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In some population groups, varicose veins are known to occur more frequently. While factors like genetics, age, and gender play a role in the likelihood of suffering from varicose veins, certain occupations are also linked to higher instances of this medical issue.
If untreated, varicose veins have the potential to cause issues like leg discomfort or leg ulcers, amongst other problems. However, most cases are simply a cosmetic issue for people who find their varicose veins unsightly.
There are many non-surgical methods for reducing the appearance of varicose veins and stopping them from becoming worse. Before we get into that, let’s take a look at how veins in the body function and why varicose veins occur in the first place.
Circulating blood
Of course, most people know that veins serve as the tunnels by which blood travels around the body. All of our veins are part of a network that links back to our heart, where blood is pumped from.
When you think about the placement of the heart in our chest, you realize that blood must travel to the extremities and be carried back to the heart by the veins in our arms and legs. This leads us to our next point.
Fighting against the force of gravity
The reason that varicose veins occur predominately in the legs is quite simple when you think about it; the veins need to work harder against gravity in the lower parts of the body. Our veins have valves in them that open and close to push blood back up the body without it flowing backwards.
However, over time our vein valves can malfunction and become worn out. This causes some blood to flow backwards and pool in the veins, which causes the bulging that is characteristic of varicose veins.
The diagram below explains this effect visually.
More movement = better circulation
There’s no better way to promote the circulation of blood throughout the body than moving it often. Your calf muscles act similarly to the heart in that they help pump blood back up your legs – so if your calves aren’t being used as often then more pressure is put on the veins to do the heavy lifting with the valves we mentioned earlier.
This leads us to why certain occupations have a higher rate of varicose veins than others. The diagram below visually explains how your calves help pump blood back to the heart.
Occupations with higher rates of varicose veins
Since activating your calves puts less pressure on your veins to pump blood back to the heart, it follows that not using your calves very often would put more pressure on your veins. This is why certain occupations where you sit or stand for long periods are more associated with varicose veins.
A few examples are:
- Desk workers
- Long-haul truck drivers
- Conveyor belt factory workers
- Some medical professionals
- Restaurant staff
- Retail workers
- Hairdressers and barbers
- Anyone who often travels by plane or car
How can you reduce the risk of varicose veins?
1. Frequent exercise
Exercise is something you should be doing anyway, but it’s very useful in fighting varicose veins because it activates your calf muscles and promotes healthier blood flow.
2. Watching your body weight
The heavier you are, the more downward pressure there is on your legs and the veins therein.
3. Limit the use of high heels
High heels cause calves to contract and makes them less useful in pumping blood upwards. Wearing high heels too often can contribute to the occurrence of varicose veins.
4. Try compression stockings
Compression stockings may look like Grandma’s pantyhose at first glance, but they can actually be far more modern and subtle than you think. Compression stockings are one of the most effective non-surgical treatments for reducing varicose veins. The compression simply adds light pressure to our veins so that more blood flows up the legs.
What are the signs of varicose veins?
Varicose veins are mostly (but not always) a cosmetic issue and are therefore very noticeable when they manifest. Swelling in the legs can also be a symptom, as well as aching or a general feeling of heaviness in the legs compared to the rest of the body.
在某些人群中，静脉曲张的发生频率更高。虽然遗传因素、年龄和性别等因素在静脉曲张的可能性中起着一定的作用，但某些职业也与这一医疗问题的较高情况有关。
如果不加治疗，静脉曲张有可能导致腿部不适或腿部溃疡等问题。然而，大多数病例只是一个化妆品问题的人谁发现他们的静脉曲张难看。
有许多非手术方法，以减少静脉曲张的外观，并阻止他们变得更糟。在我们进入之前，让我们来看看静脉在体内的功能，以及为什么静脉曲张发生摆在首位。
循环血液
当然，大多数人都知道静脉是血液在身体周围传播的隧道。我们所有的静脉都是连接回我们心脏的网络的一部分，在那里血液被抽取。
当你想到心脏在我们的胸部的位置，你意识到，血液必须传播到四肢，并通过我们胳膊和腿的静脉带回心脏。这就引出了我们的下一点。
对抗重力
静脉曲张主要发生在腿部的原因很简单，当你想到它：静脉需要更加努力地对抗身体下部的重力。我们的静脉有阀门，打开和接近推血回身体没有它向后流动。
然而，随着时间的推移，我们的静脉瓣膜可能会发生故障，并变得磨损。这导致一些血液向后流动，并汇入静脉，这导致静脉曲张特征的凸起。
下图从视觉上解释了此效果。
更多运动 = 更好的循环
没有比经常移动血液更好的方法来促进血液在全身的循环了。你的小腿肌肉的行为与心脏相似，因为它们有助于泵血回到你的腿 – 所以如果你的小腿没有经常使用，那么更多的压力放在静脉上，做我们前面提到的阀门的重担。
这就引出了为什么某些职业的静脉曲张率高于其他职业。下面的图表直观地解释了你的小腿如何帮助泵血回心脏。
静脉曲张率较高的职业
由于激活小腿会减轻静脉泵回心脏的压力，因此不经常使用小腿会给你的静脉带来更大的压力。这就是为什么你长时间坐着或站立的某些职业与静脉曲张更相关的原因。
几个例子是：
- 办公桌工人
- 长途卡车司机
- 输送带工厂工人
- 一些医疗专业人员
- 餐厅工作人员
- 零售工人
- 理发师和理发师
- 经常乘飞机或汽车旅行的人
如何降低静脉变异的风险？
1. 经常锻炼
运动是你应该做的无论如何，但它是非常有用的战斗静脉曲张，因为它激活你的小腿肌肉，促进更健康的血液流动。
2. 观察您的体重
你越重，你的腿和静脉的下行压力就越大。
3. 限制使用高跟鞋
高跟鞋导致小腿收缩，使它们在向上抽血方面不那么有用。经常穿高跟鞋会导致静脉曲张。
4. 尝试压缩丝袜
压缩丝袜乍一看可能看起来像奶奶的裤袜，但实际上它们可能比你想象的要现代和微妙得多。压缩丝袜是减少静脉曲张的最有效的非手术治疗之一。压缩只会给我们的静脉增加轻压，使更多的血液流到腿部。
静脉曲张的迹象是什么？
静脉曲张大多（但并不总是）是一个化妆品问题，因此非常明显，当他们显现。腿部肿胀也可以是一种症状，以及疼痛或腿部的一般重感相比，身体的其他部分。