Vein Condition
Varicose Veins
What Are Varicose Veins?
These enlarged veins look like thick, blue, green or purple ropes beneath the surface of the skin. They appear when blood begins to pool in the legs because the valves have become weak. The increased pressure on the veins is what causes their enlarged, rope-like appearance.
Varicose veins can be unsightly and uncomfortable. Over time, the vein condition that causes them, called chronic venous insufficiency, can lead to serious complications.
FAQs
These enlarged veins appear when the valves in the veins don’t work properly. When the valves are in good condition, the veins do their job, which is to carry blood back to the heart. If the valves become weakened or damaged, blood pools in the veins, causing them to swell, bulge and turn purple or blue. Varicose veins can develop anywhere, but they most often develop in the legs. That’s because leg veins have to fight gravity to get blood all the way up to the heart.
While there’s no single cause of varicose veins, several factors can contribute to their development. For some people, the problem runs in the family. If your mom or dad had them, there’s a very high likelihood that you will as well.
Age, weight and your sex can also play a role. Women are more likely to develop problem veins. That could be because hormone fluctuations, which occur during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause, can put you at an increased risk for circulation issues.
As you get older, your veins do too, which often causes them to become less elastic and more stretched out. Finally, if you are carrying a few extra pounds, the extra weight can put more pressure on your veins, increasing the risk for weakened valves and other issues.
Varicose veins aren’t necessarily dangerous, but they can become dangerous. Here are some of the potential complications associated with varicose veins.
Deep vein thrombosis: People with varicose veins have an increased risk of developing blood clots in the deep veins of the legs, a condition called deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. In the worst-case scenario, a clot can break off and travel to the lungs. A clot that blocks blood flow to part of the lung, called a pulmonary embolism, can be fatal.
DVT requires immediate medical care. If you have leg swelling and calf pain, or your skin is red and warm to the touch, call your doctor right away.
Thrombophlebitis: A second possible complication is a clot that forms in the slow-flowing blood of a varicose vein and causes extensive redness and/or inflammation of the skin over the vein, as well as pain. The pain may be severe enough that even the light pressure of clothing is too much to bear.
Skin changes: If you have severe varicose veins and don’t get them treated, over time you may develop tough, thickened skin with brown discolorations.
Leg ulcers: Some people with severe varicose veins experience more serious complications, including leg ulcers, which can be extremely painful and hard to treat.
Treatments for Varicose Veins
Treating varicose veins eases symptoms such as tired, heavy legs, itchy legs and leg cramps. Just as important, it reduces the risk of dangerous blood clots and helps prevent the development of venous ulcers, which can be painful and difficult to treat. However, if you don’t mind their appearance and they aren’t causing you discomfort or other physical symptoms, you don’t have to treat varicose veins.
During your vein consultation, one of our vein specialists will examine you and ask about your symptoms and medical history. Your physician may order an imaging test, such as an ultrasound, to view the structure of your veins and observe the blood flow.
Compression Therapy
You may be prescribed compression therapy in the form of compression socks or stockings to see if they help.
If the physician thinks you will benefit from varicose vein surgery, he or she will recommend the best procedure for you. Varicose vein procedures are done in the office. Most involve closing the veins and letting the body absorb them. Typically, you can return to your normal activities (other than strenuous exercise) immediately after the procedure.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses radiofrequency waves delivered by a small probe to heat the walls of the faulty vein. The heat causes the vein to close. The body absorbs it, and the blood it carries is re-routed through nearby healthier veins.
Patients recover quickly from the RFA procedure. Most are able to return to normal activities after the procedure.
Sclerotherapy
Small varicose veins can often be treated with sclerotherapy. In this procedure, the vein physician uses a very thin needle to inject a sclerosant (an irritating liquid or foam) into the vein. The physician may use ultrasound to guide the placement of the needle. The sclerosant irritates the vein wall, which eventually causes the vein to collapse. Once it collapses, the body reroutes the blood it carried through nearby healthier veins and the varicose vein disappears.
Sclerotherapy for varicose veins takes about 30 minutes per session. You will feel a small pinch each time the needle goes in, but the procedure is not painful.
ClariVein IC
ClariVein IC is a catheter with a rotating wire tip. The physician inserts it into the vein, and the wire tip disperses a sclerosant solution. This solution irritates the vein wall, eventually causing the vein to collapse. No anesthesia is required. You can expect a pinch when the catheter is inserted, but the procedure is not painful.
Endovenous Laser Treatment
Endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) uses heat from a laser to close faulty veins. Recovery is quick. AQUA Vein Center physicians use state-of-the-art lasers such as the DORNIER Medilas D FlexiPulse 940 to provide the best possible outcome.
Veinlite
Veinlite utilizes a surface light to see abnormal varicose veins underneath the skin and close them using foam sclerotherapy. These veins typically cannot be seen with the naked eye; and because they are smaller and very close to the skin surface, they are not seen well with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy.
VenaSeal
In this procedure, the physician uses a medical-grade adhesive (glue) to seal the vein shut. A thin tube called a catheter is used to inject the adhesive. The physician inserts the catheter into specific areas along the diseased vein. No anesthesia is needed. There is very little pain or bruising.
Microphlebectomy
Microphlebectomy is an option for treating varicose veins that are too large to be treated with sclerotherapy or other methods. In this procedure, the vein physician injects a local anesthetic so you won’t feel any pain. They then make a pin-size incision to access a segment of the varicose vein. Next, they take the segment with a surgical hook and remove it. The incisions are so small that no stitches are required in most cases, and there is little or no scarring.
RELATED ARTICLE
11 Tips For Preventing Varicose Veins
If varicose veins run in your family, there’s probably no way to prevent them entirely, but you can take steps to keep your legs looking smoother for longer.
To keep your veins as healthy as possible in hopes of staving off varicose veins, follow these tips.