Content
Poor circulation, also known as venous insufficiency, affects mainly women, the elderly, the obese, pregnant women or those who use the birth control pill and people with a family history of venous insufficiency, but it can also affect people of other ages, being also frequent in people with others chronic problems like diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol.
To identify this problem, one must be aware of the presence of signs and symptoms such as:
- Cold, dry or scaly skin;
- Itchy legs;
- Red spots on the legs;
- Presence of spider veins or varicose veins;
- Swollen feet and ankles;
- Pale or bluish color in places of poor circulation;
- Leg cramps;
- Tingling, stinging or numbness in the legs;
- Absence of hair on the legs;
- Cracks in the heels.
Find out why poor circulation happens and how the diagnosis is made.
Factors that worsen symptoms
Symptoms usually get worse at the end of the day, because the person spent a lot of time standing up, with the heat and at certain times of the menstrual cycle. In addition, the use of shoes with high heels or completely shallow, also contributes to the exacerbation of symptoms.
How the treatment is done
The start of treatment for poor circulation should be done with regular physical activity and dietary changes, with an increased consumption of foods rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, such as orange, lemon, kiwi, garlic and beet, for example. . See more foods that can help improve blood circulation.
In addition, home remedies can also be used, such as gorse teas, ginkgo biloba and garlic, lymphatic drainage, leg and foot massages, or pressotherapy, which uses devices on the legs to improve circulation during treatment sessions.
The adoption of measures, such as raising the legs at the end of the day, bathing with water at a medium temperature, massaging from the ankle to the groin and wearing comfortable shoes, also help to reduce the discomfort caused by poor circulation.
In some cases, the doctor may also recommend the use of compression stockings or prescribe medications, such as Diosmin or Velunid, for example, which contain diosmin and hesperidin in the composition, which act on the veins of the circulatory system, improving venous tone, microcirculation and blood vessel resistance.
It is also important to avoid smoking and reduce alcohol consumption, which helps to improve the health of blood vessels and reduce swelling in the legs.
Watch the following video and also learn what to do to reduce swelling of the feet: