Blood pooling occurs when you have chronic venous insufficiency, which, if left untreated, can lead to serious complications, including pulmonary embolism, secondary lymphedema, and venous ulceration. However, identifying the causes and symptoms can help you treat blood pooling in its early stages.
What Is Blood Pooling?
Your veins work hard to pump blood back to your heart, especially your leg veins, which are farthest from your heart. Often, your veins need to operate against gravity to transport your blood to your heart. If you have chronic venous insufficiency, your leg veins do not allow blood to flow back to your heart, causing blood pooling in your legs, ankles, and/ or feet. Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when your veins are damaged or weak and are unable to transport the blood properly.
Causes of Blood Pooling
The main causes of blood pooling include:
- A family history of the condition
- Pregnancy
- Obesity
- Damage to your legs resulting from surgery, injury, or previous blood clots
- Deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in the deep vein)
- Physical inactivity
- Increased blood pressure in the leg veins due to prolonged sitting or standing
Symptoms of Blood Pooling
The primary signs and symptoms of blood pooling include:
Blood Pooling Treatment
Your vein specialist may recommend any of these treatments to resolve your blood pooling and venous insufficiency issues:
- Radio Frequency Ablation
This is performed to treat vein disease and large varicose veins on your legs. Your doctor will insert a tiny catheter into the damaged vein and deliver heat through this tube to collapse the vein.
- Endovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT)
Similar to radiofrequency ablation, your doctor will insert a catheter tube into the affected area and use laser light to generate heat, which then collapses the vein.
- Phlebectomy
This helps to treat varicose veins near your skin. Your doctor will make several small punctures in your skin and remove the damaged vein through these holes. This procedure is often performed with radiofrequency ablation or EVLT and does not require stitches.
- Sclerotherapy
This treats small and medium leg vein issues, including spider and varicose veins. Your doctor will inject a liquid into the damaged vein to close it.
- VenaSeal/ Endovenous Adhesive Ablation
This is performed to treat varicose veins. Your doctor will insert a small catheter tube into the damaged area and put medical adhesive through it to close the vein. This redirects blood to healthy veins.
How to Prevent Blood Pooling
To prevent pooling of blooding in your legs, ankles, and feet, try to:
- Avoid standing or sitting in the same position for an extended period of time. Move around frequently.
- Quit smoking.
- Exercise regularly.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
Are you facing any symptoms of blood pooling in your legs? If so, you should seek medical help as soon as you can. Doing so will help you avoid any major complications in the long run.
If you are looking for the best and experienced vein specialist for treating blood pooling or other vein diseases, contact North Atlanta Vascular Clinic and Vein Center today to schedule an appointment.
