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The season is the one at risk. Heat and humidity put the veins in the legs under stress, in a time path that begins in spring and tends to end at the end of summer. They appear like this swollen ankles, especially in the evening, night cramps that disturb sleep, redness, itching.
At the origin of the discomfort is the difficulty of the veins to push up the blood that must return to the heart. It is possible to prevent discomfort and control them in the best possible way, with the right habits of life and with drugs, remembering that in the most serious forms the word must pass to the doctor. How to behave, then? He explains it to us Claudia Pietropoli, pharmacist and national councilor of Federfarma.
Pay attention to posture, clothing and nutrition
“L’chronic venous insufficiency it can also affect males, but appears above all in women and often the first signs are already visible at a young age ”explains the expert. “For this reason, in terms of prevention (the risks increase if there is a hereditary predisposition to the weakness of the vein walls) it is essential to follow some simple rules. Let’s start with the posture. When we stay in the same position for a long time, perhaps because forced by professional activity, we obviously tend to influence the so-called venous return also because the muscular pump that helps push the blood upwards may be insufficient. The first piece of advice to offer is therefore related to need to move regularly, at least every half hour, to try to help the blood circulation ”.
Obviously, then, we must not forget that in terms of eating habits Two objectives are particularly useful: it is necessary to fight overweight, which obviously “overloads” the legs making you work too much and you have to consume light and antioxidant-rich foods, such as fruit and vegetables. “In this sense, especially for young women, I remember that we must pay attention to habits that are spreading, such as that of aperitifs”, continues Pietropoli. “There is nothing that is absolutely bad, but if you regularly consume alcohol accompanied by foods rich in fat and salt (which obviously tends to make people retain fluids) there is the risk of creating a condition that puts the veins of the legs at risk “.
For the rest, the experts also remember how much the choices in terms of clothing may affect the circulatory well-being of the legs. “I think it is important to remember that the foot, if correctly arched, represents the first” pump “that favors the ascent of blood from the veins of the legs to the abdomen” – points out the pharmacist. “This means that you have to maintain the optimal curvature: in other words, for the circulation, ballerinas certainly do not help, without heels, but it would not even be necessary to exceed 6-8 centimeters of rise, trying in any case to avoid stilettos and focusing on wider ones that offer a wider base to the foot. For the rest, also pay attention to jeans and stretch suits that can tighten excessively at the height of the groin, helping to limit the venous return towards the heart ”.
“Ad personam” therapies
Obviously, in case of ailments, the goal is to cope with the discomfort. But it is important to keep in mind that treatments must become a habit and not “therapies” to be taken as needed. “We know that the disorders related to chronic venous insufficiency manifest themselves with the change of season, especially at the beginning of spring, and then worsen towards the summer” – concludes the expert. “For this reason, in addition to recommending a medical examination, in the pharmacy we propose to carry out a treatment for at least six months a year with flavonoid-based drugs, such as diosmin and hesperidin, without interruptions, also because it is therapies as well as effective are also very safe“.
“In this way we can give a specific advantage to the venous circulation and the necessary symptom relief. For the rest, when obviously the doctor does not deem it necessary to protect a surgical intervention due to the severity of the picture, stockings that allow elastic compression are very useful. Obviously they should be worn especially in winter and the compression should never be less than 70 deniers. By doing so, also following healthy habits of life, even a chronic condition such as venous insufficiency can be kept under control, limiting symptoms and contributing to the well-being of the legs“.
In collaboration with the Servier Group in Italy
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