Varicose Veins

What is Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are those veins which have become swollen, twisted gnarled and enlarged. Any vein can become varicose but the most commonly affected veins are of legs and feet.

Varicose veins are a common condition and usually cause few signs and symptoms. However it also can lead to some serious problems. Varicose veins are often painful, especially when standing or walking also they can be itchy, and scratching them can cause ulcers also can have blood clots.

Causes of Varicose Veins

Varicose veins can be caused by weak or damaged valves of the veins. Arteries deliver oxygen-rich blood to the body and veins bring back oxygen-poor blood to the heart. In legs the veins must work against the gravity to return the blood back where muscle contractions in the lower legs act as pumps, and elastic vein walls help blood return to the heart.

The valves in veins are one-way valves that help keep blood flowing toward your heart. If these valves are weak or damaged then blood can back up and accumulate in the vein, as a result the veins can swell. Also the vein walls which are elastic lose their normal elasticity they become overstretched which makes the walls of the vein longer and wider causing the flaps of the valves to separate. Also in this condition blood can flow back and fills the veins which stretch the walls of vein even more. As a result veins get bigger.

Causes of varicose veins can include:

Age: As you become old, the veins can lose elasticity and stretch.

Family history: Family history of varicose veins may raise the risk for weak vein walls.

Pregnancy: Pregnancy increases the volume of blood in your body, but decreases the flow of blood from your legs to your pelvis. Changes in the hormone during pregnancy also may play a role. But the development of varicose veins is not seen is all pregnant women. Without medical treatment the development during pregnancy usually improve within three months after delivery.

Obesity: increased pressure in the legs can increase the risk for damaging or weakening the vein walls.

Symptoms of Varicose Veins

The signs and symptoms of varicose veins may include:

• Dark purple or blue in color and are bulge out and twisted, just under the surface of the skin
• Achy or heavy feeling in the legs
• Throbbing, burning, cramping in the legs
• Itchy legs especially around one or more of your veins
• Swelling in the ankles and feet
• Pain get worse after sitting or standing for a long time
• Discolored skin in the area around the varicose vein
• Skin ulcers near the ankle (serious form of vascular disease)

The signs and symptoms of telangiectasiasmay include:

• Cluster of red veins
• Found under the surface of the skin
• Found usually on upper body including face

The signs and symptoms of spider veins may include:

• Similar to varicose veins but smaller in size
• Found closer to the skin’s surface
• Redor blue veins in a web or tree branch pattern
• Appearon the legs and face.

Complications of Varicose Veins

Complications of varicose veins are rare but it can have following problems:

Dermatitis: It is an itchy rash caused by varicose veins which can affect the lower leg or ankle.Dermatitis can cause extremely painful ulcers on the skin. A discolored spot on the skin usually begins before an ulcer forms.

Superficial Thrombophlebitis: It is a blood clot forms in the vein which is close to the surface of the skin. Occasionally, veins deep within the legs become enlarged causing the affected leg to swell considerably which might be the warning sign of blood clot. This type of blood clot may cause pain and other problems in the affected area.

What are the risk factors ofVaricose Veins?

Many factors may raise your risk for varicose veins such as:

Age: As you become old, the veins can lose elasticity and stretch.

Gender: Women tend to get varicose veins more often than men. Hormonal changes that occur during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause (or with the use of birth control pills) may raise a woman’s risk for varicose veins.

Family history: Family history of varicose veins may raise the risk for weak vein walls.

Pregnancy: Pregnancy increases the volume of blood in your body, but decreases the flow of blood from your legs to your pelvis. Changes in the hormone during pregnancy also may play a role. But the development of varicose veins is not seen is all pregnant women. Without medical treatment the development during pregnancy usually improve within three months after delivery.

Obesity: Increased pressure in the legs can increase the risk for damaging or weakening the vein walls.

Lack of movement: Standing or sitting especially with legs bent or crossed for a long time may raise the risk for varicose veins. Staying in one position for a long period of time may force the veins to work harder against gravity and there is no muscle movement which also acts like a pump.

Diagnosis of Varicose Veins

Diagnosis of varicose veins is based only on a physical examination. But to find out if the condition has created other problem and the extent of damage it might have caused some tests or procedures are used.

Physical Examination

Doctors will look at the legs while standing or sitting to check for swelling. The doctor may also ask about the signs and symptoms such as the pain and aching in the leg or any itchy feeling around the ankle.

Tests and Procedures

Some of the tests and procedures will be prescribed.

Imaging Test

• Doppler Ultrasound

Invasive Testing

• Angiogram

Treatments of Varicose Veins

The treatment of varicose vein includes lifestyle changes and medical procedure. If the symptom caused by varicose vein is few then doctor may suggest changing the lifestyle.  But if the symptoms are severe then the doctor will recommend one or more medical procedures. The treatment cannot prevent new varicose veins from forming.

In some cases people with varicose veins would prefer to improve the look of the vein with medical procedures.

However the goals of the treatment are to relieve symptoms, prevent complications and improve appearance. 

Lifestyle Changes

Lifestyle changes can prevent varicose veins from getting worse, reduce pain, and delay other varicose veins from forming. Lifestyle changes include the following:

By avoiding lack of movement: Standing or sitting especially with legs bent or crossed for a long time.

By being physically active: Physical activities will move the legs which will improve the muscle tone.

By reducing the overweight: Lose in weight will improve blood flow and ease the pressure on the veins.

By avoiding tight clothing: The cloths which are tight around your waist, groin (upper thighs), and legs will worsen the varicose veins.

By avoiding high heels for long period: Lower heeled shoes can help tone the calf muscles which help blood move through the veins.

Compression stockings: These compression stockings create gentle pressure up the leg which steadily squeezes the legs, helping veins and leg muscles move blood more efficiently. There are different types to support and apply different amount of pressure.

Medical Procedures

These procedures are implemented to remove the varicose veins or to close them as the removal or closing of these veins usually don’t cause any problem with blood circulation.

• Sclerotherapy
• Microsclerotherapy
• Laser surgery
• Endovenousablation therapy
• Endoscopic vein surgery
• Ambulatory phlebectomy
• Vein stripping and ligation

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