Ending the Pain in the Vein
Your legs look like a rope is running through them. Your legs always feel tired. Standing up for long periods of time makes it worse. You could have varicose veins in your legs.
Arteries carry blood from the heart to the rest of your body and veins return blood from the rest of the body back to the heart. A varicose vein develops when it cannot pump blood back to the heart and instead goes backward, which can lead to blood pools in the vein. The blood pools create pressure in the vein by enlarging it.
Varicose veins most often occur in people between the ages of 30 and 70 because aging affects the venal valves that help regulate blood flow. People who have occupations where they stand or sit for long periods of time are at risk for varicose veins because blood doesn’t flow as well when in the same position. Genetics and obesity may play a role.
Women are more likely to have varicose veins because of pregnancy, premenstruation, birth control pill intake, hormone replacement therapy and menopause because hormones are altered and they relax vein walls.
Varicose veins usually occur in the leg where the greater saphenous vein (GSV) that extends from the groin to the foot may have stopped functioning properly therefore causing the veins near the skin to become enlarged.
Signs and symptoms of varicose veins are veins that are dark blue or purple in color and veins that appear twisted and bulging. Pain symptoms include burning, throbbing, muscle cramping and swelling in your lower legs; worsened pain after sitting or standing for a long time; and an achy, heavy feeling in your legs.
Certain factors increase your risk for varicose veins like age, sex, pregnancy, family history, obesity and standing or sitting for long periods of time. Complications of varicose veins include blood clots (persistent pain and swelling may indicate a blood clot, so seek medical attention right away), ulcers (painful ulcers may form on the skin near varicose veins, particularly near the ankles), and bleeding (veins close to the skin may burst and develop into minor bleeding).
Certain measures can be taken to prevent varicose veins such as exercising, watching your weight, eating a high-fiber, low-salt diet, avoiding high heels and tight hosiery, elevating your legs, and changing your sitting or standing position on a regular basis.
To diagnose varicose veins, your doctor will conduct a physical exam including looking at your legs when standing. An ultrasound will need to be done to see if the valves in your veins are functioning normally or if there is any evidence of a blood clot. In a noninvasive test, a technician will hold an instrument known as a transducer against the skin over the area of your body being examined. The transducer will transmit images of the veins in your legs to a monitor.
As far as treatment goes, varicose veins can be treated on an outpatient basis. You start by trying compression socks all day before moving on to more viable treatments. If the compression socks don’t work then you could try the following:
Sclerotherapy where your doctor will inject medication into the problem area to close and seal off a vein.
Laser treatments which work by sending strong bursts of light onto the vein, which makes the vein fade and eventually disappear.
Catheter-assisted procedures using radiofrequency or laser energy where a doctor inserts a thin tube (catheter) into an enlarged vein and heats the tip of the catheter using radiofrequency or laser energy. As the catheter is pulled out, the heat destroys the vein by causing it to collapse and seal shut.
High ligation and vein stripping where a vein is tied off before it joins a deep vein and a vein is removed using small incisions.
Ambulatory phlebectomy. Your doctor removes smaller varicose veins through several tiny skin punctures.
Endoscopic vein surgery. Your surgeon uses a thin video camera inserted in your leg to visualize and close varicose veins and then removes the veins through small incisions.
Other things you do to lessen the discomfort from varicose veins are to exercise, watch your weight and diet, avoid high heels, elevate your legs, avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time. There are some natural alternatives to try such as horse chestnut that may provide temporary relief.
Unlike many years ago, now there is a plethora of possibilities when it comes to taking care of varicose veins. You no longer have to suffer in silence with this condition.
