Veins
Vein Information
What are Varicose Veins?
What Causes Varicose Veins?
Are Varicose Veins a Sign of a Medical Problem?
How Common are Varicose Veins and Venous Reflux Disease?
What are the Symptoms of Varicose Veins?
Am I at Risk for Developing Varicose Veins?
How are Varicose Veins Treated?
Spider Veins
Telangiectasias
Venous Lakes
Reticular Veins
Outlook
Vein Treatment Procedures
The Closure Procedure for Varicose Veins and Leg Pain
Sclerotherapy for Varicose and Spider Veins
What are Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are swollen and twisted veins that are visible just under the surface of the skin. They appear most commonly in the legs, but, also, can develop in other parts of the body.
Veins are blood vessels that carry blood from the tissues of the body to the heart. In the heart, blood is pumped to the lungs to pick up oxygen. The oxygen-rich blood is then pumped out to the body through the arteries. From the arteries, blood flows through tiny blood vessels called capillaries, where it gives up its oxygen to the body’s tissues. The blood then returns back to the heart through the veins to pick up more oxygen.
Veins have one-way valves that help to keep the blood flowing toward the heart. When the valves don’t work well, blood backs up and pools in the veins. This causes them to swell and become varicose veins.
Varicose veins usually don’t cause medical problems. On occasion, they require treatment for pain, skin problems, blood clots, or other complications. People may choose to have cosmetic treatment to improve the appearance of varicose veins.
What Causes Varicose Veins?
Veins, especially those in the legs, have to pump the blood “up hill” to the heart, against gravity. Inside the veins are one-way valves that help with pumping action and prevent blood from flowing backward. These valves allow blood to flow in only one direction, toward the heart. Varicose veins develop when the valves become weakened, damaged, or don’t work well.
Weakness in the valves may be due to weakness in the walls of the veins. This weakness tends to be associated with certain factors, including increasing age, a family history of varicose veins, or high pressure inside veins due to overweight or pregnancy.
When the walls of the veins are weak, they lose their normal elasticity, like an overstretched rubber band. This makes them longer and wider and causes the flaps of the valves to separate. Blood is then able to flow backward through the valves, filling the vein and stretching it even more. The vein becomes enlarged, swollen, and often twisted trying to squeeze into its normal space.
Are Varicose Veins a Sign of a Medical Problem?
Yes. In healthy legs, your veins contain valves that normally allow blood to move in one direction, returning blood from your legs to your heart. When the valves in your leg veins cannot close properly, the blood pools in your leg veins which causes pressure and swelling. This pooling and pressure caused by diseased vein valves is a symptom of venous reflux disease.
How Common are Varicose Veins and Venous Reflux Disease?
Varicose veins are a common medical condition. It is estimated that 25 million people in the United States and 40 million people in Europe suffer from painful symptoms of varicose veins caused by venous reflux disease.
What are the Symptoms of Varicose Veins?
People with varicose veins frequently say that their legs feel "full" or tired, or are heavy, itch or throb. Varicose veins can be painful. Sometimes, people with varicose veins experience swelling of the legs or ankles. Left untreated, the signs and symptoms of varicose veins can also include skin changes such as discoloration, inflammation and even ulcers.
It is important to know that venous reflux is a progressive disease. That means that if left untreated, it can progress to more serious symptoms. Varicose veins caused by venous reflux disease will not go away by themselves.
Am I at Risk for Developing Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are often common within families. Also, people who stand for long periods of time or perform heavy lifting, women who have had multiple pregnancies, and those who are obese may be more at risk for varicose veins.
How are Varicose Veins Treated?
Each person's vein problem is unique. The types and severity and locations of varicose veins on your legs will be unique. Jon Senkowsky, M.D., F.A.C.S. is trained to provide a treatment plan that is specific for you. The good news is that today, varicose vein patients have a choice. Patients no longer have to undergo painful "vein stripping" in the hospital. Varicose veins can now be treated right in our office with the VNUS Closure method. This procedure is fast, is performed while you're awake and typically allows you to return to normal activities the next day.
Spider Veins
The exact cause of spider veins is not proven, but heredity, local trauma, and hormonal levels are believed to be contributing factors. Spider veins become more numerous with age, and are twice as common in women.
Spider veins are formed by the dilation of the small veins under the surface of the skin, mostly on the legs. They look like red or purple sunbursts or web patterns. Spider veins are also referred to as telangiectasia or broken capillaries. They usually pose no health hazard but may produce a dull aching or burning in the legs after prolonged standing.
Varicose veins are swollen or enlarged blood vessels caused by a weakening in the vein's wall or valves. They are located somewhat deeper than spider veins, are sometimes raised, and often appear blue. Advanced cases of varicose veins can be harmful to a patient's health because they may be associated with the development of ulcers and phlebitis.
Initial treatment for spider veins is use of surgical support host, which gives leg compression. This should also be used with any other treatment for the spider veins.
Sclerotherapy is still the best and safest treatment for spider veins. It causes minimal discomfort. A specially developed chemical solution is injected with a very small needle into the spider vein. This pickles the inside of the vein so it closes up. It later collapses and becomes scar tissue that eventually is absorbed by the body.
Sclerotherapy generally requires multiple treatment sessions. Post-treatment therapy includes wearing compression bandages or support hose for two days to three weeks following treatment. Although sclerotherapy works for current spider veins, it does not prevent future ones from developing.
Telangiectasias
Telangiectasias (tel-AN-juh-ek-TA-ze-uhs) are small clusters of blood vessels that look similar to spider veins. They are red in color and are commonly found on the upper body, including the face. They can develop during pregnancy and in people who have certain genetic disorders, viral infections, and other medical conditions (such as liver disease). Newly developed telangiectasias are often a reason to see a doctor.
Venous Lakes
Venous lakes are another type of varicose veins in which blood collects in the veins of the face and neck.
Reticular Veins
Reticular veins are flat blue veins commonly seen behind the knees.
Outlook
People with varicose veins often require only simple self-care measures, such as performing certain leg exercises, wearing compression stockings, and avoiding long periods of sitting or standing. For those who are concerned about the appearance of varicose veins, several cosmetic treatments are available. Although uncommon, in some cases, complications such as pain, skin ulcers, and blood clots can develop. A variety of medical and surgical procedures are used to treat varicose veins in these more complicated cases.