It is quite common to experience varicose veins throughout the ageing process. While they differ in severity, they can carry severe medical risks if left untreated. So if you think you may be experiencing the valve inefficiency, or you want to get ahead of the game, take a look at this essential guide to the condition.
What are they?
Varicose veins take on a bulging appearance just below the surface of your skin. They may be present on one leg or both and vary significantly in severity. They arise due to inefficiencies in the small valves that exist within veins, meaning the legs aren’t able to effectively pump blood up to the heart.
Instead, the blood leaks downwards as a result of gravity, inducing extra pressure. As a result of this build up, the veins are forced to bulge outwards, creating the lumpy appearance on legs.
While the condition shouldn’t be a major cause for concern, given blood will still reach your heart through other routes, its effect on the circulatory system needs to be addressed through medical treatment.
There are a variety of possible causes for the inefficiency, such as:
- Gender – although both genders experience them, women hold a higher risk of getting them.
- Pregnancy – hormones associated with pregnancy are found to sometimes trigger the condition.
- Ageing – as the body’s functioning worsens with age, the condition becomes a more likely occurrence.
- Genetics – they can unfortunately be a result of genetic factors.
Often, people confuse varicose and spider veins. The visual differentiating factors will help you to eliminate any misunderstanding. Spider veins appear smaller and may appear on the feet, ankles, legs or sometimes face. They take on a blue, purple or red colour and do not bulge in the same way.The spider variation does not generally present medical risks and therefore must be treated differently.
Medical risks
If the movement of the blood in the wrong direction is severe, inflammation to the surrounding skin will gradually become evident. In this case, a person may experience symptoms like throbbing, aching and restlessness of the legs after long periods of time.
In the long-term, the inefficiency can cause the skin to harden or develop a brown pigmentation. They also induce increased risks of blood clots, which have much more severe medical implications and can be life-threatening if found in the wrong place.
Treatment
Luckily, effective laser treatments exist to improve the condition and ease the painful systems that can accompany it. The situation is usually handled through a diagnostic ultrasound, the provision of appropriate treatments and a follow-up review. This comprehensive process ensures they are dealt with in the most efficient and suitable way to deliver optimal results.
All varicose veins aren’t a pleasant thing to experience, but with the help of readily available medical treatment they shouldn’t be feared. Doctors are eager to help and will assist you in any way possible. It’s important to just keep a look out for any signs of them and take appropriate action if necessary!
