How to Treat Varicose Veins
Varicose Veins are unsightly blue or purple bulging veins that may be lumpy or knobbly in appearance. They are a fairly common affliction, affecting three in 10 adults, and occur when the valves in a vein weaken and fail to work properly.
These valves normally keep the blood flowing effectively through the veins and to the heart. If they become damaged the blood can flow back into the vein and collect. This causes the vein to swell and can produce that distinctive ‘lumpy’ appearance of varicose veins.
As well as an unpleasant appearance, there can be other varicose veins symptoms. Many people with varicose veins describe them as aching or throbbing, and they can be quite uncomfortable, particularly when standing or during warm weather.
Some sufferers may get relief from varicose veins symptoms by raising their legs or using compression stockings. Compression stockings work by squeezing the legs and encouraging the blood to flow towards the heart. They can help to relieve the aching described by varicose veins sufferers. They have not, though, been shown to actually improve existing varicose veins or prevent the formation of new ones.
Compression stockings can also be uncomfortable to wear and time needs to be taken to get the correct fit. They can also cause dry, flaky skin (sufferers should apply emollient cream to prevent this). It is important to replace compression stockings every three to six months as they can lose their effectiveness over time.
Compression tights are available as an alternative to compression stockings, but these are not generally offered on the NHS.
Those who are looking for a more permanent solution should consider undergoing surgical varicose veins treatment. A common surgery used to remove large varicose veins, available on the NHS, is known as litigation and stripping. This procedure involves tying off the affected vein and then removing it through an incision in the leg.
This method is fairly invasive and is carried out under general anaesthetic. Side effects can include pain, bruising and bleeding, but more serious complications are rare. Litigation and stripping has a recovery period of between one and three weeks.
For small to medium-sized varicose veins, sclerotherapy may be a suitable option. This treatment involves injecting a chemical into the vein which causes scarring and seals it closed. This is a less invasive treatment after which the patient should be able to return to work immediately.
Radiofrequency ablation is another treatment. It involves heating the wall of the varicose vein using radiofrequency energy, which causes the vein to collapse and seal shut. This treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic. Another similar method is endovenous laser treatment. Instead of using radiofrequency, this treatment uses a laser to heat the vein.
Radiofrequency ablation and endovenous laser treatment are not generally available on the NHS. Patients who are considering seeking treatment for varicose veins should discuss the various options with their GP in order to determine the most suitable treatment for them.
Keeping your mind active with technology
Scientists have known for some time that an active mind has positive benefits on a person’s health. Using the old grey cells on a daily basis helps to keep us alert and stay positive. In the 21st Century, technology is now the ideal way to keep people mentally active.
For some retired people, computers can seem frustrating and more of a hindrance than a help but in the last ten years that has begun to change, there are now simpler devices that have just as much potential.
Nintendo’s DS hand held console began this move away from keyboards and mice. The device is small enough to be held in one hand like a book. The Brain Training game changed people’s attitude to the console, as they began to realise that it had appeal beyond kids’ games. There have been many titles that have built on this idea, a variety of puzzle titles including the Professor Layton series and artistic titles like Art Academy help to keep both hemispheres of your brain working hard. You will be able to pick up a console and some software at your local Currys. Discount vouchers appear in the press or the Internet now and again, so it’s well worth keeping a look out for them.
Devices such as modern smartphones are now just computers that fit into your pocket. Their touchscreen interfaces are more intuitive and offer a more natural way to control them. They have opened up a whole new world of applications and possibilities as a result. There are loads of titles that are designed specifically to challenge your brain from mathematics to art, from cooking to photography there is plenty to keep you occupied. If you don’t want to stretch to a phone, devices like the iPod touch offer the same applications without the monthly bill.
The touch phones’ larger cousin is the tablet computer. Apple’s iPad has changed the face of computing forever, offering a portable computer that requires no mouse or keyboard. From reading books, to studying history or science in an immersive, interactive way, from reading e-mail to surfing the Internet there is now a simple, more intuitive method literally at your fingertips.
A recent article told the story of the near 100 year-old man who asked for an iPad for his Christmas. The reason was that the variable font size on the device meant he could read any book he liked and was not restricted to the large print book in his local library. However the iPad is not the only device for reading books, dedicated readers such as Sony’s e-reader or the Amazon Kindle offer a huge range of books, no matter what your interest may be you’ll find something that interests you. What better way to exercise your brain than to delve into a good book and these devices make it possible for you to take your whole library with you, no matter where you go.
The rise of simpler, more intuitive technology has opened up a whole new world of opportunities. Why not take a look on the Internet, source some of those Currys discount codes and get yourself some new ways to keep your mind active with 21st Century technology?
Health insurance is getting cheaper as people live longer
Cheaper life and health cover is now much easier to come by easier to find as advancements in both critical illness and chronic complaints continue to improve in leaps and bounds. New insurance policies are starting to reflect this with some companies aligning them selves to the best specialists around the globe.
For those of us who live in New Zealand the new policies available from Sovereign Health Insurance with Best Doctors now offers you access to the very top people to deal with your health problems.
Many independent health care insurers and quick to say that premiums have come down and the big companies are expecting their patients to recover quicker with far less hospitalisation and better more cost effective treatments.
A source from Sovereign Health Insurance said “that the impact of medical improvements is very significant with regards to the ever aging population and quite simply it’s a major factor why people are living longer and of course this is born out in the life/health assurance rates currently available.”
Recently figures released in the UK by the Health insurance watchdog the FSA revealed that life expectancy for men will be “at least” 81 within the next 20 years, whilst the ladies amongst us will on average live four years more.
With an ever more competitive and sophisticated range of products Health Care NZ are expecting more and more people over fifty to seriously consider the benefit of extra health cover.
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