Varicose Veins

Overview

Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged blue or purple veins, found most commonly on the legs, close to the skin's surface. This condition occurs when weak valves in veins allow blood to pool, causing them to bulge. It can be painful and lead to serious health issues including blood clots.

A doctor may recommend treatment options including lifestyle changes, compression stockings, and procedures such as sclerotherapy, laser therapy or surgery. One can prevent it through measures such as regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding prolonged standing.

What are Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are enlarged, bulging bluish-purplish veins affecting the veins of the leg, and found close to the surface of the skin. This condition occurs mostly when an individual is standing or walking for prolonged hours, resulting in an increase of pressure in the veins of the lower body.

While most people consider varicose veins a cosmetic issue, this condition can be painful and cause discomfort, affecting an individual’s quality of life. It may also lead to severe health complications including deep vein thrombosis, if left untreated.

Types of Varicose Veins

The different types of varicose veins include the following:

Spider Veins: Also known as telangiectasias, spider veins are thin and small veins found close to the skin’s surface. These appear as blue or red lines across the legs, face and chest. This condition is caused by the small blood vessel dilation adjacent to the skin’s surface.

Trunk Varicose Veins: It is the most common varicose veins type, which appear as twisted and enlarged veins close to the skin’s surface across the lower legs and thighs. It is caused by the valves’ malfunction within the veins.

Reticular Varicose Veins: These varicose veins are smaller than trunk varicose and are characterised by clusters of damaged veins. Found across the calves, thighs and ankles, these varicose veins appear bluish-green close to the surface of the skin.

Varicoceles: These varicose veins occur in the scrotum which is a skin pouch containing the testicles. This condition appears when the veins draining the testicles enlarge and twist, causing discomfort, pain and infertility.

The other two less common types of varicose veins include venous lakes which appear on the neck and face, and hemorrhoids wherein the varicose veins occur around the anus.

Symptoms of Varicose Veins

Gnarled, purple or blue veins under one’s skin’s surface are the most recognisable signs of varicose veins. An individual may also experience rope-like, twisted veins around ankles, feet and legs. These bluish or purplish veins can occur in clusters, and tiny spider veins can appear nearby.

An individual’s leg muscles may feel heavy, tired or sluggish, particularly after any physical activity. Feeling itchy in the area around a varicose vein, achy, swelling or sore legs, and skin discolourations are other common symptoms of the disease. In addition, severe forms of varicose veins can lead to venous ulcers (sores) on the skin.

Causes of Varicose Veins

Varicose veins occur due to damaged or weak valves. With the increase of blood pressure in the veins, the weakened walls enlarge the veins. This stretching causes malfunction of the valves that keep the blood flow in one direction in the vein. This sluggish blood pools in one’s vein, causing it to bulge, swell and twist.

An individual’s valves and veins can weaken for reasons including obesity, hormonal changes for menopause or consuming birth control pills, normal ageing, and standing for prolonged hours. Other risk factors include tobacco use, pregnancy, certain health conditions (hypertension for example) and family history of the same condition.

Diagnosis of Varicose Veins

Through a physical examination, a healthcare professional can easily identify varicose veins as they are close to the surface of an individual’s skin. They may feel the veins and examine them while the patient is standing and sitting while also asking questions about the noticeable symptoms and medical history.

A doctor may recommend an ultrasound to see detailed images of the varicose veins and check for the complications that the condition may be causing. This imaging test can also show how the valves are working and blood clots if any.

Treatment for Varicose Veins

There is no cure for varicose veins, however, the available treatment options can help a patient feel and look better. These include elevating the legs above the waist quite a few times through the course of a day; wearing supportive stockings; receiving injection therapy (sclerotherapy), laser therapy, ambulatory phlebectomy; or undergoing a vein surgery procedure such as stripping or ligation.

Prevention of Varicose Veins

While one cannot prevent varicose veins, one may be able to reduce the risk of developing the condition by remaining physically active and leading a healthy lifestyle. A medical professional may recommend some preventive measures such as limited or no tobacco usage, elevation, avoiding long periods of standing, staying physically active, wearing compression socks, maintaining a healthy weight, and wearing clothes that are not too tight on the skin.

Myths and Facts Related to Varicose Veins

The following points highlight the myths and facts related to varicose veins:

Myth 1: Varicose Veins is not a Serious Condition
Fact: Varicose veins can cause swelling, pain and restless leg syndrome, affecting an individual’s quality of life. It can lead to serious health complications such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) if left untreated.

Myth 2: Crossing Legs Often Can Cause Varicose Veins
Fact: The external pressure from crossing the legs is insufficient to damage the veins. Varicose veins occur due to damaged valves caused by factors such as obesity, pregnancy, ageing and standing for prolonged hours.

Myth 3: Massaging Can Help in Curing Varicose Veins
Fact: While massage therapy can help relieve pain and discomfort caused by varicose veins, it is not an effective treatment for the condition. Sclerotherapy and laser therapy can help manage the symptoms effectively.