Free Venous Reflux screening at local hospital
This is to check whether the valves that allow blood to flow from your legs to your heart are not damaged.
Life Robinson hospital is having a free screening for Venous Reflux Disease on 6 June and they invite the community to come and be tested.
According to the hospital’s general surgeon Alexander Faber, Venous Reflux disease develops when the valves that keep blood flowing from the legs back to the heard become damaged.
“This is quite a serious disease and often occurs when veins weaken and can no longer circulate blood to the heart.
“Usually, no symptoms are present however, the veins on a patient’s legs tend to turn dark blue or get swollen and twisted under the skin,” says Faber who adds that a number of people suffer from undiagnosed Venous Reflux disease and varicose veins but hardly ever know it.
He explains that mild symptoms usually range from heaviness, burning, aching and a sense of tiredness or pain in you legs
Meanwhile, serious symptoms can result in the change of skin colour, dry skin, inflamation or scaling among other symptoms.
“Healthy legs contain valves that permit blood to move in one direction from your legs to your heart.
“These valves open when blood is flowing and close to avoid backward flow of blood,” says Faber.
To make an appointment, contact 011 278 8832.
