Varicose Veins

Varicose Veins Description

Varicose veins are veins on the leg which are large, twisted, and ropelike, Varicose veins are veins that are swollen, twisted, look blue and are close to the surface of the skin. They are unsightly and uncomfortable. Veins bulge, throb and feel heavy. The legs and feet can swell. The skin can itch. Varicose veins may occur in almost any part of your body. They are most often seen in the back of the calf or on the inside of the leg between the groin and the ankle. Hemorrhoids, veins around the anus, can also become varicose.

Varicose Veins Causes

Vein gymnastics in the barefoot park Dornstetten, Germany.Varicose veins are more common in women than in men, and are linked with heredity. Other related factors are pregnancy, obesity, menopause, aging, prolonged standing, leg injury and abdominal straining. Varicose veins are bulging veins that are larger than spider veins, typically 3 mm or more in diameter.

The irritation -- especially the itching -- of varicose veins can be controlled to an extent with either of the following:

anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen or aspirin -- but there is a risk of intestinal bleeding.
regular exercise, including vein gymnastics, wading through water and going barefoot.

Telangiectasias are small enlarged blood vessels near the surface of the skin, usually they measure only a few millimetres. They can develop anywhere on the body but commonly on the face around the nose, cheeks and chin.

These are actually developmental abnormalities but can closely mimic the behavior of benign vascular neoplasms. They may be composed of abnormal aggregations of arterioles, capillaries, or venules.

Your doctor can take an X-ray of the vein (venogram) to tell if there are any problems. Surgery can be done to remove enlarged veins. Sclerotherapy can also be done on smaller veins. This procedure uses a chemical injection into the vein that causes it to close up. Other veins then take over its work. Both of these treatments, however, may bring only temporary success and more varicose veins can develop.

Features
Telangiectasias can result in nevus flammeus (port-wine stain), which is a flat birthmark on the head or neck that spontaneously regresses. A port-wine stain, if present, will grow proportionately with the child. There is a high association with Sturge-Weber syndrome, a nevus formation in the skin supplied by the trigeminal nerve and associated with glaucoma, meningeal angiomas, and mental retardation. Finally, spider telangiectasias are a radial array of tiny arterioles that commonly occur in pregnant women and in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. In men, they are related to high estrogen levels secondary to liver disease.

Varicose Veins Treatment

Telangiectasias are often treated with laser or IPL therapy

Sclerotherapy
This treatment is a non-surgical procedure in which a solution is injected into the problem varicose veins in order to cause its disappearance. 

Endovenous Laser treatment
EVLT works by heating the inside of the vein, which causes it to seal shut and disappear. This treatment requires that a very thin laser fiber be inserted into the damaged underlying vein.

You can prevent veins by:

Don’t cross your legs when sitting.

Exercise regularly. Walking is a good choice. It improves leg and vein strength.

Keep your weight down.

Avoid standing for prolonged periods of time.

If your job or hobby requires you to stand, shift your weight from one leg to the other every few minutes.

Wear elastic support stockings.

Don’t wear clothing or undergarments that are tight or constrict your waist, groin or legs.

Eat high-fiber foods like bran cereals, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables to promote regularity. Constipation contributes to varicose veins.

To prevent swelling, cut your salt intake.

Exercise your legs. From a sitting position, rotate your feet at the ankles, turning them first clockwise, then counterclockwise, using a circular motion. Next, extend your legs forward and point your toes to the ceiling then to the floor. Then, lift your feet off the floor and gently bend your legs back and forth at the knees.

Elevate your legs when resting. Get up and move about every 35 to 45 minutes when traveling by air or even when sitting in an all day conference. Opt for an aisle seat in such situations.