Traveling and Your Vein Health
Planes, trains and automobiles - people are starting to travel again! But have you thought about how traveling can affect your vein health? Long rides in cars, airplanes and trains and take a toll on a person's circulatory system. No matter how healthily the individual. Sitting for long periods at a time can cause circulation to slow and blood to pool in your leg veins. For people with varicose and spider veins, this can create severe leg pain.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is another serious health risk to be aware of when traveling. DTV is a blood clot in the larger veins found deep inside the leg. If the blood clot dislodges from the vein wall and moves through the venous system, it could eventually block a vein in the heart, brain, or lungs. This could pose a danger to your health.
Traveling can affect your vein health in several ways by agitating existing varicose or spider veins, causing leg pain, swelling and putting you at risk for Deep Vein Thrombosis.
How to Protect Your Veins During Travel
Move
To help minimize stress on your circulatory system try to walk up and down the aisle every hour when flying. When driving stop the car when possible to get out and walk for a brief period. Recline your seat and elevate legs, Bend and extend your legs and move your feet and toes frequently. Wear compression socks.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water is beneficial for your body in many ways. When you're well hydrated this helps your skin retain elasticity. If you're dehydrated your skin becomes tight and loses its pliability, adding extra stress to the circulatory system. Drinking lots of water helps your veins do their job properly and keeps the vein walls from narrowing.
What to Avoid
To ensure you try to do everything possible to reduce vein issues and DVT while traveling try to avoid the following that will interfere with your circulatory system:
Caffeine
Sleeping pills
Alcohol
Tight clothing around the waist
High heel shoes
Schedule A Free Screening with Physicians Vein Clinics
If you have any concerns about your vein health before traveling, book a free screening at Physicians Vein Clinics with one of our vein specialists.
Our vein doctors are specialized in performing minimally invasive treatments for spider veins, varicose veins, and other vein-related conditions. We have several convenient vein clinics across South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota.