What Are the Key Differences Between Spider Veins and Varicose Veins?

Have you come across network of veins in your body or seen it on someone else and thought that they are either varicose veins or spider veins? Well, these two terms are often used interchangeably, but refer to two completely different disorders. While spider veins are a more common and more mild type of varicose veins, the other one causes excruciating pain and discomfort. The following pointers will help differentiate the key differences between the two:

What are the Common Spider Veins Symptoms?

Spider veins also go by the term “telangiectasias” in the medical circuit. These are clusters of blood vessels that grow near the skin’s surface. You can easily spot them in the legs and in the face, where they form blue, red and purple hues in a twisted shape. It is easy to see them because they are almost next to the skin’s outer surface. Apart from this, the symptoms of this condition include but are not limited to the following:

            ·        Itching sensation 

·        Swelling in the area affected 

·        Throbbing 

·        Burning sensation

·        Aching

·        Tingling sensation

·        Cramping

·        Feeling of Heaviness

This condition is either caused by venous insufficiency, wherein the vein valves become erroneous and leads to the swelling in the area and a change in the skin’s appearance, or by hormones shift, exposure to sun rays or injuries. 

What are the Common Varicose Veins Symptoms?

A sizeable number of the adult population suffer from varicose veins, which are larger in size as compared to spider veins. When it comes to the appearance, they look the same but are way more swollen due to several bulging and twisted blood vessels. These can appear almost anywhere in the body, but are more commonly found in the legs.

The common symptoms of varicose veins are:

• Aches and cramps
• Feeling of lethargy
• Burning sensation
• Feeling heavy
• Swelling
• Throbbing sensation
• Restlessness
• Tingling sensation
• Ulcers
• Skin becomes dark

Some people are genetically predisposed to this condition, with women more likely to develop it. For instance, women who are experiencing a change in their hormones, especially during pregnancy or during menopause/in the middle of a menstrual cycle, will find that the symptoms have aggravated. Obesity, predisposition to blood clots, skin trauma and vein surgery are some more reasons that can cause this condition.

 If not treated in due time, it can also lead to a painful blood clot known as thrombophlebitis, which can increase the vein inflammations further.

Conclusion

These are some of the key differences between spider veins and varicose veins. We hope that now that you have a better idea about these two, you can consult a physician who’s expert in varicose and spider vein treatment in San Antonio and elsewhere. Need more such write-ups that let you take better care of your health? Keep a tab on this space as we will be back with more.

Diet Tips for the Fatty Liver Disease

Fatty liver disease occurs when you haves extra fat deposited in your liver. It damages your liver, causing the interruptions in removing the toxins/producing the bile in the body for the digestive system. The primary treatment for Fatty Liver Disease in SanAntonio is to make changes in your diet and include exercise in your daily life.

Here are some tips regarding the diet for fatty liver disease –

What to eat –

Eating excess calories causes fat to build up in the body, especially your liver.

1) Go for Green – Green vegetables are a boon for your body’s health in all ways. Adding them in your meal will be beneficial for your health. Here are some of the veggies that you can add to your diet:

a)     Broccoli – Including broccoli in your diet will prevent the fat buildup in the liver.

b)     Avocado – Avocados are high in healthy fats and they contain chemicals that may slow down the liver damage. They are also rich in fibers which can help you control your weight.

c)     Greens - Eating more greens like spinach, kale, brussels sprouts can also help in weight loss.

d)     Green Tea – Research says that green tea interferes with fat absorption and is beneficial for lowering the cholesterol level and allows you to have nice sleep.

2) Garlic – Many studies suggest that garlic powder supplements may help you in reducing the body weight as well as fat in people with a fatty liver disease.

3) Sunflower – These tender textured seeds have a mild nutty taste. These are high in vitamin E and are antioxidants which may protect the liver from further damage.

4) Soy Protein – Food containing soy proteins may reduce the fat buildup in the liver. Tofu contains soy proteins which low in fat and high in protein.

What Should You Avoid –

1) Alcohol – Alcohol is one of the major factors that causes fatty liver disease and other liver diseases. People who are suffering from the disease should completely eliminate alcohol.

2) Fried and Processed food – Fried and processed foods are rich in calories, make you gain weight and worsen the situation of your liver.

3) Sugar – Stay away from the sugary food such as candies, cookies, cakes, canned drinks, sodas, juices etc. This is because high blood sugar increases the amount of fat in the liver.

4) Meat – Pork, beef and deli meats are high in the saturated fats, which the person who is suffering from the diseases should avoid eating in excess. Fish, lean meats are a good substitution for above.

5) White Bread, Pasta – White bread and pasta are made up of highly processed grains, which may raise your blood sugar level. This in turn leads to raising fats level in your body.

These are some tips for which will help you keep your liver healthy. Keep a tab on this space for more such health tips.

6 Promising Reasons That Should Have Your Own Primary Doctor Today

What if you need the medical help urgently such as for a sudden flu, leg cramps, a sudden fall, and you don’t know where to go and on whom to trust most? Who will be your point of contact? A family physician or a primary doctor is the answer for such situations. In fact, research shows that patients who visit their primary doctors on regular basis have fewer emergency visits than those who don’t. Let us take a look at some more promising reasons why you need to consult a primary doctor: 

1. Holistic Health Care of a Patient – Your primary care doctor will focus on Holistic health care, i.e. he/she will treat you as the whole person, considering your mental, emotional and social factors, rather than treating you based on the basic symptoms of a disease. 

 2.  Comfort Level is High – Most people don’t like to share the health issues with anyone. However, when you go to the primary care doctor regularly, this will build trust and comfort between you and your doctor. And when you consult the same doctor over time, he/she will know and understand the history of your health issues, which will be again beneficial for you. This takes us to the next point.

 3.  Detect Major Health Issues Earlier – The regular screening sessions will make your doctor detect symptoms of any health issues early on. Hence, even if it is a major disease, you can be assured that the treatment will start earlier and you will be in a better position to get rid of it.

  4.   Lowers the Health Costs – Yes, regular appointments, screening sessions will lower your health costs, as this will help your doctor to diagnose any disease in early stages. This will lead you to take early actions causing less pain to yourself and to your pocket.  

 5.  Manage Chronic Diseases in a Better way – Chronic health diseases like diabetes, arthritis, obesity, oral health issues, cancer are difficult to monitor by yourself. A primary care doctor will aware you about how the disease is affecting your body and will help you to stay organized. Scheduling regular visits to the doctors will help you to maintain your chronic disease. 

  6.  Referrals to other Medical Specialists for Chronic Disease – As and when you have the chronic issues and your primary doctor is not able to treat it well, he/she will refer you to the trusted specialists, which will help you to tackle the situation. 
 

These are some promising reasons that you should choose your primary care doctor as early as possible. San Antonio Primary Doctors are the experts and experienced doctors on whom you and your family can rely blindly. Get in touch with the best ones near you!