What You Need To Know About Varicose Veins

Varicose Veins and Your Health

Varicose veins are unsightly, painful and can even limit your ability to walk or perform other daily activities. They are commonly seen in the legs of older men and women and/or in those who spend a lot of time standing or sitting. The presence of varicose veins is not an indication of poor blood circulation or poor health, it is simply a sign of a compromised blood flow.

Varicose veins can be symptoms of a primary disease, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, or secondary to another cause, such as pregnancy, kidney failure or lymphatic obstruction.

Learning About Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are enlarged veins that appear either in the skin’s surface or inside the skin. By contrast, normal veins are thin, translucent and thread-like in appearance.

Vascular conditions that affect blood supply to the skin, such as venous reflux, are also known as “varicose veins.” When the valves in the veins that return blood from the legs do not function properly, the blocked veins can enlarge and become varicose veins.

Types of Varicose Veins

• Obstructed – When the valves between veins are blocked, the result is an obstructed varicose vein, also called a “thrombosed” varicose vein.
• Dystrophic – A dystrophic varicose vein occurs when the valves in the veins that return blood from the legs are defective, resulting in an absence of valves.
• Superficial – The superficial type of varicose veins is the most common type and affects the lower legs.
• Deep – The deep type of varicose veins affects the upper legs.

Varicose Vein Treatments

For varicose veins, our vascular surgeons will perform various treatments depending in severity to reduce or remove the affected blood vessels, or to relocate the affected veins.

There are several medical treatments for varicose veins. One treatment is compression stockings, which help reduce leg swelling. Another treatment is heparin injections, which are given every few months to help prevent blood clots in the legs.

As previously stated, your particular varicose vein severity will dictate the type of treatment used, but we typically want to begin with minimally invasive options allowing for quicker recovery time.

Contact us today to talk more about your specific condition.