Do your toes look like little sausages?
By Dr. Sonja Stiller, Center for Advanced Vein Care
It’s the middle of summer and it’s hot. We’re active and on our feet.
So how do your legs feel? Are they achy or tired? Are your feet or ankles swollen? Do your toes look like little sausages?
When people experience leg swelling, they often associate it with diet. “It must have been something I ate,” we say. “Maybe too much salt.”
But the truth is, other people ate exactly what we did, and they’re not experiencing leg swelling. Often, there is something else going on. Leg swelling simply isn’t normal.
If you’re experiencing swelling, or your legs are achy and tired and all you want to do is put your feet up, you may be one of up to half of Americans with venous disease, including varicose veins. And while those twisty, ropey veins may come to mind when we hear, “varicose veins,” they often do not accompany the disease. There are many other telltale signs, and sometimes the problem is deeper beneath the surface. That’s why it’s best to be examined by a vein specialist if you are expereincing symptoms.
Are you thinking of talking to your doctor about taking a diuretic—a water pill—to help reduce your swelling? That’s a good reason to get checked out, too, especially if an echocardiogram or other test shows nothing wrong with your heart.
Give us a call now if you are suffering from any of the following symptoms:
- leg pain
- swelling
- heaviness
- fatigue
- itching
- burning
- inflammation
- skin discoloration
- restless legs syndrome.
Dr. Sonja Stiller is a diplomat of both the American Board of Emergency Medicine and the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine and the UIP 2023 Lead Chair for Scientific Abstracts. She is the founder of the Center for Advanced Vein Care, a Tier 1 provider with Lake Health Hospital System. The center’s offices are at 7200 Mentor Avenue, in Mentor. For an appointment, call 440-710-1140. Visit YourHealthyVeins.com.