By Tim Cawlfield, M.D.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is described as a feeling of unpleasant sensations such as creeping, tingling, and aching. These sensations occur in the legs while sitting or lying down, typically when a person is at rest during the day and often worsening at night. The affected individual feels a strong urge to move the legs, and this movement temporarily relieves the discomfort. This condition affects roughly 15 percent of the population. These symptoms can be quite severe, causing chronic sleep deprivation with psychological and cognitive deficits.
RLS can be difficult to diagnose, as many people have difficulty describing the sensations, but descriptions such as “heebie-jeebies,” “antsy,” and “Jimmy legs” are regularly used. The typical treatments for RLS frequently involve long-term use of various medications, often with unwanted side effects, increased costs, and limited effectiveness.
It is interesting to note that about 40 percent of people with RLS have problems with their vein circulation. These individuals have problems with the one-way valves in their leg veins that cause difficulty for blood to return from the legs back to the heart. In addition to RLS, people with vein disease also can have other leg symptoms, such as: aching, heaviness, cramping, bulging veins, spider veins, darkening of the skin, and sores.
While the exact mechanism for the relationship between restless legs syndrome and vein disease is not well understood, many doctors have discovered that treating the vein disease of people with RLS is extremely effective.
One study demonstrated that treatment of diseased veins initially eliminated or significantly reduced 98 percent of people’s restless leg symptoms. They also found that 92 percent of people’s symptoms did not return after one year .
Another study showed that 95 percent of people’s restless leg symptoms were reduced and 53 percent of people’s symptoms were completely eliminated after treatment of their diseased veins .
These study findings suggest that the evaluation of restless legs syndrome should include an evaluation for possible vein disease. As many as 40 percent of these individuals could have a single procedure that can eliminate their symptoms without the risk or cost of life-long medications.
If you or someone you know has restless legs syndrome, please consider having a screen for vein disease. Rocky Mountain Vein Institute offers free ultrasound screenings as well as free consultations with a team of doctors who specialize in the management of vein disease.
Tim Cawlfield, M.D., is a Phlebologist at the Rocky Mountain Vein Institute in Pueblo who is Board Certified in Family Medicine. Information about Rocky Mountain Vein Institute can be found at www.rmvein.com, or by calling the Pueblo clinic at 719.543.VEIN (8346).
By Julie Current, PA-C, RMVI Physicians’ Assistant
The Rocky Mountain Vein Institute - Vail Valley, participated in a wildly successful, unprecedented attended event on Valentine’s Day: “All You Need is Heart.” The energy was palpable, and the focus was on cardiovascular health, with an eye on education about the prevalence of sudden cardiac arrest and what can done about it. The event organizer, Lynn Blake, had a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) episode at the age of 27. Now 34-years-old, her life was saved by a bystander and an AED (Automated External Defibrillator). Since that day, Lynn has made it her life mission to educate the community on the prevalence of SCA, and also increase the number of AEDs available. When an AED is used in the first five minutes of an SCA episode, the chances of survival increase dramatically.
The Rocky Mountain Vein Institute - Vail Valley, participated in a wildly successful, unprecedented attended event on Valentine’s Day: “All You Need is Heart.” The energy was palpable, and the focus was on cardiovascular health, with an eye on education about the prevalence of sudden cardiac arrest and what can done about it.
The event organizer, Lynn Blake, had a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) episode at the age of 27. Now 34-years-old, her life was saved by a bystander and an AED (Automated External Defibrillator). Since that day, Lynn has made it her life mission to educate the community on the prevalence of SCA, and also increase the number of AEDs available. When an AED is used in the first five minutes of an SCA episode, the chances of survival increase dramatically.
Numerous health care professionals provided free health screenings to the public at the “All You Need is Heart” event. Rocky Mountain Vein Institute (RMVI) performed both carotid and venous ultrasounds, performing over 100 ultrasound screenings in a four-hour period. It was overwhelming and refreshing to have so many people coming together to focus on their personal health!
A carotid ultrasound identifies carotid artery disease (plaque in carotid arteries). From this information, we can predict the risk of a stroke. Lower extremity venous ultrasounds allow people to better understand why their legs feel heavy or achy or why they develop visible varicose veins.
One attendee explained that her ankles were swollen at the end of each day, but she assumed it was because she stands for long periods of time. But even at 8 a.m. when she had her screening, she was visibly swollen. Her venous screening was positive for superficial venous reflux (vein disease), and RMVI staff offered further evaluation and treatment options were discussed.
It is common for people to believe that their legs are achy, swollen or tired simply because they are “old” or “busy .” This is a misconception; it is not your age, it’s your veins! Age and standing for long periods of time are a few of the risk factors for developing vein disease. But the good news is that vein disease is treatable. It’s not “normal” to have painful, achy legs.
Providing health and wellness education in a setting such as the, “All Your Need is Heart” event is one more piece of the RMVI, community embracing and patient-care driven mission. Getting the word out about vein disease is better for everyone - the patient, their family and the community.
Rocky Mountain Vein Institute (RMVI) is on a mission to eliminate unhealthy veins. With time-efficient and elegant treatment options now available, patients don’t need time off of work or time away from family or physical activities. Most important, vein disease is a medical disorder with treatments covered by most health insurance.
By Teresa Clift, Rocky Mountain Vein Institute
Clinic Manager and Clinic Services Manager
One of the biggest challenges in my role as Clinic Manager and Clinic Services Manager for Rocky Mountain Vein Institute’s Pueblo, Colo., facility is paying attention to the detail of the daily activities while simultaneously keeping the big picture in mind. The success of our day-to-day efficiency, seamlessness and ease is due to making sure that everyone is rowing the boat in the same direction. That may sound easier than it is, but experience shows that having all team members focused helps everyone, especially our patients. A united vision also helps all of our team members feel like a solid and productive team. Here at RMVI, every team member backs each other up and everyone pitches in to get the job done, no matter how big or small. We also all work with every new staff member to help them comfortably come aboard; inevitably, new employees enjoy seeing and then engaging in mutual support within team members. We all work in unision, then, noting that whenever something needs to be done, we need not wait to be asked to do the task, but rather just jump in and help out. RMVI’s Chief Medical Executive and Founder, Dr. Gordon Gibbs, exemplifies this team approach on a daily basis. No one at RMVI is surprised when Dr. Gibbs takes out the trash or cleans up a room. This demonstration of team effort, done cheerfully and enthusiastically, is inspiring. We all want to do more and be more when in the presence of his leadership. Many seemingly small but critical details ensure our patients have a positive experience, and serving as Clinic Manager and Clinic Services Manager at RMVI it is a privilege to witness and work with staff that is focused, dedicated and united. We know that when our facility flows efficiently, with grace, ease and caring, our patients have the ultimate experience we dedicate ourselves to providing.
One of the biggest challenges in my role as Clinic Manager and Clinic Services Manager for Rocky Mountain Vein Institute’s Pueblo, Colo., facility is paying attention to the detail of the daily activities while simultaneously keeping the big picture in mind.
The success of our day-to-day efficiency, seamlessness and ease is due to making sure that everyone is rowing the boat in the same direction. That may sound easier than it is, but experience shows that having all team members focused helps everyone, especially our patients. A united vision also helps all of our team members feel like a solid and productive team.
Here at RMVI, every team member backs each other up and everyone pitches in to get the job done, no matter how big or small. We also all work with every new staff member to help them comfortably come aboard; inevitably, new employees enjoy seeing and then engaging in mutual support within team members. We all work in unision, then, noting that whenever something needs to be done, we need not wait to be asked to do the task, but rather just jump in and help out.
RMVI’s Chief Medical Executive and Founder, Dr. Gordon Gibbs, exemplifies this team approach on a daily basis. No one at RMVI is surprised when Dr. Gibbs takes out the trash or cleans up a room. This demonstration of team effort, done cheerfully and enthusiastically, is inspiring. We all want to do more and be more when in the presence of his leadership.
Many seemingly small but critical details ensure our patients have a positive experience, and serving as Clinic Manager and Clinic Services Manager at RMVI it is a privilege to witness and work with staff that is focused, dedicated and united.
We know that when our facility flows efficiently, with grace, ease and caring, our patients have the ultimate experience we dedicate ourselves to providing.
Social media channels are power boosters that drive traffic to your website -Gregory Howell
Does your website need a power boost? The use of social media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube can add that necessary punch, but you need to set goals and make sure you have the right target audience. There is nothing worse than standing on the corner and telling your story to the wrong people - they will just walk by. Do you know who your audience is?
Define Your Target Audience through Listening
The best way to locate your target audience is to listen. Where are you getting most of your traffic and queries now? If you already have a Facebook Page with at least 25 Likes, you can learn a lot about your current audience through Facebook Insights. This is a simple, yet powerful, analytics tool that helps you understand who is engaging with the content on your page. You should also take a look at your competition and see where they are engaging their audiences. Once you have a sense of your audience demographics and where you might find the right traction with your message, it is time to craft your story and create engaging content.
Craft your Story and Curate Content
Once you have your audience and goals in mind, then you can start talking about the content necessary to achieve these newly set aspirations for your company. In Facebook, as with any other marketing channel, you need to promote rich and robust content based on your target buyer personality.
Posting is the most effective way to create engagement. If you know your target audience and post engaging content that is interesting and answers the needs of your visitors, you will drive more traffic not only to your website but also promote active conversation on your page.
You need to know your audience, but the most effective posts include:
● Events - get folks to register and start a dialog
● New Product Information - people love to hear about new products and reviews
● Contests and Surveys - conduct a poll or survey or create a contest to engage
● Offers - sales and coupons can be very effective in creating excitement and engagement
● Blog Posts from your website - repurpose content over all of your platforms where appropriate
● Ad or Sponsored Story
What is all the fuss about the hashtag or pound sign?
Many of you have probably seen the hashtag (#) in an ad or when people start talking about what is trending. What is fascinating about this unique search tool of Twitter is that it was started by users after Twitter was inititally launched. Shortly after Twitter was introduced, meeting planners started to use the hashtag in their programs so that when attendees wanted to know what was going on at that very moment in time, they could just use the hashtag and a keyword to learn what was trending at the convention or meeting. You can use the hashtag to identify subject and themes and then monitor how it is trending on Twitter and across the internet.
Goal: Convert Fans to Customers
By listening to your fans and creating engaging content, you will gain trust and loyalty, which hopefully will create a situation of empowerment where your target audience eventually becomes a customer and/or a powerful referral source.
Julie Current, PA-C, RMVI Physicians’ Assistant
You may have seen the Olympic athletes on television this past summer with their “white eblows” and “covered knees.”
What you were seeing is one of the latest, most state-of-the-art options for athletes and those seeking vein health: compression wear.
At the Vail Valley Rocky Mountain Vein Institute facility (and to be available at our online facility later this month), we recently launched our line of world-class compression wear — and as a skier myself, I can tell you that there’s nothing like hitting the slopes with these new, alpine compression socks as part of my gear.
Traditionally, compression stockings were designed to help prevent the occurrence of venous disorders and also prevent its progression. The socks are tightest at the ankles and gradually become less constrictive towards the knees and thighs. This exerts pressure against the legs, reducing the diameter of distended veins, and causing an increase in venous blood flow and valve effectiveness. Most importantly, this can relieve heavy, achy, and swollen legs.
Compression therapy is beneficial both for those who have venous disease, and for those trying to prevent it.
In addition, compression socks can help the everyday athlete. Whether it’s walking, biking, running, or skiing, compression socks can improve endurance, performance, and recovery. The compression socks help increase blood flow and muscle oxygenation, while they decrease the possibility of injuries such as shin splints. The pressure of the socks helps flush lactic acid from the muscles, which reduces aching and swelling. The benefits of compression work for both those with venous disease, and for the elite, semi-elite, or recreational athlete.
All of RMVI’s alpine compression socks provide warmth during these cold and snowy months. They can be worn while skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing, and have added padding along the shin to provide comfort and less irritation from those sometimes uncomfortable boots. I love mine because they are warm, cozy, and (best of all) allow me to perform at my optimal level by providing graduated compression. Our men’s and women’s thermal compression tights are perfect for the runner who may want to continue to run in cold winter months. Under snow pants they can act as both long underwear and compression therapy.
And we’re very excited to announce that we’re now offering our compression therapy in Vail Valley with plans to roll out our compression line in Pueblo very soon.
At Rocky Mountain Vein Institute we love to be able to offer conservative treatment options like compression socks and minimally invasive office-based procedures for the treatment of venous disease. But we also enjoy offering all of the benefits, the sumptuous feel and the potentially improved athletic performance available in compression wear to all our athletes — Olympian or otherwise.
By Founder, Dr. Gordon Gibbs
In today’s competitive healthcare market, patients can choose between Rocky Mountain Vein Institute (RMVI) in their diagnosis and treatment of vein disease, or they can choose someone else, or choose not to seek treatment at all. The patient experience – start to finish – and the confidence in a good outcome are primary differentiators in today’s healthcare arena, when patients determine where to seek treatment.
Since our move to the Riverwalk in October, we’ve come to realize more than ever before that the way we treat a patient can be the difference between a one-time appointment or repeat visits (which includes referrals to friends and family). We’ve watched and recognized that simply offering excellent vein care does not guarantee a happy patient.
William J. Mayo, Mayo Clinic founder, said: “The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered.” When RMVI makes decisions toward policy and procedure, we routinely reference this quote. Through my training at Mayo Clinic, this was instilled from the very beginning and I wholeheartedly believe it is the correct approach in patient care.
Similarly, we extend our patient care beyond treatment and kindness because we love this community and that community includes our patients. This may not conform to traditional medicine or business models, but it is our model.
As a piece of this thriving and growing community, it’s worth letting you in on our backstory, on our behind-the-scenes approach. Each and every day, we are committed to:
· Accommodating patients’ needs – including their preferred appointment times. If a patient can only come in before or after work, arrangements can be made to stay late or come early.
· Clear explanations - customized treatments to the patient and their supporting family or friends. The conversation provides peace-of-mind and confidence in the clinical care offered because it offers transparency.
· Being nice - simple kindness to each of our patients, and treating everyone with integrity, empathy and expertise.
· Enhanced quality of life - we wholeheartedly believe that meeting patient needs will improve their quality of life – which is the ultimate goal – to deliver, soundly and surely, an enhanced quality of life for all of our patients.
· We offer a broad choice of compression stockings, including comfortable and breathable athletic compression wear.
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· Complete and accurate diagnosis – through our world-class, independently accredited diagnostic center and multidisciplinary physician staff background, venous disease at RMVI is completely characterized with a thorough ultrasound evaluation and physician consult.
Being kind – in addition to offering state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment options – may not be the conventional medical office protocol.
by Tim Cawlfield, M.D., Rocky Mountain Vein Institute
Phlebologist, Board Certified Family Medicine
There has been an increasing trend among professional and amateur athletes to wear graduated compression stockings and compression sleeves during exercise. There are a lot of myths surrounding the benefits of wearing graduated compression stockings for different endurance activities. At Rocky Mountain Vein Institute, we recognize the importance of compression stockings. I would like to dispel a few myths regarding the benefits these compression garments and confirm other benefits.
Belief #1 – wearing graduated compression stockings will allow you to run faster. This is a myth. There is wide agreement between studies designed to detect improved running times. There has never been consistent, statistically significant improvement in running times.
Belief #2—wearing graduated compression stocking will allow you to cycle faster. I did find a recent study that demonstrated a 1.2% improvement in cycle times and a 3.3% improvement in power output. This is a modest improvement, but for a close race, a 1.2% time decrease could make a difference in your finish place.
Belief #3—wearing tighter graduated compression stockings will offer more performance benefits than lighter grade compression. This is also a myth. One study showed that higher grade compression stockings not only did not improve running times, but they were associated with increased discomfort during running and decreased muscle strength after running.
Belief #4—wearing graduated compression stockings will decrease muscle soreness after running. This is true. There was a study that examined perceived muscle soreness after running. Soreness ratings 24 hours after exercise were significantly higher in study subjects that did not wear knee-high, graduated compression stockings.
While not a perfect remedy, these stockings do seem to improve recovery after running. This should have implications not only for elite or semi-elite runners, but also for individuals who wish to embark on exercise regimes but may be deterred due to the associated pain following exercise.
For cycling, graduated compression may improve power output during cycling and also as measured during measured jumping. This should have important implications for any cycling athlete who wishes to gain a competitive edge.
For further information, visit www.rmvein.com and learn more or stop by Rocky Mountain Vein Institute on the Pueblo Riverwalk — and visit with one of our knowledgeable staff.
Pueblo, Colo. - RMVI Services, a medical management company that oversees a network of clinics that diagnose and treat people with venous disease, is pleased to announce that the flagship Rocky Mountain Vein Institute (RMVI) Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Grand Opening Reception proved to be a huge success, was overwhelming attended, and firmly marks RMVI's commitment to its 2013 Community Enrichment Calendar. The Ceremony was conducted on Friday, October 19, 2012 at 115 E Riverwalk (East Riverwalk and South Main Street) in Pueblo, Colo., and was attended by dozens of local dignitaries, businesses and media, all of whom joined RMVI colleagues and patients in welcoming the world-class facility along the famous tourist and community-populated venue.
The Pueblo City Council, Pueblo Chamber of Commerce and Ambassadors, the Pueblo Medical Community, friends and family of RMVI joined Chief Medical Officer, Gordon Gibbs, M.D., and his family, which includes his wife and RMVI Services CEO, Erin Gibbs and their three children. Door prizes, refreshments, music and the formal announcement of RMVI's 2013 Community Enrichment Calendar, which schedules guided walks along the Riverwalk, free community presentations at various venues in Pueblo, and dozens of free services events.
"We want to thank all of those in and around our community who have shored up our efforts to bring the most patient-focused and best practices treatments possible to our community," says CEO Erin Gibbs. "We could not have created this magnificent space, nor could we offer the accredited, state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment options that we do without all of the support we've received. We feel extremely lucky and look forward to bringing all of that goodwill to this wonderful and growing community."
RMVI is a network of vein centers that offers total vein care, from the simplest cosmetic problem to the most life-altering condition. RMVI is celebrated within both medical communities and the global venous disease treatment health-care industry because of it's highly accredited staff, attention to patient experience and stellar clinical outcomes. It is home to The Diagnostic Center, which provides comprehensive testing for Venous, Peripheral Arterial, Extra-Cranial Cerebrovascular, and Visceral Vascular disease. The Diagnostic center has been awarded full accreditation through the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for vascular testing.
"We are fully committed and now bring the best venous disease diagnosis and treatments possible with the opening of the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk RMVI Facility," says Gordon F. Gibbs, M.D., Founder and Chief Medical Executive of RMVI. "This facility is what we dreamed of when we made the commitment to our total-patient-care mission. The vibrancy along the Riverwalk is only growing and we're thrilled to be a part of that growth."
RMVI has expanded from its first facility in Pueblo, Colo., in 2009, to now offer a total of 5 RMVI facilities, including full diagnostic and treatment options, in Vail Valley, Parker, and Canon City, Colo., and Trinity Vein Institute in Arlington, Texas.