Do Your Legs Feel Heavy?
If you answered “yes”, you may have leg heaviness. It’s a common condition that makes your legs feel tired, stiff, and as if you were carrying five pounds on each leg. There’re many possible causes for it, however, the most common have to do with vascular issues. If your legs feel heavy, we can help you identify the cause and get the treatment you need.
Other causes
Varicose veins, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), overtraining syndrome (OTS), among others.
Common symptoms
Symptoms vary from patient to patient. However, the most common are achy, tired, crampy, and stiff legs.
Potential Causes of Leg Heaviness
Varicose Veins
Swollen, twisted veins are caused by weak vein walls and high blood pressure. This produces the sensation of heaviness.
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
Plaque buildup in the arteries decreases blood flow, reducing oxygen delivery to the extremities and making them feel uncomfortable.
Overtraining Syndrome (OTS)
If you don’t take enough time to recover after exercising, several problems can appear, including leg heaviness.
Treating Leg Heaviness
The most common treatments include compression devices, lifestyle changes, and medications. There are also interventional treatments like sclerotherapy, radiofrequency therapy, laser therapy, and vein removal. If your legs feel heavy for several weeks, you can visit one of our vein clinics so we can create a treatment plan for you depending on your diagnosis.
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Facts About Our Treatments
Minimally Invasive procedures
Our interventional treatments are minimally invasive, fast, and effective.
Aftercare
Typically, you can resume your normal activities within a few hours.
What to expect
Your doctor will guide you through the process and answer all your questions.
FAQ About Leg Heaviness Treatments
How is the process of diagnosing and treating heavy legs?
One of our vein specialists performs a physical exam to evaluate your condition. They will need to review your medical history and symptoms, and may also require you to have some medical tests.
After analyzing your results and determining the causes, the doctor will provide you with a customized treatment plan, followed by regular check-ups.
What procedures are there to treat leg heaviness if I have varicose veins?
Varicose veins are one of the most common causes of leg heaviness. If that’s your case, we can treat this condition using:
- Sclerotherapy: in this procedure, one of our doctors injects medicine into the blood vessels to shrink them.
- Radiofrequency therapy: we use radiofrequency energy to heat up and damage the wall inside the vein, closing affected veins.
- Laser therapy: this procedure uses heat from a laser to close and shrink the veins, making the scar tissue seal them off. This makes blood flow through other nearby veins instead.
- Vein removal: we use this treatment to seal off and remove the unhealthy portions of the vein.
What can I expect from sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for varicose veins – the number one cause of heavy legs.
This procedure is minimally invasive. It’s also a fast procedure that takes about 30 minutes, and the results can be permanent. Small veins usually take a few weeks to disappear, while larger ones can take several months.
How is sclerotherapy used to treat leg heaviness?
You may need several sclerotherapy sessions, usually every three to four weeks. After the treatment, your legs may be swollen for a short period, but this will pass quickly.
We recommend you use compression stockings for three days after the treatment.
What are the aftercare instructions for sclerotherapy?
After each sclerotherapy session, you should minimize sun exposure and wear sunscreen to avoid scarring and staining. We also recommend a thirty-minute walk every day to help you with the healing process.
You must contact your doctor in case you notice anything unusual.
