Conditions & Symptoms

When patients have problems with congestive heart failure, angina, or heart attack, they trust Cardiovascular Medicine to help them heal.

Clinical Cardiology

We service all major cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions as well as offering diagnostic imaging, ongoing and chronic care, and long-term condition management. You can see cardiovascular specialists at both our Moline and Davenport locations.
cardiac

Cardiac Imaging and Diagnostics

Our range of cardiac diagnostic tests can provide the information you need to make informed decisions about your healthcare.

Electrophysiology

Our care center provides a full spectrum of electrophysiology care, from diagnosis to treatment and management of your condition.

Invasive & Interventional Cardiology

We are leaders in providing invasive cardiology treatments that relieve your symptoms and lower your risk of complications from heart disease.

Vein & Vascular Care

Our team of physicians, researchers, and patient care specialists are focused specifically on cardiovascular best practices and lifesaving heart and vein care.

Procedural Lab
(In-Office)

Our procedural lab is state-of-the-art, featuring one of the most technologically advanced vascular imaging systems available in an office setting.

Preventive Services

As the best line of defense against heart disease, our clinic specializes in preventive care, including advanced cardiac imaging, risk intervention, and personalized treatment planning.

CVM Locations

Explore the map below to see location options and find the clinic most convenient for you!
Conditions:

Chronic Leg Vein Conditions

Normal veins have a series of valves that open or close to direct blood flow. Vein disease occurs when the valves in the veins are damaged or not working properly and, thus, do not allow blood to flow back to the heart. Vein disease can develop in any vein in your body, including deep, superficial, and perforating veins. Vein disease is fairly common, affecting up to 40% of the U.S population, and can develop in either leg. The condition is more common in women (especially after multiple pregnancies) and aging adults.

Understanding Chronic Leg Vein Disease

When valve malfunction prevents proper blood flow, the blood must go someplace. Rather than circulate throughout the body, the blood in damaged veins can start to flow backward, collecting or pooling in the legs. This pooling of blood increases pressure in the legs, causing a variety of symptoms that can range from mild to severe, including:

  • Achiness 
  • Heaviness
  • Burning or tingling 
  • Cramping 
  • Discolored skin 
  • Swelling
  • Flaking or itching skin 
  • Leg ulcers
  • Varicose veins

Diagnosing Leg Vein Disease

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, schedule an appointment with a vein disease specialist. Diagnosing leg vein disease is relatively straightforward. Your doctor will collect a full medical history before examining your legs for signs and asking about your symptoms. Varicose veins (twisted, enlarged veins that are visible near the surface of the skin), swelling, skin changes, or the presence of ulcers are classic signs that will alert your doctor to a possible leg vein disease diagnosis. 

It is not uncommon for leg vein disorders to be misdiagnosed. For this reason, your doctor may also recommend additional testing to validate their assumption and pinpoint the exact location of the damage or dysfunction. Ultrasound will allow your doctor to evaluate your vein valve function and determine whether the problem affects superficial or deep veins.

Treating Leg Vein Disease

Treatment may begin with lifestyle changes and additional non-surgical treatments, such as compression therapy or medication. For more advanced cases, we perform minimally-invasive procedures to restore blood flow without open surgery. These procedures are designed to close down the affected vein and reroute blood flow to healthier veins.

  • Radiofrequency Ablation: an outpatient procedure that places a tiny, specialized catheter inside the affected vein and uses heat to seal the vein from the inside. 
  • Stab Phlebectomy: a more involved outpatient procedure that removes protruding veins in sections through tiny incisions (and may be performed in conjunction with radiofrequency ablation or endovenous laser treatment).

More on Leg Vein Conditions

Defining "Chronic" Leg Vein Conditions

If your symptoms are more severe, your leg vein disease may be characterized as “chronic”. Chronic leg vein disease can be congenital or can develop later in life. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot that forms in the deep veins of the body, is the most common cause of chronic vein disease. Other factors that can cause pressure to build up in the legs include:

  • Damage to the vein, even after the clot dissolves
  • Leg injury or surgery
  • Obesity or weight gain, including weight gain associated with pregnancy
  • Standing or sitting for extended periods of time without walking

Lifestyle Changes for Leg Vein Disease

Lifestyle changes can improve leg vein disease symptoms. The most common lifestyle changes recommended by our physicians include:

  • Low-impact exercises like walking and bike-riding
  • Elevating your legs above your heart 
  • Weight management to decrease pressure in the veins
  • Strengthening the leg muscles
  • Avoiding prolonged periods of sitting or standing

 

Meet Your Illinois and Iowa
Cardiovascular Physicians

Our team of physicians, researchers, and patient care specialists are focused specifically on cardiovascular best practices and lifesaving heart and vein care. We hire and empower the best cardiovascular doctors in the nation right here in the Heartland.

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