Do you have visible purple or blue leg veins? Do the twisted veins in your legs bulge and feel like cords? Are there symptoms of pain and heaviness in your legs? You could have a medical condition called varicose veins. Keep reading to learn more about varicose veins, including the risk factors and how doctors treat varicose veins.
What are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are enlarged, bulging, twisted veins. They occur most frequently in the superficial veins of the legs. Varicose veins develop because while standing and walking, there is increased pressure in the lower body and leg veins.
What are spider veins?
Spider veins are a more common and milder version of varicose veins. They are smaller in size and often red or blue in color, appearing like a spider's web. Spider veins tend to be closer to the skin's surface. They can occur on the legs but also on the face. In most people, spider veins are simply a cosmetic problem. Varicose veins, on the other hand, can involve the deep veins and cause distressing symptoms.
What are the symptoms of varicose veins?
Varicose veins appear unsightly because there is a dark blue or purple skin discoloration. The veins appear bulging and twisted like cords in the legs. Besides looking bad, in many people, varicose veins can cause an aching pain and heaviness in the affected limb. They can also lead to throbbing, burning, swelling, and itching. Some people experience muscle cramping as well.
What causes varicose veins?
In the human body, there are two main types of blood vessels - arteries and veins. Blood flow in the arteries carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body. The veins carry the blood back to the heart. There are one way valves in the veins that prevent the blood flowing backwards due to gravity. If a person has weak or damaged valves, it can lead to a flowing backward of the blood. This can cause pooling of blood in the dependent parts of the body such as the lower legs. The pooled blood causes the veins to stretch and twist, which can lead to varicose veins.
What are the risk factors?
Various factors can increase your risk of developing spider veins and varicose veins. Age and gender play a role. Older people are more likely to have weak or damaged valves and may develop varicose veins. Women are more likely to develop this condition due to hormonal changes, for example, when taking birth control pills or hormone replacement. The risk of varicose veins is higher during pregnancy due to the increased volume of blood in the body as well as hormonal changes. A family history of varicose veins is also a risk factor. Varicose veins in other family members increases your risk of developing them too. Sitting or standing for long periods and being overweight are also varicose vein risks.
How do doctors diagnose varicose veins?
Doctors diagnose varicose veins by performing a physical exam. They evaluate for swelling while standing and correlate the findings with your symptoms. They also look for signs of varicose vein complications like skin sores.
Your doctor may order an ultrasound test to check blood flow. This test evaluates if the valves in your veins are working properly. It also checks if there is any sign of blood clots or lymphatic disorders. It is a painless and noninvasive test that allows doctors to see how blood flows in your blood vessels.
Home Remedies for Varicose Veins
Fortunately, varicose vein treatment does not have to involve medications or surgical treatment. In many patients, home treatments can decrease swelling and pain, relieve symptoms, and prevent new varicose veins. There are also minimally invasive procedures like radiofrequency ablation that can reduce the symptoms of varicose veins without a hospital stay or long recovery.
One of the best things you can do to treat varicose veins at home is exercising and staying at a healthy weight. You should avoid wearing clothes, especially hosiery that is too tight. It is also a good idea to avoid standing or sitting for long periods and elevate your legs periodically.
If the above-mentioned measures do not work, it might help to wear compression stockings. These stockings squeeze the leg muscles and prevent blood from pooling in the legs. Compression stockings for varicose veins are available at most pharmacies. You can buy them over-the-counter or get prescription-strength stockings for varicose veins. The stockings may be covered by health insurance if your varicose veins are causing symptoms.
Note that varicose veins that form during pregnancy generally improve after delivery and may disappear after 3-12 months without any specific treatment.
Medical Treatments for Severe Varicose Veins
If self-care and compression stockings do not relieve your symptoms or if you have severely painful and enlarged veins, your doctor can provide medical advice. They may recommend one of several effective medical procedures to you.
Sclerotherapy
This procedure is performed on small to medium varicose veins. It involves injecting a foam or chemical solution under ultrasound guidance to close the vein. Sclerotherapy can be done in a doctor's office without anesthesia. A vein may need to be injected more than once before it is sealed and fades.
Laser treatment for varicose veins
Varicose veins that are relatively smaller in size can be sealed off with newer technologies like laser treatments. The procedure involves using light energy to close the vein off. There are no needles and no incisions with laser treatment.
Procedures using radiofrequency energy
Doctors can insert a catheter (thin tube) into an enlarged vein and destroy the varicose vein with heat generated by radiofrequency energy. This type of procedure is usually reserved for larger varicose veins.
Vein ligation and vein stripping
This treatment consists of tying off a varicose vein before it meets the deep veins. This is accomplished through a small incision. Vein ligation and vein stripping is an outpatient procedure in most patients.
Ambulatory phlebectomy
Smaller varicose veins can be removed via several tiny punctures in the skin. This is an outpatient procedure that is done using local anesthesia. The scarring is usually minor.
Endovenous ablation
People with advanced varicose veins and leg ulcers who have not responded to other treatments may need to undergo endoscopic vein surgery. A surgeon inserts a very fine tube with a video camera into your leg to visualize and close off the varicose veins. This is an outpatient procedure.
What happens if a varicose vein is left untreated?
Untreated varicose veins can lead to more serious problems and severe complications such as painful leg ulcers, changes in skin color, blood clots, and bleeding if the vein bursts (the bleeding is usually minor, but it can be a medical emergency, as can a blood clot). Also, studies have shown that people with varicose veins are 5 times more likely to develop deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the deep veins).
How can I prevent varicose veins?
You cannot entirely prevent varicose veins, but you can improve your circulation and muscle tone to reduce your risk of developing them. Exercise regularly, eat healthy and watch your weight, avoid standing or sitting for long periods, change positions frequently, elevate your legs, and avoid tight hosiery and tight heels.
Is walking good for varicose veins?
Walking is especially good for people with spider veins and varicose veins because it strengthens the calf muscles and improves circulation in the legs.
When to see a doctor for varicose veins?
Varicose veins usually improve with self-care and compression stockings. However, if your varicose veins are painful and these measures have not helped, you should seek medical attention.
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