Can Too Much Stress Cause Varicose Veins?

1. Can Too Much Stress Cause Varicose Veins?

2. Stress and Varicose Veins  Vein disease, or venous insufficiency, is the underlying cause of varicose veins. These twisted veins occur most often in the legs, ankles, and feet. Although you may have heard they are only a cosmetic issue, this isn’t true. Varicose veins can lead to serious medical conditions like blood clots and venous ulcers. 

3. Additionally, malfunctioning veins can cause a wide range of painful or uncomfortable symptoms, including: • Swelling in the legs and ankles • Tired, aching legs • Burning in the calf or thigh • Leg pain that feels better when you walk or raise your legs • Itchy, dry skin • Numbness or tingling sensation • Difficulty standing for long periods • Non-healing wounds on your legs

4. Can stress cause varicose veins? Our vein specialists want you to know that chronic stress can contribute to swollen, bulging varicose veins. Here’s what happens:  • When you are stressed, your blood pressure rises • This means the pressure on your veins rises, too • When stress and pressure is ongoing, the veins in your lower extremities become taxed  • This makes it challenging for your heart to effectively pump blood against gravity • Over time, the vein valves in your lower extremities can malfunction • Blood then begins to pool in the legs, ankles, and feet • Varicose veins develop

5. Stress Eating Everyone deals with stress differently. Some can successfully keep stress at bay through exercise and self-care. Others experience headaches, fatigue, or worsening vein symptoms.  Unfortunately, some turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms like stress-induced eating. Stress eating is of particular concern for those with vein disease. This is because when we are stressed, we release a “stress hormone” called cortisol. Cortisol raises blood sugar levels. 

6. In the short term, higher blood sugar levels can lend additional energy to deal with whatever is behind your stress. But if these levels remain elevated while stress continues, your body responds by signaling that you need more food. To make things worse, you may crave foods high in sodium or sugar, which contribute to weight gain. Excess weight can damage your veins and cause them to malfunction, leading to varicose veins. Generally speaking, your likelihood of developing vein disease increases if you are:  • Overweight or obese • Female • Over age 60 • Pregnant • Closely related to someone with varicose veins

7. How to Better Manage Stress Our vein experts want you to know that there are better ways to manage stress than by overeating. Instead, we recommend exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, managing your weight, and getting enough sleep.  Exercise Getting enough exercise offers physical and emotional benefits. You can start with cardiovascular activities like walking, running, swimming, and biking. These are particularly beneficial for vein health, since they get your heart pumping and blood circulating. Eventually, you may also want to add in two to three days a week of strength training. 

8. Eat A Healthy Diet You can reduce your stress levels and vein disease risks by eating a healthy, well-rounded diet. For most individuals, this diet should involve a mixture of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy. Avoiding fast food and restaurants in favor of home cooking may be helpful.  Get Enough Sleep You’ve probably noticed that whenever you’re well-rested, pretty much everything is easier to deal with. Getting adequate sleep, especially during stressful periods, can help lower overall stress levels and improve your vein health. 

9. When to Seek Help for Stress and Varicose Veins Have you wondered if stress can make your veins more visible, or if stress can cause veins to pop out? If so, you may already be experiencing worsening vein symptoms due to stress.  Despite your best efforts, sometimes you just can’t prevent vein disease. At USA Vein Clinics, we want you to know that there’s help available. Our vein treatment specialists offer several minimally-invasive, non-surgical treatments. One option, often considered the gold standard of vein treatment, is calledEndovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT). We also perform Varithena Foam Treatment, ClariVein, Ultrasound-Guided Sclerotherapy for varicose veins. In addition, Visual Sclerotherapy is commonly used to treat spider veins near the skin’s surface. 

10. Contact USA Vein Clinics We believe in accessible and affordable vein care for all. That is why we offer vein treatment in 90 locations nationwide. Our experts treat varicose veins, spider veins, venous ulcers, and other vein disease conditions. Most of our treatments can take between 15-30 minutes. Afterward, you can leave immediately and return to normal activities.  Get started by contacting us at 888.768.3467 to discover which treatment would work best for you. You can also schedule an appointment online or request a telemedicine consultation. We look forward to helping you take back control of your vein health!