Varicose Veins Treatment

Varicose veins are swollen and enlarged veins that do appear on the legs and feet. They can be blue or dark purple, and are usually lumpy, bulging or twisted in appearance.

Other symptoms include:

Aching, heavy and uncomfortable legs

Swollen feet and ankles

Burning or throbbing in your legs

Muscle cramp in your legs, especially at night

Dry, prickly and thin skin over the affected vein

The symptoms are often worse during warm weather or if you usually stand up for long periods of time. They may get better when you walk around or if you rest and raise your legs.

When to see your Doctor

If you have varicose veins and they don't bring you any troubles, you may not need to visit your doctor.

Varicose veins are rarely a severe condition and don't usually need treatment.

But talk to your doctor if:

Your varicose veins are making you feel pain or discomfort.

The skin over your veins is aching and irritated.

The aching in your legs is causing irritation at night and troubling your sleep.

Your doctor can examine varicose veins based on these symptoms, although additional tests may be performed.

Causes of Varicose Veins

Varicose veins develop when the small valves within the veins stop functioning properly.

In a healthy vein, blood flows effortlessly to the heart. The blood is disallowed from flowing backwards by a series of small valves that open and close to let blood through.

If the valves weaken or are injured, the blood can flow backwards and gather in the vein, in due course causing it to be swollen and enlarged (varicose).

Certain things can increase your likelihood of developing varicose veins, such as:

Being female

Having a close family member with varicose veins

Being older

Being overweight

Having a job that involves long periods(hours) of standing

Being pregnant

Treating Varicose Veins

If treatment is required, your doctor may first suggest for up to 6 month, the use compression, stockings, taking frequent exercise and raising the affected region when resting.

If your varicose veins are still causing you pain or trouble, or they cause complications, they can be treated in quite a lot of ways.

The main common treatment options include:

Endothermal ablation – involves the use of heat to seal affected veins

Sclerotherapy – this uses unique foam to close the veins

Ligation and stripping – the affected veins are surgically taken out.

Preventing Varicose Veins

There's little proof to suggest you can prevent varicose veins getting worse or totally stop new ones developing.

But there are ways to alleviate symptoms of existing varicose veins, such as:

Avoiding standing or sitting still for long hours and trying to move around every 30 minutes

Taking frequent breaks all through the day, raising the legs on pillows while resting to ease worries

Exercise regularly – this can enhance circulation and help maintain a healthy weight

Types of Varicose Veins

There are a number of types of varicose veins, such as:

Trunk varicose veins – these are close to the surface of the skin and are chunky and knobbly; they're always long and can look distasteful

Reticular varicose veins – these are red and at times  grouped close together in a network

Telangiectasia varicose veins – also known as thread veins or spider veins, these are tiny clusters of blue or red veins that sometimes show on your face or legs; they're harmless and, unlike trunk varicose veins, don't really swell underneath the surface of the skin.

Disclaimer: The information provided herein is for patient general knowledge only and should not be used during any medical emergency, for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Duplication for personal and commercial use must be authorized in writing by Surjen.com.