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Donald Trump's swollen ankles evaluated, ‘chronic’ vein issue diagnosed
Regarding the bruising on his right hand, doctors concluded that the "minor bruising on his hand is consistent with frequent hand shaking".
As pictures of Donald Trump's swollen ankles and bruised right hand sparked health concerns, the White House on Thursday said that the President has been evaluated by doctors and it was found that he has "chronic venous insufficiency".
However, it has been clarified that this is a "benign condition". The doctor's letter further stated that Trump's health check-up results came back within "normal limits", with his cardiac structure and function also testing "normal".
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, while referring to the presidential physician, said that the bruising on Trump's hand was "minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is consumed as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen".
Earlier, pictures of the US President from the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, at the FIFA Club World Cup finals with First Lady Melania Trump, went viral on social media. While observing him seated at the match, onlookers pointed out that he had a swollen ankle and some mysterious bruises on his right hand.
ALSO READ | Trump tried to cover up his mysterious bruise with flesh-toned color? New photo surfaces
Speculations were rife across social media, with netizens commenting on what condition Trump might be suffering from. The President's right hand again hit the headlines on Tuesday when he was speaking to reporters outside the White House. One of the cameras present there caught the blemish under what appeared to be a layer of skin-toned makeup.
Amid rising health concerns, the US President underwent a health check-up, where his swollen ankles were also evaluated.
What is chronic venous insufficiency?
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, citing the letter from Trump's doctor, told reporters that the 79-year-old President has been diagnosed with "chronic venous insufficiency", a condition where damaged leg veins fail to maintain proper blood flow.
Leavitt added that this condition was common among individuals, particularly above the age of 70.
According to Cleveland Clinic, chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a form of venous disease that occurs when the veins in a person's legs are damaged. As a result, the veins are unable to manage proper blood flow, making it harder for the blood to return to the person's heart from their legs.
"CVI causes blood to pool in your leg veins, leading to high pressure in those veins," the Clinic stated.
This condition can occur when there is damage to any of a person's leg veins:
- Deep veins: These are the large veins in a person's body that run through their muscle.
- Superficial veins: These are very close to the surface of the skin.
- Perforating veins: These are the ones that connect a person's deep and superficial veins.
While at first the condition is likely to cause mild symptoms, it is expected that it might interfere with the individual's quality of life and lead to serious consequences.
