The resulting twisted blue bulges, known as varicose veins, may cause your legs to feel heavy, tired or achy and make you feel self-conscious about their unsightly appearance, but they don't pose a major health threat. In general, ropy veins are not directly related to heart trouble.
Blood clots
deep vein thrombosis – which can cause pain and swelling in the leg, and may lead to serious complications like pulmonary embolism.
Varicose veins can cause ulcers (open sores), bleeding and skin discoloration if left untreated. Severe varicose veins may be a sign of chronic venous insufficiency. This condition affects your veins' ability to pump blood to your heart. People who have varicose veins may be more likely to develop blood clots.
The presence of varicose veins indicates a problem with moving blood back to the heart for oxygenation. Generally, varicose veins do not put you at a higher risk for cardiac issues. Heart disease and poor circulation are related to the arterial system, while the venous system is linked to varicose veins.
Leaving varicose veins untreated may result in developing Deep Vein Thrombosis, a serious condition in which a blood clot develops in a deep vein. This condition is very serious due to the fact that the blood clots can become loosened and lodged in the lungs.
Surgery can very effectively relieve varicose vein symptoms: In more than 80% of people who have varicose vein surgery, it improves symptoms like pain, swelling and itching or makes them go away completely, and their legs look better afterwards.
If you have varicose veins and experience any of the following symptoms, it's time to give your doctor a call: Severe and continuous pain and swelling in the legs. Heaviness and/or dull, achy feeling in the legs at the end of the day, or after physical activity.
Who's at risk? Between 20-30 million Americans have varicose veins. Contributing factors include heredity, gender, age, weight, pregnancy, history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT and blood clots), and standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time. By age 50, 41% of women will suffer from varicose veins.
The most significant danger with a varicose vein blood clot is that it can travel to your lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism – which can be fatal. The blood clot could also travel towards your brain and cause a stroke which can leave you disabled and can even take your life.
"Varicose veins typically aren't life-threatening or limb-threatening, and they generally don't increase your chance of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or developing blood clots, which is what a lot of people worry about," says Dr. Lu. "However, the progressive symptoms they cause are troublesome.
Varicose veins are a common manifestation of chronic venous disease (CVD) and present as excessively dilated, tortuous, and elongated superficial veins in the lower limbs. Varicose veins arise either secondary to vein wall remodeling or valvular incompetence leading to blood stasis and venous hypertension.
Varicose veins can cause aching and feelings of fatigue as well as skin changes like rashes, redness, and sores. As many as 40 million Americans, most of them women, have varicose veins.
A varicose vein is a vein that becomes enlarged due to a valve failure. These veins usually have a damaged and engorged appearance and are often found on the back of your legs. Because the veins have been damaged, they can't move blood as quickly and efficiently as other veins in the body, leading to poor circulation.
Stage 4 of varicose veins
Ulcers and open sores mark the most severe stage of varicose veins i.e. stage four. Ulcers form due to chronic insufficiency of blood circulation in the veins of the legs. The other major reason for these ulcers in the legs is the excess pressure that varicose veins exert.
Untreated varicose veins can sometimes lead to a sudden serious drop in blood pressure known as orthostatic or hypotension. Due to the pooling of blood in varicose leg veins, you may notice a sudden drop in blood pressure every time you stand after lying down for a long time.
While exercise won't cure varicose veins, it can help improve your symptoms and reduce your risk of developing more. Walking, biking and swimming are all great low-impact exercises that are easy on the joints and help circulation in varicose veins.
In the summertime, our circulatory system combats the effects of high temperatures by increasing the size of our veins, a process known as venodilation, for better blood flow to cool down the body. During venodilation, swollen varicose veins widen further, filling with additional blood and worsening the symptoms.
Varicose veins are usually caused by weak vein walls and valves. Inside your veins are tiny one-way valves that open to let the blood through, and then close to prevent it flowing backwards. Sometimes the walls of the veins become stretched and lose their elasticity, causing the valves to weaken.
There is no direct link between varicose veins and cancer.
Salty foods, sugar-laced treats and refined carbohydrates top the list of what not to eat when you suffer from varicose veins. The sodium in salt can cause the body to retain water. As a result, blood volume increases, and blood pressure rises, both of which put pressure on the venous system.
Symptoms include leg swelling, pain and tenderness, and red/bluish discoloration of the skin. This clot may develop into an embolus which travels through the bloodstream to other parts of the body. If it becomes lodged, it may hinder blood flow to organs like the heart and lungs.
If you still have pain or other symptoms after trying home treatment for 6 to 12 months, you may want to have surgery or a procedure. If your main concern is how your legs look, you could have treatment whenever you want. Home care won't change how your legs look.
If you need to sit or stand for a long period of time, flexing (bending) your legs occasionally can help keep blood circulating. If you have mild to moderate varicose veins, elevating your legs can help reduce leg swelling and relieve other symptoms.
Healthcare professionals are uncertain why varicose veins only happen on one side of the body. Some believe it could be because you experienced an injury to that side of the body which caused damage to the veins or the valves of the veins. Others believe it is just a natural part of having varicose veins.