My Legs Swell Off and On: Should I Be Alarmed?

Venous insufficiency and other stages of vein disease

Your arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Your veins return the deoxygenated blood to the heart and lungs. It sounds simple, but there’s a catch when it comes to the venous side of things — the veins have to carry the blood against the pull of gravity.

The body has adopted two techniques to ensure the flow is sufficient and uninterrupted. First, the muscles in your thighs and calves contract as the blood comes through, pushing it on its way. Second, the veins contain small valves that only allow the blood to flow in one direction.

If the veins or valves are damaged, blood can backtrack along its path, and it tends to pool around the weakened area, leading to sluggish flow. That state of flow is termed venous insufficiency since it’s insufficient to maintain proper circulation. And because the blood has time to pool, you get swelling in your leg from the increased pressure.

Varicose veins are a direct consequence of venous insufficiency. They appear as colored, ropy protrusions, usually on the legs. The protrusions are due to the increased pressure in superficial veins — those close to the skin’s surface — and they’re colored because of the stagnant blood. Varicose veins can also leak fluid into the surrounding tissues, causing more swelling.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is another stage of vein disease that both leads to and is caused by venous insufficiency. Blood clots can develop in the deep veins in the leg, further impeding blood flow. As if an insufficient circulatory system weren’t enough, DVT can be dangerous because pieces of the clot — or the whole thing — can break off and travel to the lungs.

There, it can get lodged, a condition known as a pulmonary embolism. That can be a life-threatening situation and must be treated immediately. Preventing clots from forming in the first place is key to avoiding the problem. That’s why you should get your edema looked at sooner rather than later.

Diagnosing and treating vein disease

Dr. Batra relies on two tests to effectively diagnose vein disease, a venogram that uses an IV contrast agent to highlight your blood vessels on an X-ray, and a duplex ultrasound that uses sound waves to probe the vein structure.

If either of these tests indicates that your veins or their valves are damaged, Dr. Batra can diagnose your leg swelling as being caused by venous insufficiency. If you also have varicose veins, they’re a visual indicator of the same underlying problem.

Dr. Batra can treat your leg swelling and varicose veins in several ways, including:

• Compression stockings
• Sclerotherapy
• VenaSeal™
• Endovenous radiofrequency ablation

He bases his decision on your medical history, a physical examination, the severity of your symptoms, and the results of the imaging tests.

If your legs swell off and on, should you be alarmed? Better to be safe and come to Texas Vascular Institute for an evaluation and proper treatment. Give us a call at either of our locations or book your appointment online today.