Image by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images
President Donald Trump has undergone medical testing after photographs showed noticeable swelling in his ankles.
As the Daily Beast reports, the 79-year-old former reality TV personality was also seen with foundation covering his right hand during a July 15 press hearing, possibly to obscure bruising, as well the swelling in his lower legs, before the “emergency” testing.
However, Trump officials claim the septuagenarian is in overall good health.
“In recent weeks, President Trump noted mild swelling in his lower legs,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday. “In keeping with routine medical care and out of an abundance of caution, this concern was thoroughly evaluated by the White House medical unit.”
She said that Trump had a “benign and common condition” called Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), which happens when damaged veins in the legs don’t allow blood to return to the heart, allowing it to flow backwards.
Leavitt told reporters his evaluation included venous doppler ultrasound and an echocardiogram of his heart, which “confirmed normal cardiac structure and function.”
Trump’s health has long been the subject of discussion, particularly when it comes to his infamously fast-food-heavy diet. Yet, despite troubling clues that his health may be deteriorating, his administration has been adamant that his health remains “excellent.”
What his deteriorating health could mean for the presidency remains to be seen. However, his predecessor, former president Joe Biden, became the oldest president in American history at the ripe old age of 81, leading to significant public pressure to abandon his bid for reelection.
Without treatment, CVI can lead to swelling, cramps, varicose legs, and leg ulcers, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. While it’s “not a serious health threat,” it can be “painful and disabling.”
“You would not check an ultrasound unless he had varicose veins or leg swelling,” Massachusetts General Hospital surgeon Sherry Scovell told the Washington Post. “In the absence of that, many people could be walking around with CVI.”
People who are overweight, have high blood pressure, sit or stand for long periods, and don’t exercise are more likely to develop CVI.
Treatment conventionally includes keeping your legs elevated, wearing compression stockings, and regular exercise. Severe cases can be addressed surgically.
It’s also not the first time we’ve observed bruising on Trump’s hands. Experts say the bruises are likely from an IV or blood drawing.
However, Leavitt told the Beast that the bruise is due to “minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.”
More on Trump’s health: Dark Mark Appears on Trump’s Hand
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