A leg pillow wedge reduces the chances of your blood pooling in your leg veins and sends the blood back to the heart for improved circulation. If you have normal functioning veins, the little valves in the vein keep blood moving forward toward the heart. The reason you may have varicose veins or “spider veins” showing on your legs is the valves do not function correctly and blood remains in the vein. The veins enlarge due to the pooling of blood in the vein. Elevating your legs above the level of your heart with a leg pillow wedge, may give you comfort and reduce the pain from the swelling veins.
Treatment of varicose veins depends on how severe they are. The treatments include complex medical care, surgical or laser treatment to help prevent serious disabling complications, and cosmetic procedures that reduce the appearance of varicose veins. The proper diagnosis of varicose veins includes a physical examination and additional medical testing as needed. An ultrasound evaluation is one of the most important tests performed to diagnose varicose veins. An accurate ultrasound test will help determine the most appropriate treatment for you. It is a fact that varicose veins tend to get worse over time. You can ease discomfort and slow varicose vein progression with self care. If you have a family history of the problem, avoid prolonged standing and elevate your legs whenever feasible. The leg pillow wedge can be used in bed or on the sofa.
Please call your doctor or health care provider for an appointment if:
- Your varicose veins are or become painful. The pain you are feeling is a critical sign. The veins may be blocked and may cause blood clots and severe infections.
- They get worse or do not improve with self-treatment, such as keeping the legs elevated on a leg pillow wedge. Avoiding excessive standing or bed rest is the most important thing you can do until the proper medical treatment is determined by a health professional.
- Complications occur. Complications include a sudden increase in pain or swelling, fever, redness of the leg, or leg ulcers.
- Darkening of the skin (in severe cases). The blood pooling causes the appearance, but infections may also cause a dark color.
- Numbness in the legs. This happens when the swelling presses on nerve endings.
- Itching or irritated rash on your legs. The itchy feeling may seem like an unexplained bug bite or early poison ivy that never develops.
The leg pillow wedge is recommended by health professionals to help reduce the symptoms of varicose veins. The top 5 simple symptoms can be helped with elevated rest. These simple signs should not be ignored, but you can help reduce them with a leg pillow wedge:
- Mild swelling of ankles.
- Visible and enlarged veins.
- Brown discoloration of the skin at the ankles. Sometimes improved circulation reduces the redness or darkening.
- Fullness, heaviness, aching, and sometimes pain in the legs.
- Skin ulcers near the ankle (this is more often seen in severe cases)