The Ins And Outs of Varicose Veins
When veins near the surface of the skin become twisted and enlarged, they are referred to as varicose veins.
These veins are often blue or purple in colour and they sometimes are even raised up from the skin.
Varicose veins appear when the valves in the veins become weakened.
Healthy veins inside the leg have a one way valve that allows the blood to flow up the leg, against gravity, towards the heart.
When these valves become weakened, blood collects in the leg, which then causes pressure to build.
When this happens the veins become weak from the pressure and they also become large and twisted.
People who have an increased risk of developing them include people who are overweight, pregnant, or people who stand for extended periods of time on a regular basis.
Varicose veins also run in families, and the older a person gets, the higher the risk they have of developing varicose veins.
Some people can develop varicose veins and not show any symptoms of them.
However, many people do show symptoms and some mild symptoms include itching over the vein and swelling in the feet and ankles.
Other mild symptoms are a sensation of heaviness, aching, burning, tiredness, or pain in the leg.
These symptoms may become worse after standing or sitting for extended periods of time.
Some people may also experience some more serious symptoms, of which may include swelling of the leg, open sores and easy bleeding, and swelling and pain in the calf after standing or sitting for a long time.
Other symptoms may include changes in the skin such as changes in colour, scaling, dry and thinning skin, and inflammation.
Varicose veins do not usually mean that there is a serious health problem.
They actually are quite common, however there is the rare case when it does develop into a more serious issue.
An example of this is called "deep vein thrombosis," which means that the deeper veins are experiencing a blockage.
Doctors diagnose a varicose vein by examining the patient's legs and feet.
Things that the doctor will be looking for include tender areas, changes in the skin colour, swelling, and sores.
There are some preventative measures that can be taken in order to reduce the chance of developing varicose veins.
Elevating the legs on a regular basis, exercising regularly, and wearing compression stockings are just a few ways to try to prevent them.
These veins are often blue or purple in colour and they sometimes are even raised up from the skin.
Varicose veins appear when the valves in the veins become weakened.
Healthy veins inside the leg have a one way valve that allows the blood to flow up the leg, against gravity, towards the heart.
When these valves become weakened, blood collects in the leg, which then causes pressure to build.
When this happens the veins become weak from the pressure and they also become large and twisted.
People who have an increased risk of developing them include people who are overweight, pregnant, or people who stand for extended periods of time on a regular basis.
Varicose veins also run in families, and the older a person gets, the higher the risk they have of developing varicose veins.
Some people can develop varicose veins and not show any symptoms of them.
However, many people do show symptoms and some mild symptoms include itching over the vein and swelling in the feet and ankles.
Other mild symptoms are a sensation of heaviness, aching, burning, tiredness, or pain in the leg.
These symptoms may become worse after standing or sitting for extended periods of time.
Some people may also experience some more serious symptoms, of which may include swelling of the leg, open sores and easy bleeding, and swelling and pain in the calf after standing or sitting for a long time.
Other symptoms may include changes in the skin such as changes in colour, scaling, dry and thinning skin, and inflammation.
Varicose veins do not usually mean that there is a serious health problem.
They actually are quite common, however there is the rare case when it does develop into a more serious issue.
An example of this is called "deep vein thrombosis," which means that the deeper veins are experiencing a blockage.
Doctors diagnose a varicose vein by examining the patient's legs and feet.
Things that the doctor will be looking for include tender areas, changes in the skin colour, swelling, and sores.
There are some preventative measures that can be taken in order to reduce the chance of developing varicose veins.
Elevating the legs on a regular basis, exercising regularly, and wearing compression stockings are just a few ways to try to prevent them.
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