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In early 2021, many of us were hopeful that things were turning around after a challenging year. Vaccines were on their way. Then, in the spring, life began to open up. First, it seemed like it was getting back to normal, then the Delta variant threw a wrench in many of our plans. It’s frustrating and difficult to deal with all the uncertainty in the world right now.

As a vein treatment clinic, we hope that life will begin to feel a little more normal in 2022. But, for now, we are doing our best to support our patients and offer the best vein treatments we can. One of the ways we can do that is by encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

So, if your 2022 resolution is to be a little healthier, we have some suggestions for simple resolutions that you can complete no matter what 2022 brings.

1. Make sure you have proper health insurance coverage. When one year ends, another year of health coverage starts. If your goal is to get health insurance or increase it this year, make sure you sign up now while enrollment is open.
2. Get a physical. Yearly physicals are a great way to stay on top of your health. Each year, you should see your general practitioner for a check-up and stay on top of any health concerns you may have.
3. Buy some new running shoes. January may be the best time to join a gym with all the New Year’s deals, but it’s probably best to keep things simple after the last two years of closures and openings. Instead, buy yourself some new running shoes and take your exercise outside. Start with walking or download a running app to get back into the exercise groove.
4. Buy a healthy cookbook. We all know that most diet and weight loss goals made in January inevitably fail by February. So instead of putting all that pressure on yourself, keep it simple. Buy a new cookbook with some healthy recipes to throw into your regular menu mix.
5. Book your vein treatment consultation. You can’t get started on your vein treatment journey without a consultation. Take things slowly, one thing at a time. Make an appointment with our clinic today, and we’ll assess where you are at and what your needs are. Then we’ll make a personalized treatment plan to address your circulatory issues.

We all know that making New Year’s resolutions and sticking to them is hard. It’s even harder when you’re amid a global pandemic and life is full of uncertainty. So this new year, keep things simple. If you want to be healthier, focus on attainable goals like these to help you feel better and get you through this challenging period. Keep it simple in 2022!

Do you have a patch of spider veins? We bet you do! Spider veins are incredibly common. They’re twisted, purple, or blue veins that form near the skin’s surface, usually on the legs or thighs. Spider veins typically aren’t painful or harmful like varicose veins but they can get worse over time without treatment.

Seeking treatment for your spider veins is important. You should feel good about your body and we can help. To learn more about the benefits of cosmetic vein treatment, check out our latest blog post by clicking the “read more” button below.

We all know how a leg cramp feels. It can start when you’re working out, walking, or sometimes even sleeping. The tight, painful feeling comes on fast and hard, and it feels like someone is tying your muscle in a knot and pulling it tighter and tighter. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to stop a muscle cramp. You just have to wait until it’s over.

Muscle cramps occur when a muscle is strained or stuck in one position for too long. Sometimes they are caused by dehydration, nerve compression, or inadequate blood supply. Sometimes, they just happen. Cramps are more common if you are older, dehydrated, pregnant, or have a medical condition like diabetes, a liver or a thyroid disorder, nerve issues, restless leg syndrome, or venous insufficiency.

If you have varicose veins, you may be more likely to suffer from muscle cramps, especially in the areas near the vein. Usually, muscle cramps are not a big deal, but if you notice that they continually happen in the same place, and there is redness or swelling in that spot, schedule an appointment at Precision Vein Therapeutics. During your visit, we do an ultrasound to see if there is an underlying vein issue that may be contributing to the problem.

If you want to avoid muscle cramps, here are a few things you can do :

• Stay hydrated
• Make sure that you are getting adequate nutrients through your diet, especially potassium, calcium, and magnesium
• Stretch
• Keep active
• Use compression wear

What can you do when a muscle cramp strikes? Here’s how you can make it through. First, take some deep breaths. They will help you manage the pain. Then, slowly try to stretch the affected area or lightly massage it. Try walking hunched over like you are pushing a shopping cart. This motion can help reduce the pressure on your leg. Eventually, the cramp will pass. When it’s over, drink plenty of water, eat a banana (they are a great source of potassium), and keep massaging the area. Next, try some deeper stretches, or use a foam roller to loosen up the muscle and prevent tightening.

Muscle cramps are painful and annoying because they can strike at any time. If you want to avoid these painful episodes, get your legs checked for underlying circulatory issues. Proper circulation is key to helping your muscles perform and recover after exercise.

At Precision Vein Therapeutics, our doctors specialize in vein health issues. We’ve seen every type of varicose vein, spider vein, or vein ulcer you can imagine. Our expertise has helped us to deliver fantastic results for many of our patients.

To do our job correctly, we need to coordinate care with your family physician, or at least have a detailed look at your medical history. Here are a few things we review:

• Your overall health. Our treatments are easy to recover from and minimally invasive. Most of our treatments are considered cosmetic and don’t require a referral. But we still need to be aware of any chronic health or underlying conditions that may affect your treatment and recovery. We may request access to your medical history or need to coordinate your care with your medical team.
• Any medications you may be taking. You or your family physician must provide us with a detailed inventory of any medications or supplements you’re taking. We want to make sure that nothing will interact with your treatment or pain medication. In addition, if you choose to use anesthesia for your treatments, we will need to consult your medical history and medical team to make sure that it’s appropriate for your health.
• Follow-up care instructions. Many of our vein treatments require multiple sessions. At each appointment, we monitor your progress and provide after-care instructions and follow-up. Usually, this includes wearing compression stockings and increasing your exercise. Increasing your physical activity will help prevent future vein issues and help to relieve the discomfort of recovery. We usually recommend walking and other light cardiovascular activities while you are recovering. As you progress in your treatment, it may be wise to monitor your weight and diet to prevent future vein issues. Obesity and lack of exercise can increase the risk of varicose veins or spider veins. You may choose to coordinate your follow-up care and any lifestyle changes with your family practitioner. They can recommend options designed for your body’s unique needs and help you stay safe and healthy.

We are experts in the vascular system and vein health problems as vein health specialists, but we are also medical doctors. So we know how important a well-rounded medical team, including a family physician, can be to your overall health. Good communication among your medical team can help you stay healthy and prevent significant medical issues. If you have any concerns or questions about your vein treatment, feel free to ask us.

If you’ve enjoyed working from home, you may be dreading the return to the office. Now that vaccine rates are climbing, many businesses are asking employees to come back in some sort of fashion. There are a lot of benefits when you work from home. You can wear whatever you want, take breaks to walk around, cut back on your commute time, and make your own lunch.

If you’ve taken advantage of these benefits and developed some of these healthy habits, you may be nervous about losing progress when adding in a daily commute and office life. That’s why we’ve compiled some tips to help you keep up with your healthy work-from-home habits, even at the office.

• Keep making your own lunch. If you’ve switched from eating out a few times a week to making lunch at home during the pandemic, your wallet and waistline probably thank you. Make it easy to keep up this habit. Buy a handy lunch box, prepare your lunch the night before, or take food to work that you can assemble quickly at lunch.
• Make your commute your fitness time. Forgoing the daily commute probably freed up time for you to get active and try new exercises. Now that you have to commute to work keep it up. Try walking, biking, or running to work instead of driving!
• Stay comfortable. No one is looking forward to tight, uncomfortable office wear. Talk to your employer about relaxing the dress code, or invest in fashionable, appropriate workwear that feels good. Tight, restrictive clothing can exacerbate circulatory issues like varicose veins or spider veins. Wear loose clothing to relieve pressure from swelling and leg cramps.
• Pack your compression socks. Sitting at a desk all day isn’t great for your vein health. It was easy to take breaks, walk around, or lie down and put your feet up to relieve pressure when you worked from home. Keep some compression stockings at work to help relieve your pain, and continue to take breaks when you can.
• Say no to coffee and drink water. If you’ve managed to kick the habit of hitting up the coffee drive-thru each morning, don’t slip up. Instead, buy a large water bottle to keep at work and remind yourself to drink water throughout the day instead of coffee. There are even smart water bottle options that will remind you to stay hydrated.

You don’t have to drop the healthy habits you developed while working from home just because you’ve returned to the office. You know now how great those habits make you feel and how they help manage your vein health. So, keep it up by making some small changes to your office life, and you’ll feel better about going back.