Varicose veins occur when your veins become dilated, twisted, and enlarged. They appear raised and have a red or bluish-purple color. Varicose veins mostly appear on the legs, and they are very painful. Varicose veins are mainly a cosmetic concern, but they can sometimes cause serious problems. Bowling Green Varicose Veins Specialist offers treatment that can cover both medical and cosmetic concerns. Here is everything you need to know about varicose veins.
Causes of Varicose Veins
Varicose veins occur when veins are weak, damaged, or not functioning well. Veins return blood from the rest of the body to the heart, and they have to work against gravity to do that. If they fail and blood flows backward, the blood pools in the veins, causing them to enlarge and twist. Other causes include pregnancy, obesity, family history, and menopause.
How Are Varicose Veins Diagnosed?
Your doctor examines your legs for visible veins when standing or sitting. He will ask about your pain and symptoms and perform an ultrasound to check the blood flow in your legs. This nonsurgical test uses sound waves to allow your doctor to see how your blood is flowing through your veins and look for clots.
Depending on the location of the varicose vein, a venogram may be used to give further access to the veins. When doing this test, your doctor injects dye into your legs, and X-rays are taken. These tests help ensure that other disorders like blockage or clots are not causing swelling and pain in your legs.
Symptoms of Varicose Veins
Everyone experiences varicose veins symptoms differently. These symptoms include:
- Sores on the legs
- Color changes on the skin
- Burning or aching sensations in the legs
- Rash
Varicose veins can produce long-term swelling that can cause more severe skin and tissue concerns. They include non-healing sores and ulcers. The symptoms may be similar to other medical conditions, but you should consult with your doctor to get the correct diagnosis.
Treatment
Medical treatment includes:
Compression stockings. These stockings squeeze the veins and prevent blood from collecting in the veins. If you wear them every day, you can get good results.
Sclerotherapy. This is the most common treatment for both varicose and spider veins. Your doctor injects a chemical solution into the varicose veins to no longer carry blood, and other veins take over. After some time, they fade away, but this process has to be repeated for the treatment to be effective.
Surgery. If your varicose veins are large, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove them. This is done under general anesthesia. If surgery were to be done on both legs, you would have to stay in the hospital overnight for monitoring.
Don’t be scared if you have varicose veins because you are not alone in this. Sky Vein & Aesthetics are ready to help you through your treatment process. You can also try home treatment methods that can help. Or you can ask your health provider about the best treatments available for you. And keep in mind that varicose veins can appear again after treatment.
