Summer Sanders is best known for her work as a sports commentator and reporter, TV show host, and retired Olympic gold medalist in swimming. Now Sanders is leading a campaign to raise awareness about varicose veins and other serious forms of vein disease. The American College of Phleblogy (ACP), Society for Vascular Surgery and the American Venous Forum partnered with Sanders in the “Rethink Varicose Veins” campaign promoting awareness of varicose vein health risks.

The focus of the campaign is to encourage people suffering from varicose veins to understand and learn more about their condition. Varicose veins left untreated can progress to a more serious form of vein disease called CVI or chronic venous insufficiency.  Some studies show that only 1.9 million of the more than 30 million Americans suffering from venous (vein) disease seek treatment annually, the vast majority of sufferers remain undiagnosed and untreated. *

To help raise community awareness, Sanders is sharing her personal experience with venous insufficiency, which is the underlying cause of varicose veins. She also shares how she improved following treatment for varicose veins.

Sanders had many of the classic complaints of varicose veins, achy heavy legs that she attributed to being on her feet and getting older.  When she finally spoke with a vein specialist, she learned that the symptoms were due to venous insufficiency. Sanders was informed that if she didn’t seek treatment for varicose veins and her condition progressed to chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) that she could have ended up with more serious symptoms like skin texture and color changes, leg ulcers and severe pain.

With varicose veins and CVI , the valves in  the veins of the leg that direct blood from the legs back up toward the heart no longer function correctly, causing blood to pool in the legs. Although this can occur at any age, increased age is considered a risk factor. Varicose veins and CVI also tend to be more prevalent in women who have been pregnant, and in people who have a family history of CVI. Those whose jobs require them to spend a great deal of time standing are also at an increased risk for CVI and varicose veins.

At the Vein Clinic of Texas, we find that many of our patients, both men and women, think varicose veins are just a cosmetic issue, or a natural part of aging and are not aware that chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a progressive disease that requires proper diagnosis and medical treatment. They are often pleased to discover that there are effective minimally invasive treatment options and in many cases insurance may cover the cost of varicose vein treatment.

To read more about Sanders’ experience with vein disease and treatment, visit the website www.RethinkVaricoseVeins.com  There you can learn more about varicose veins, CVI , and  vein treatment options. Visitors to the website can also assess their own risk with an online tool or share an e-card with friends or family to encourage them to learn more about varicose veins and CVI.