Unsightly veins can prove embarrassing and sometimes uncomfortable. In addition to the red or blue spider veins that you might discover just beneath your skin, you may also suffer from lumpy, itchy varicose veins. Take a look at three things you should know about this problem, from causes and symptoms to treatment options.
1. Why People Get Varicose Veins
Veins contain a series of valves that help them move blood from various parts of the body back toward the heart. If these valves grow weak and enlarged, the blood may pool within them, forcing them to enlarge and bulge outward. Long periods of sitting and standing can promote and aggravate varicose veins.
Varicose veins can run in families, but other risk factors can contribute to the problem. Examples of varicose vein risk factors include pregnancy, obesity, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, female contraceptive pills (or hormone replacement treatments), and natural age-related changes in the veins.
2. Symptoms of Varicose Veins
The classic symptoms of varicose veins include large, lumpy, twisted veins that stand out on the feet and legs. These veins may appear purple or blue, although may also discolor the skin brown if they go untreated. In advanced cases, skin ulcers may develop over a cluster of varicose veins.
Varicose veins don't just look unattractive—they can also cause discomfort. You may experience itching, pain, throbbing, or a heavy sensation in your lower extremities.
3. Treatment and Prevention of Varicose Veins
A varicose vein treatment specialist can evaluate your condition, diagnose varicose veins, and provide any necessary treatment. A venous disease doctor may start by recommending home care strategies to keep mild varicose veins from growing worse. Compression stockings, exercise, and postural changes could all prove helpful.
A vascular medicine surgery specialist can destroy or remove larger varicose veins. In a technique called sclerotherapy, for instance, the specialist injects varicose veins with substances that induce scarring, closing off the varicose veins until they disappear. Laser and radiofrequency treatment can achieve the same goal.
Surgery can also remove varicose veins. A vascular medicine surgery specialist may remove smaller varicose veins through a series of minimally invasive skin punctures, a method called ambulatory phlebectomy. Another procedure called high ligation and vein stripping can eliminate larger varicose veins.
While you can't always prevent varicose veins, you can adopt smart wellness choices to help reduce your risk for them. Keep your weight under control, avoid smoking, try not to stand for hours at a time without taking occasional movement breaks, and elevate your legs and feet whenever you get a chance.
Varicose veins can impact your quality of life, but the right medical guidance should help you cope. Contact a vascular medicine clinic such as Ponte Vedra Vein Institute to schedule a consultation.
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