Varicose Veins

The veins in our body are designed to carry the blood back to the heart where it can be sent to the lungs and then back out to our body. (Read about "Vascular System") To prevent the blood from flowing backwards, there are valves that keep the blood going in the right direction. Sometimes those valves weaken or don't work correctly and the blood does back up. When that happens, the blood can collect and the veins become congested and clogged. The result is varicose veins. Most of the time varicose veins show up in the legs, and they are dark purple and swollen. Varicose veins can show up in other places however. For example, hemorrhoids (Read about "Hemorrhoids") are also a varicose vein.

Women more than men

The National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC) estimates that 50 percent of all women are affected by varicose veins. Men have a much lower incidence. Though the exact cause of varicose veins isn't known, heredity and hormones are suspected. Women undergo more hormonal changes than men and more often because of pregnancy, birth control and menopause. (Read about "Menopause") Also during pregnancy, there is an increase in the amount of blood in the body that can cause the veins to enlarge. Other factors according to NWHIC include:

• aging
• obesity (Read about "Obesity")
• leg injury
• long hours of standing on a job or otherwise

Varicose veins usually appear in the legs because the veins there have the toughest job getting the blood back to the heart because of the distance and gravity.

Treatment

Varicose veins often do not require treatment though many people treat them for cosmetic purposes. Treatments, according to the American Academy of Dermatologists and the American College of Phlebology include:

• sclerotherapy or injection of the vein to cause the vein to collapse and be absorbed by the body
• ligation or a tying off of the vein
• stripping where a long segment of vein is removed
• ambulatory phlebectomy in which smaller varicose veins are removed through a series of tiny skin punctures
• laser treatment which is especially effective for smaller veins sometimes called spider veins
• endovenous techniques which use radiofrequency or laser to collapse the vein

A plastic surgeon is often involved in performing these procedures, though other doctors can perform some of them as well. (Read about "Plastic Surgery")

Varicose veins can worsen over time and if the situation becomes severe can have complications such as deep vein thrombosis (Read about "Deep Vein Thrombosis") if the leg is injured. That can have other complications, even deadly ones such as pulmonary embolism. (Read about "Pulmonary Embolism")

Prevention

There are things you can do to try to prevent varicose veins in the first place. The following is from the NWHIC:

• Exercise regularly to improve your leg strength and your cardiovascular system. (Read about "Exercise and Your Heart")
• Watch your weight; lose weight if you need to. (Read about "Body Mass Index" "Losing Weight")
• Avoiding crossing your legs when sitting, elevate them while resting.
• Do not stand in one place for long periods of time. If you have to, shift your weight from one leg to the other on a regular basis. (Read about "Fitness at Work")
• Wear elastic support stocking but avoid constricting clothes at your waist, groin or legs.

Related Information:

    Pregnancy and Nutrition

    Healthy Pregnancy

    Fighting Weight Gain

    Vascular System

    Peripheral Arterial Disease