Heavy Legs / Fatigued Legs
HEAVY LEGS / FATIGUED LEGS Q & A
What Are Heavy Legs and Fatigued Legs?
Heavy legs and fatigued legs are characterized by a feeling of weight and tiredness in the legs, especially after long periods of standing or sitting. The heaviness and tiredness may also be accompanied by swelling, stiffness and achiness.
What Do Heavy Legs and Fatigued Legs Feel Like?
Many patients describe heavy legs and fatigued legs like dragging weighted objects around their legs. Legs feel tired and stiff, requiring greater effort to keep them moving. Eventually, it becomes difficult to walk and remain active.
What Are Risk Factors for Heavy Legs and Fatigued Legs?
The risk of developing heavy legs and fatigued legs increase with:
- Obesity
- Lack of exercise
- Aging
- Smoking
- Pregnancy
- Occupation requiring sitting or standing for long periods
- Family history of vascular disease
Frequently Asked Questions
Heavy Legs and Fatigued Legs Patient Education
What Are Symptoms of Heavy Legs and Fatigued Legs?
Symptoms of heavy legs and fatigued legs are:
- Swelling
- Appearance of spider and/or varicose veins
- Numbness
- Stiffness, achiness, and throbbing pain
- Leg feels cold
- Tingling sensations
- Discoloration of skin
- Restless legs
- Worsens with standing, walking, or sitting for long periods of time
What Causes Heavy Legs and Fatigued Legs?
Heavy legs and fatigued legs may be caused by an underlying vascular disease, which prevents blood from properly circulating through the legs. These possible conditions include:
- Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) – A condition in which venous pressure causes blood to pool in the legs and does not circulate back to the heart efficiently.
- Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) – A condition in which plaque builds up in the arteries and veins and obstructs blood flow.
- Varicose veins – A condition in which the veins become enlarged and bulge, causing blood flow problems.
Other causes include:
- Restless leg syndrome
- Smoking
- Increased alcohol consumption
- Overtraining and excess exercise
Can Heavy Legs and Fatigued Legs Be Prevented?
Living a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition and physical activity can help prevent vascular problems that cause heavy legs and fatigued legs.
Do Heavy Legs and Fatigued Legs Need Treatment?
If a patient is experiencing heavy legs and fatigued legs it is important to get a medical diagnosis. The doctor will take a medical history and run tests to determine the cause of discomfort. It is important to seek medical attention because heavy legs and fatigued legs can indicate a vascular condition that decreases blood flow to the legs. If left untreated, the condition can get worse or develop into a more serious condition, such as a blood clot.
What Are Heavy Legs and Fatigued Legs Treatments?
Unless a serious condition requires immediate intervention, conservative measures will likely be the first treatment plan for heavy legs and fatigued legs. These include regular exercise, losing weight, quitting smoking and drinking, compression stockings, and elevating the legs when at rest. If additional treatment is required, the vascular condition causing the symptoms will be addressed. Varicose veins, PAD and CVI and other conditions can be easily treated by an outpatient, minimally invasive procedure such as sclerotherapy. These treatments will improve heavy legs and fatigued legs by restoring blood flow.
What to Expect from Heavy Legs / Fatigued Legs Treatment?
With minimally invasive procedures since only a small incision is needed, there are no stitches. Patients needing treatment for heavy legs and fatigued legs will be able to go home the same day as the procedure. Also, recovery time is much shorter than traditional surgery, so daily activities can often be resumed in 24 hours.
As an interventional radiologist who specializes in vascular disease, Dr. Jilbert Eradat is well qualified to bring relief to patients experiencing heavy legs and fatigued legs. At Alliance, we use the latest protocols in minimally invasive procedures for managing vascular conditions in the early stages to challenging, high-risk cases in patients who otherwise would have no treatment option.
631 West Avenue Q, Suite A
Palmdale, CA 93551
Phone 661-480-5956
Fax 661-480-5976
Hours
- Monday–Friday
8 am – 5pm
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