WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT VARICOSE VEINS

Varicose veins are enlarged and swollen blood vessels that usually appear dark purple or blue on your legs. In some cases, they might also look twisted, lumpy, and bulging. They generally arise when small veins inside your legs stop working correctly, and blood starts accumulating in them.

WHO IS MOST AT RISK OF DEVELOPING THEM?

Though anyone can have varicose veins at any age, women are more likely to develop them. Hormones are the primary reason women get varicose veins more than men. Hormones are a fact of life for women, especially progesterone and estrogen hormones that impact the physical development, menstrual cycles, and pregnancy. With growing age, hormonal changes in women can cause weakened bones, hot flashes, and mood swings.

American College of Phlebology reveals that around 22 million American women between age 40 to 80 years are suffering from varicose veins.

CAN VARICOSE VEINS BE PREVENTED?

Compression stockings that are designed to be loose at the feet and compress the leg from the ankle upwards can prevent blood from flowing in the wrong direction. It would be right to say that compression stockings are the first line of treatment for varicose veins. Despite that, they are surely not guaranteed to prevent them from forming.

Approximately 20% of adults have varicose veins. While in most cases they are harmless, for some people they can be painful and dangerous. According to vascular specialists, here is what everyone should know about varicose veins.

3 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT VARICOSE VEINS

1. All leg veins aren’t the same

Blood vessels or veins are vascular structures having valves to keep blood flowing toward the heart. Varicose veins appear when valves get weaker, helping the blood to flow downhill in the leg.

With growing age, veins can lose their elasticity and become dilated. In this situation, the blood goes in reverse, and that leads to varicose veins.

Most people identify spider veins as varicose. However, in reality, spider veins are small, tubular blood vessels that appear in a spiderweb, starburst, and tree-like appearance.

Usually, they don’t put the leg at risk of severe complications. Still, a few people prefer to treat them for cosmetic reasons. The internet is flooded with a lot of misleading information that makes most people think that they will have to get them treated with surgery, which is not always the case.

Contrary to spider veins, varicose veins are abnormal-looking veins often cause painful symptoms and are usually easy to view unless a patient is exceptionally overweight. Though in most cases, varicose veins can be treated conservatively, in some severe conditions a patient might need minimally invasive surgery

2. Symptoms you should not ignore

There are a few symptoms with varicose veins that you can’t afford to ignore. These are:

According to most doctors, these are a few serious symptoms you should pay urgent attention.

In some cases, varicose veins appear when you have a deep vein clot. This is what known as deep vein thrombosis. So, if you notice any of these symptoms, seek medical assistance immediately. There could be a possibility that home-based treatments are not adequate for you.

3. Several treatments are available

Almost a decade ago, varicose vein patients had to undergo anesthesia in operation theater. However, over the years, varicose veins treatments have become much more comfortable. Nowadays, most procedures are done in the doctor’s office with a light sedative under local anesthesia. Treatment may last between one to three hours – that means you’re ready to do your necessary day-to-day activities the very next day.

The first treatment is known as laser ablation or radiofrequency ablation. It involves using a catheter to anesthetize the leg or affected area, and then heat is used to close the vein. Local anesthesia is given around the vein to avoid nerve damage and burning the skin. This treatment is done without any surgical incision, just a tiny hole to place a catheter into the skin so that the surgeon can close the vein effortlessly.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT VARICOSE VEINS

Varicose veins are not just a cosmetic issue; they may result in substantial discomfort in some cases. If you observe itching and throbbing pain around varicose veins, see your doctor.

Hopefully, this article gave you sufficient knowledge of varicose veins, their symptoms, and treatments. If you are looking for varicose vein treatments in Pomona & Rancho Cucamonga California then FSA Vein is ready! Click here to talk with the best vein doctor in the Inland Empire today!