# Does EM worsen over time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Symptoms and Treatments\ **Tags:** stories, symptoms\ **Created:** [June 30, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/does-em-worsen-over-time/3384 "2018-06-30T23:00:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![leosinho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85e7bf/32.png) [@leosinho](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/u/leosinho)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 12:56pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/does-em-worsen-over-time/3384/21 "2018-09-25T12:56:02Z")
> [@Frosti](#): > > sounds pretty much like EM to me. Venous insufficiency goes hand in hand with EM. What do u mean? That i have venous insufficiency? ---
**Author:** ![anon16865673](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@anon16865673](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/u/anon16865673)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 5:19pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/does-em-worsen-over-time/3384/22 "2018-09-25T17:19:12Z")
No one can know that without a test. I don’t think venous insufficiency is present with EM but EM can lead to it due to blood pooling in the feet and being harder by on the venous system to get it all back up. I would see a doctor, none of us are medical professionals I believe. Self diagnosing can be dangerous and many causes of EM and serious diseases can be ruled out via tests by doctors. ---
**Author:** ![leosinho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85e7bf/32.png) [@leosinho](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/u/leosinho)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 9:15am UTC](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/does-em-worsen-over-time/3384/23 "2018-09-26T09:15:08Z")
> [@anon16865673](#): > > venous insufficiency is present with EM but EM can lead to it due to blood pooling in the feet and being harder by on the venous system to get it all back up. I would see a doctor, none of us are medical professionals I believe. Self diagnosing can be dangerous and many causes of EM and serious diseases can be ruled out via tests by doctor I had a simple and normal bloodtest, but that test was all normal. ---
**Author:** ![anon16865673](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@anon16865673](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/u/anon16865673)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 2:53pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/does-em-worsen-over-time/3384/24 "2018-09-26T14:53:51Z")
Venous insufficiency wouldn’t show up on a bloodtest, a venous doppler ultrasound would need to be done to test the competency of your veins in your affected extremities. It’s relatively inexpensive but I don’t really think its a cause of EM. Many elderly people have severe venous insufficiency (seen by varicosed veins) and they do not have EM symptoms. EM I believe is more systemic in most people and neurological in origin, but I am not a medical doctor and this is just my knowledge through research so I could definitely be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![leosinho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85e7bf/32.png) [@leosinho](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/u/leosinho)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 12:28am UTC](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/does-em-worsen-over-time/3384/25 "2018-09-27T00:28:54Z")
> [@anon16865673](#): > > Venous insufficiency w But wouldnt that condition also give other symptoms? Like pain etc? The thing that with EM that scares people is that you dont know if it will progress to worse or not. I have read that around 30% of the EM people have symptoms which stays the same for years, is that really possible? ---
**Author:** ![anon16865673](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@anon16865673](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/u/anon16865673)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/does-em-worsen-over-time/3384/26 "2018-09-27T00:46:13Z")
For the venous insufficiency, not necessarily. I think its subjective and also a very common problem. In regards to your EM comment, I have no idea and I don’t think anyone knows why it gets better for some, stays the same, and spontaneously clears up. ---
**Author:** ![leosinho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85e7bf/32.png) [@leosinho](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/u/leosinho)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2018, 11:21pm UTC](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/does-em-worsen-over-time/3384/27 "2018-09-27T23:21:14Z")
![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/ben_erythromelalgia/original/2X/4/44d4330254e9d00468f42d52f07c85cad8738dab.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/ben_erythromelalgia/original/2X/6/6efe1d3fa0ee53301f36167edd16bdecd87079d8.jpeg) [quote=“joeshmoe, post:26, topic:3384, full:true”] For the venous insufficiency, not necessarily. I think its subjective and also a very common problem. In regards to your EM comment, I have no idea and I don’t think anyone knows why it gets better for some, stays the same, and spontaneously clears up. [/quote] Ah ok, thanks! I have attachted to photos below, and as you can see the toes are quite red, and the veins a bit enlarged. Other than that, i have no pain or so. But that redness is so annoying. And i am also very skeptical whetever its possible to find treatment for only redness/enlarged veins, and not the pain. Do you think its possible? [Previous page](https://forum.livingwitherythromelalgia.org/t/does-em-worsen-over-time/3384.md?page=1)