTER SITTING OR STANDING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME (usually gets worse as the day goes on and is the worst in the evening before bed) but gets better when your legs are elevated (recliner, while sleeping)
Spider and varicose veins are vein diseases that many are familiar with. What are some things that we can do to prevent them?
· Wear sunscreen daily
· Elevate legs when you are resting
· Wear compression stockings regularly
· Do not stand or sit in one position for long periods of time
· Lead an active and healthy lifestyle:
· Walk or run regularly to strengthen muscles and increase circulation
· Maintain a healthy weight to maintain optimal blood flow
Corewell Health will be providing free screenings throughout the month of September at the following locations:
- Grand Rapids: 4069 Lake Drive
- September 12, 19, 20 and 28
- Holland: 588 East Lakewood Blvd.
- September 11
- Muskegon: 1845 Holton Road
- September 20
Anyone interested in a free screening can go on their Corewell Health MyChart or call 616.391.VASC to schedule.
