Top ten facts about varicose veins you need to know | Insights from a vein doctor
Top ten facts about varicose veins you need to know | Insights from a vein doctor
Varicose veins are large, unhealthy blood vessels that appear as twisting, swollen rope like structures beneath the skin. If you have varicose veins, read on to understand facts about them that you may not have known.
1. Varicose veins are more common than you think they are.
If you have varicose veins, you are not alone. Studies have shown that more than 40 million Americans live with varicose veins. It usually affects 17% of all men, and almost 33% of all women. Above the age of 50, one in two Americans usually develop varicose veins, and finds it necessary to consult a vein specialist. The risk for varicose veins increases if you have a family history of this condition. You have a 60% chance of developing varicose veins if your family members have them, and almost 90% if both your parents suffer from varicose veins.
2. Varicose veins are associated with specific symptoms.
Most people do develop symptoms for varicose veins. However, they may not always attribute these to the vein condition. Symptoms include a feeling of heaviness in the limbs, achy, throbbing feet that feel especially sore at the end of the day, and generalized fatigue. Some people may also have irritation or itchy skin over the areas of varicose veins. Not all patients develop symptoms, however, and just seeing a bulging, tortuous vein or reddish discoloration of skin over the vein should alert you to the fact that your veins are problematic.
3. Varicose veins reflect the presence of underlying venous disease.
Varicose veins do not appear overnight – they develop because you have a problem with the veins draining your legs. Ideally, the blood in these veins must go back to the heart, and this process is aided by tiny valves at the top of the veins. These valves are one-way doors that prevent blood from falling back down. If these valves fail, blood pools in the legs, increasing pressure in the leg veins, and forcing the formation of the bulging varicose veins that you see. This condition is called chronic venous insufficiency, and it requires proper treatment by vein experts.
4. Lifestyle changes can help control the symptoms of varicose veins.
Regular exercise and leg massage can improve the blood circulation in your legs and ease the symptoms associate with varicose veins. Wearing compression stockings also improves blood flow, and pushes blood out of the varicose veins back into circulation. Be aware, though, that while you may feel better, the actual problem has not gone away. You would still need proper varicose vein treatment.
5. There are no proven home remedies that work on varicose veins
The internet offers a lot of home remedies that claim to treat varicose veins – apple cider vinegar, witch hazel and horse chestnut, to name a few. None of these methods have been proven to be effective, and, some can even be harmful if you are allergic to them. Play it safe – go to a medical center for proven remedies that work on varicose veins.
6. Today, treatment for varicose veins are minimally invasive, and maximally effective.
The earlier method of surgically removing the unhealthy vein (vein stripping) is rarely practiced today. Instead, procedures aim at stopping blood from flowing though the unhealthy veins, by sealing them off. Advanced procedures including Varithena, Clarivein, VenaSeal and Radiofrequency ablation have very high success rates, and require very little down time.
7. Varicose vein diagnosis and treatment must always be done by an expert.
Several doctors might offer treatment for varicose veins. But going to a vein expert increases your chances of having a successful outcome with minimal side effects. You should always look for a board certified physician who has had special training in vein medicine, and who is skilled at performing minimally invasive vein treatment.
8. You may require more than one kind of treatment for varicose veins.
Your visible varicose vein underneath the surface of the skin may just be an offshoot of the actual unhealthy vein (usually the saphenous vein). This main vein needs to be shut down first, as it is causing the main problem. Following this, any visible varicose or spider veins can be treated separately. Treating only these visible veins would be like painting a water-stained wall without fixing the leaky pipe responsible for the stains.
9. Untreated, long standing varicose veins can have potentially serious consequences
Over time, varicose veins can cause serious health issues. The blood circulation in the legs decreases, which can compromise wound healing. Even minor scrapes and abrasions may not heal properly, and can turn into a long standing skin ulcer. If the varicose vein itself gets injured, profuse bleeding can occur which may be difficult to control. Another serious consequence is deep vein thrombosis, which refers to the formation of blood clots in the leg veins. If these clots travel to the heart and lungs, they can block circulation and have fatal consequences.
10. Treatment for varicose veins has minimum or no side effects
Minimally invasive vein treatment is extremely safe, and there are almost no side effects. Very rarely, a patient might develop an allergic reaction or an infection after the procedure. Getting treated by an experienced vein specialist reduces chances of side effects considerably.
Would like to learn more about varicose veins and their treatment options? Do reach out to our team of vein experts. You can call 855-386-0195, or book an appointment online today!