Varicose veins in your legs may be doing more than making you self-conscious in shorts.
Discomfort, swelling, itching and rashes are common side effects that may interfere with your daily activities. But they don’t have to.
“Varicose veins can be unsightly and painful,” said Marshfield Clinic Health System general surgeon Dr. Subramanian Natarajan. “Fortunately, we have several effective methods to treat them.”
Varicose veins causes
Veins just beneath the skin become varicose when one-way valves inside the veins stop working properly. Blood pools in the leg veins, causing them to stretch out and look swollen.
Varicose veins are common and affect 20-percent of people. They’re more common in women than in men.
Common causes are:
- Family history
- Jobs requiring prolonged standing or sitting with legs down
- Pregnancy
- Previous blood clots
Are varicose veins dangerous?
“In most cases, they aren’t life or limb-threatening, but many people who have varicose veins would benefit from a vein screening,” Dr. Natarajan said.
It is a misconception that varicose veins are only problematic for appearance and swelling. If left untreated, they can cause permanently discolored skin and leg ulcers that require chronic wound care.
“In some cases, a blood clot can form in the superficial veins and cause redness and pain for about six weeks,” Dr. Natarajan said. “Rarely, these blood clots can make their way to the deep vein system and cause more serious health problems that require immediate treatment.”
Elevation and compression reduce discomfort
If you have varicose veins, try simple treatments like elevation and compression stockings to relieve the symptoms. Avoid prolonged standing or sitting with legs down for an extended period of time.
Elevate your legs above the level of your heart three times a day for 15 minutes each time.
Wear compression stockings that reach the knees or thighs to support the veins and reduce swelling.
These treatments won’t make the issue go away, but they may help you feel more comfortable.
If these treatments don’t relieve your symptoms, talk to your doctor about your options.
Medical treatment to eliminate varicose veins
“Most people adjust to the symptoms over time or feel too much shame to seek out medical help,” Dr. Natarajan said. “If you’re a person who doesn’t want to wear shorts or your veins are bothering you in any way, there are safe and effective medical procedures.”
The first step is a complete evaluation, which includes examination by a vein specialist and ultrasound of your veins.
If treatment is necessary, gone are the days of vein stripping. Varicose veins can be closed off from the inside with laser or radiofrequency ablation. Catheters are inserted to heat certain areas of the vein to close them off. While some patients may require small cuts to remove the varicose vein, these procedures are performed safely and conveniently in the office. Many patients require no downtime and can return to activity the same day.
A common question during treatment is, ‘What happens to the blood when those veins are taken out or closed?’ The surface veins that become varicose only do about 10-percent of the work returning blood to the heart. Veins deeper in the leg do the other 90-percent of the work.
“When problematic veins are removed, veins deep in the leg take over returning blood to the heart. In fact, the deep veins do their job better when the problem veins are gone,” Dr. Natarajan said.
You can start getting help by visiting the Vein Services page on our website.
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