Medically reviewed by: Luke Maj, MD
Twisted, rope-like, bulging, lumpy — even the outline of varicose veins isn’t fairly. However are varicose veins harmful, or are they only a beauty difficulty you may safely ignore? Right here, a vein specialist at Water’s Edge Dermatology explains when to fret about varicose veins and why it’s good to get an analysis.
What causes varicose veins?
These enlarged veins seem when the valves within the veins don’t work correctly. When the valves are in good situation, the veins do their job, which is to hold blood again to the center. If the valves turn out to be weakened or broken, blood swimming pools within the veins, inflicting them to swell, bulge and switch purple or blue. Varicose veins can develop wherever, however they most frequently develop within the legs. That’s as a result of leg veins should combat gravity to get blood all the best way as much as the center.
Are varicose veins harmful?
Varicose veins aren’t essentially harmful, however they’ll turn out to be harmful. Listed below are a number of the potential problems related to varicose veins.
Deep vein thrombosis
Folks with varicose veins have an elevated threat of creating blood clots within the deep veins of the legs, a situation referred to as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. Within the worst-case situation, a clot can break off and journey to the lungs. A clot that blocks blood circulate to a part of the lung, referred to as a pulmonary embolism, could be deadly.
DVT requires fast medical care. When you’ve got leg swelling and calf ache, or your pores and skin is crimson and heat to the contact, name your physician instantly.
Thrombophlebitis
A second potential complication is a clot that varieties within the slow-flowing blood of a varicose vein and causes intensive redness and/or irritation of the pores and skin over the vein, in addition to ache. The ache could also be extreme sufficient that even the sunshine strain of clothes is an excessive amount of to bear.
Pores and skin adjustments
When you’ve got extreme varicose veins and don’t get them handled, over time chances are you’ll develop powerful, thickened pores and skin with brown discolorations.
Leg ulcers
Some folks with extreme varicose veins expertise extra critical problems, together with leg ulcers, which could be extraordinarily painful and onerous to deal with.
The function of continual venous insufficiency
Varicose veins could also be attributable to an issue with the veins that ought to be handled.
“Many individuals don’t notice that varicose veins may end up from an underlying situation referred to as continual venous insufficiency,” mentioned Luke Maj, MD, an interventional radiologist and director of The Vein Heart at Water’s Edge Dermatology. CVI develops as a result of dysfunctional valves, a blood clot within the leg or an damage to the vein.
“Continual venous insufficiency usually will get worse over time and might in the end scale back your high quality of life,” mentioned Dr. Maj. Early therapy may also help forestall leg ulcers and relieve heaviness, aching, leg cramps and different signs.
When to hunt varicose vein therapy
Many individuals wish to know eliminate varicose veins as a result of they don’t like how they give the impression of being, however therapy also can aid you really feel higher and scale back the danger of problems.
“Leg ache or heaviness may cause folks to cease exercising, which is unhealthy for general well being and might exacerbate vein situations,” mentioned Dr. Maj. In case your veins are painful, your legs ache or itch or you’ve gotten leg swelling or sores, see a vein specialist for analysis. If you happen to expertise a sudden improve in leg ache or swelling, see a physician instantly.
Docs have a wide range of methods to deal with varicose veins, from compression remedy to minimally invasive procedures that shut defective veins or trigger them to break down.
“Treating varicose veins is far much less invasive than it was previously, when vein stripping was extra widespread,” mentioned Dr. Maj. Vein stripping requires anesthesia and a hospital keep. “Right this moment, typically, sufferers could be handled within the workplace and resume their regular actions the identical day.”
Minimally invasive procedures embody laser therapy, radiofrequency ablation (which makes use of warmth to shut the vein), VenaSeal (during which a glue-like substance is inserted into the vein by way of a catheter) and sclerotherapy, during which an irritant answer is injected. As soon as varicose veins are closed, the blood will reroute by more healthy veins.
Make an appointment with a vein specialist at Water’s Edge Dermatology’s Vein Heart at the moment.
Written by: Jessica Brown, a well being and science author/editor primarily based in Nanuet, New York. She has written for Prevention journal, jnj.com, BCRF.org, and lots of different shops.
