Stress can lead to a multitude of physical, behavioral, and mental health issues from fatigue, headaches and nausea, to pain, poor focus, and depression. As time goes on, the impact of stress can lead to long-term and sometimes serious health problems such as stomach and intestinal disorders, weight gain, behavioral health disorders, and cardiovascular disease.

So what does your vein health have to do with stress?

Stress can have a huge impact on your cardiovascular health, which includes your heart, arteries, and veins. Because of this fact, it’s vital that patients who are at risk of developing vein disease monitor and control their stress levels. Chronic stress often leads people down a path of making poor lifestyle choices.

It’s easy to grab unhealthy fast food and processed convenience foods and skimp on exercise when you’re busy and feeling overwhelmed. And all too frequently, many people turn to drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol for stress relief. Most of these things can be alright in moderation, but they can all be detrimental to your body when taken to excess.

Your veins work hard to circulate blood from your legs up to your heart. According to varicose vein doctors in Chicago, all of these unhealthy lifestyle factors can cause or worsen existing vein disease, including venous insufficiency and deep vein thrombosis. Carrying extra body weight adds pressure to your veins and can overwork the vein pump. Drugs, alcohol, and smoking can cause your veins to harden, which can lead to reduced blood flow and poor circulation. Add to that poor diet and lack of exercise, and you have the recipe for dangerous blood clots, stroke, and embolism, among other problems such as diabetes and heart disease.

If you suspect that you’re at risk for or already might have vein disease, the only way to know for sure is to be diagnosed by a Chicago vein expert such as our very own Dr. Ramon Castro. To schedule varicose vein treatment in Chicago, please call us at 773-283-7887. You’ll be glad you did.