When the veins are damaged, they expand and may show up as (often bluish) discolored and tortuous bumps. Because these veins stop working correctly, they can no longer do their job, which is to return the blood to the heart. Therefore, the pressure in the veins increases, which can have various effects: pain, heavy legs, aesthetic problems, changes in the color and consistency of the skin, and, in particular, more severe cases, ulcers.
Pregnancy: the hormonal change leads to the stretching of the veins. In addition, the enlarged uterus or sometimes the baby in the womb presses on veins and obstructs the blood flow in them. These unaesthetic veins can go away after birth. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Overweight: greater pressure in the leg veins.
Longer sitting or standing position: Standing for a long time (e.g., receptionist, hairdresser, etc.)
Age: Women are more often affected, but men also suffer from the problem.
Lack of exercise: muscle work of the legs is important for promoting venous blood circulation.
People who have had deep vein thrombosis (if the deep vein is blocked, the superficial vein has to do the work).
How can you prevent varicose veins?
If the person has a genetic predisposition to varicose veins, it is difficult to prevent them from occurring. In general, however, it is possible to prevent varicose veins from developing by monitoring your weight and exercising regularly (such as swimming, which can improve venous blood circulation). However, certain sports such as weightlifting (high pressure in the veins), squash, or tennis (the jerky movements are not beneficial for venous blood circulation) are less recommended.
A varicose vein that does not bother the patient and does not cause pain does not require medical treatment. It is mainly an aesthetic problem. However, if it turns red, warm, and hard, speak to your doctor about it because it could be phlebitis. This cardiovascular disorder occurs when a clot of blood forms in the vein.
Depending on whether a superficial or deeper vein is affected, the problem can be more or less severe. Other situations also require a medical consultation, such as a significant change in the skin (which can turn brown and/or hardened) and the appearance of an ulcer (poorly healing wound). What can you do against varicose veins without medical treatment?
Specific measures can alleviate the problems associated with varicose veins:
Pay attention to good living hygiene: regular exercises to strengthen the calf muscles, end the shower with a jet of cold water, elevate your legs, eat healthily (avoid being overweight).
Wear compression stockings: these stockings compensate for weak veins by squeezing the veins in the legs and promoting the rise of the blood in the leg. They can relieve the symptoms of heavy legs and local pain in the veins.
There are several options for treating this disorder: Venotonic drugs: these drugs can relieve the symptoms of heavy legs.
Complete assessment by the angiologist, who, based on the result, suggests treatment of the varicose veins. The most common treatment is thermal ablation of the vein (endovenous laser therapy with small local anesthesia).
Sclerotherapy: sclerotherapy of the vein by injecting a sclerosing agent. The best treatment under the Scleotheraphy is CLaCS.
In rarer cases, surgery is needed to remove the problematic vein.