Varicose veins are swollen, enlarged veins, usually blue or dark purple in color, that usually appear on the legs. They may also have a bulging, bulging, or twisted appearance.
Varicose veins
can cause ulcers (open sores), bleeding, and skin discoloration if left untreated. Severe varicose veins can be a sign of chronic venous insufficiency.This condition affects the ability of the veins to pump blood to the heart. Varicose veins are swollen, twisted, enlarged veins that can be seen under the skin. They are usually red or blue in color. They most often appear on the legs, but can appear on other parts of the body.
Varicose veins fall under a spectrum of venous problems. They start out as spiders or reticular veins. At this point, the veins are more visible than usual, but they are still very small and painless. As they continue to grow, they develop into varicose veins, but they may not yet cause any symptoms.
In fact, accidentally biting one that is close to the skin may be the only risk of developing early-stage varicose veins. This can cause a lot of bleeding, but Dr. Lu says it usually stops with pressure. If your varicose veins hurt and compression helps alleviate those symptoms, it's a sign that you could benefit from more permanent treatment for varicose veins, such as ablation.
In addition, ablation shrinks the veins so that they are no longer visible, so it is also sometimes used as a cosmetic procedure, even if varicose veins do not yet cause any symptoms. Most of the time, varicose veins develop in the lower half of the body, usually in the calves, ankles, and feet. And even for those who are not bothered by these symptoms, they may reach a point where they have to do something about varicose veins, since frequent injuries are difficult to treat. Half of people who undergo surgical removal have varicose veins again within five years, and varicose veins can also recur after intravenous ablation.
Varicose veins can be caused by the weakening of the valves (incompetent valves) within the veins that allow blood to pool in the veins instead of traveling to the heart. Spider veins, which can surround varicose veins, are smaller red or purple lines that appear close to the surface of the skin. Although varicose veins aren't usually dangerous, you should visit your healthcare provider for an exam. If varicose veins continue to cause you pain or discomfort, or if they cause complications, they can be treated in several ways.
Talk to your healthcare provider about safe, minimally invasive treatments that can reduce pain and improve the appearance of varicose veins. For many people, varicose veins and spider veins, a mild and common variation of varicose veins, are simply a cosmetic problem. There is little evidence to suggest that varicose veins can be prevented from worsening or completely preventing the development of new ones. The general practitioner can diagnose varicose veins based on these symptoms, although more tests can be done.
If you think you need treatment, it might be helpful to print out treatment options for varicose veins to discuss with your family doctor. And that's why one of the risk factors for varicose veins is having an occupation that requires standing frequently, such as teachers or delivery people.