All You Need To Know About Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are swollen, twisted, and enlarged veins that you can see under the skin. They are often red or blue in color. They usually appear in the legs, but can occur in other parts of the body. For those of us who do have an underlying venous condition, varicose veins occur when valves in our leg veins stop working properly, allowing the blood to fall backwards down the veins the wrong way. In their simplest form, varicose veins can be identified as the bulging veins which protrude from the legs.

However, recent researched suggest that shockingly, up to half of all varicose veins sufferers will show no overt signs of the condition until they cause a complication, as the troublesome veins remain hidden deeper under the skin. In reality up to 30% of all adults will be affected by them and, contrary to popular belief, the condition is hereditary and can strike at any time of life.

Varicose veins are common, and affect more women than men. They don't cause problems for most people. However, in some people, they can lead to serious conditions, such as leg swelling and pain, blood clots, and skin changes. Common factors contributing to varicose veins are  Older age, hormonal changes from puberty, pregnancy, and menopause in females can lead to varicose veins, and taking birth control pills or hormone replacement can increase the risk, being born with defective valves, obesity, pregnancy, history of blood clots in your legs,standing or sitting for long periods of time and the major one being family history of varicose veins.

Symptoms for varicose veins include fullness, heaviness, aching, and sometimes pain in the legs, visible, swollen veins, mild swelling of feet or ankles, itching, leg swelling, leg or calf pain after sitting or standing for long periods, skin color changes of the legs or ankles, dry, irritated, scaly skin that can crack easily, skin sores (ulcers) that don't heal easily, thickening and hardening of the skin in the legs and ankles (this can happen over time).

There are various myths about varicose veins such as “Women get varicose veins more often than men”, “Pregnancy causes varicose veins”, “Crossing your legs causes varicose veins”, “Varicose veins are a sign of poor circulation”. There is no scientific backing for these myths and hence should not be taken seriously.

Experts suggest that lifestyle changes will not stop you from developing varicose veins, but there are a few measures that can be taken to help you to suppress their development. For example, when you sit for extended periods, the muscles in your legs that normally help pump blood aren’t used very much. As a result, in patients with varicose veins or hidden varicose veins, the blood falls backwards down the leg veins. The blood can then pool in the lower leg, increasing swelling and the risk of making the veins even worse. To keep your leg muscles in working form, try not to sit in the same position for long periods and go for walks regularly.

..Divya