Venous insufficiency or chronic venous insufficiency is a condition caused by problems with one or more of the deep veins of the legs that return blood from the legs back to the heart.

In a normal situation the valves in your veins keep your blood flowing toward the heart so it does not collect in any region of the body. However in the case of venous insufficiency the valves are either damaged or missing. This causes the veins to remain filled with blood and in some cases fluid to pool in your lower legs and feet.

Venous insufficiency is especially noticeable when you are standing for prolonged periods of time or flying in an aircraft. This condition can also be caused by a blockage in a vein from a clot or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) so it is important to determine the underlying cause prior to treatment.

Chronic venous insufficiency is a long-term condition that must be managed on an ongoing basis throughout life. So, if you experience any of the following symptoms on an ongoing basis please check with your physician for a proper diagnosis:

• Dull aching, heaviness, or cramping in legs
• Itching and tingling
• Pain that gets worse when standing
• Pain that gets better when legs are raised
• Swelling in the legs
• Redness of the legs and ankles
• Skin color changes around the ankles
• Superficial varicose veins
• Thickening or hardening of the skin on the legs and ankles
• Ulcers on the legs and ankles

Venous insufficiency is typically treated with compression therapy in North America requiring individuals to wear compression garments particularly when standing or sitting for prolonged periods or when flying in an aircraft.

At Salutaris Centre we believe, based on opinions such as Anke Steins, M. Jünger Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany published in Phlebologie 2/2000 that, “complex physical decongestive therapies in the form of compression therapy, physiotherapy and manual lymphatic drainage as well as active exercise therapies play a key role in the therapeutic management of chronic venous insufficiency.”

Based on such opinions we offer Manual Lymphatic Drainage as an adjunct therapy to compression for reducing edema associated with chronic venous insufficiency and avoiding the development of ulcerative wounds.

Absolute & Relative Contra-Indications

Contra-indications are conditions or factors that serve as a reason to withhold a certain medical treatment. Due to the effectiveness of Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) in accelerating lymph flow there are a number of health concerns that do not allow individuals to receive MLD.   If you are experiencing any of the following situations please discuss these with a therapist prior to receiving any treatment:

• Untreated Malignant Diseases
• Acute Inflammations
• Recent Thrombosis
• Cardiac Insufficiency
• Renal Failure