Erez Salik, MD
Erez Salik, MD, is codirector of the Greenwich Vein Center in Greenwich, Connecticut, and a specialist in vascular and interventional radiology. www.GreenVein.com
You almost dread lying down because you know you’ll soon feel that creepy-crawly, achy-tingly sensation in your legs. Moving your legs brings relief, so you can’t resist the urge—but that makes it hard to fall asleep. The culprit is restless legs syndrome (RLS), a malady that affects about 10% of the population, with women being twice as prone to the problem as men. In many patients, RLS is primarily a neurological disorder. But in some, RLS has a different underlying cause that doctors often overlook—varicose veins.
Erez Salik, MD, codirector of the Greenwich Vein Center in Greenwich, Connecticut, explained that varicose veins develop when the one-way valves inside the leg veins, which are supposed to keep blood moving toward the heart, start to leak or fail. This allows blood to flow back toward the feet and pool in the legs. The increased pressure stretches the veins, causing them to become enlarged, twisted and bumpy. This inefficient circulation in the legs leads to a buildup of metabolic waste and can trigger the throbbing, itching, gotta-move-or-go-crazy sensations of RLS. Good news: Treating the underlying vein problem also relieves RLS symptoms for many patients.
A simple, inexpensive, noninvasive treatment is to wear compression stockings (sold at drugstores and medical supply stores) because the stockings exert pressure that helps prevent the backflow and pooling of blood. Stockings are particularly helpful during long periods of standing but can be worn throughout the day and even at night, Dr. Salik said.
Varicose veins often can be treated with minimally invasive procedures that are done in the doctor’s office, involve minimal discomfort and take less than an hour, after which you walk out of the office. Options may include…
“With either treatment, the body automatically routes the blood to other, healthy veins, improving the circulation in the leg,” Dr. Salik said. When varicose veins are treated strictly for cosmetic reasons, insurance generally does not pay. However, insurance often does cover the cost of treatment when a patient suffers from varicose vein–related symptoms, including RLS—a fact that should help you sleep better at night.