Varicose veins are a condition marked by enlarged or gnarled veins. This typically affects the veins in the feet and legs. In most cases, varicose veins are a mere cosmetic concern but in some cases, it can be quite uncomfortable and painful. If left untreated, it can also lead to further complications.

Varicose veins may be caused by a lack of elasticity in the veins causing blood to pool in them and flow backwards. This blood is deoxygenated and hence the veins appear blue. Women have a higher risk of suffering from varicose veins as compared to men. This risk also increases with age and weight. Pregnancy can also cause varicose veins. 

The most common symptoms of this condition are:

Visible veins just under the surface of the skin
Veins that appear blue and gnarled
A dull ache in the legs
Throbbing or burning sensation in the calves
Pain in the legs that worsens after standing or sitting in the same position for a long time
Itching around the veins
Bleeding veins
Inflammation of the skin or ulcers around the ankles
Red or blue spider veins
What steps to maintain once you have undergone the sugery

Keeping the legs raised or wear compression stockings can relieve the pain associated with varicose veins and prevent the condition from worsening. 
Exercise can also help improve blood circulation. If these home remedies are not effective, the patient may need to consult a doctor.
Women with a family history of varicose veins should also avoid wearing high heels and tight stockings.
Complications caused by varicose veins are rare. However, some people may experience bleeding on the surface of the skin. There are chances that the veins deep inside the muscle may get twisted which may lead to the swelling of the calf muscles. Varicose veins may also cause painful ulcers around the ankles and is a result of the buildup of fluid around the ankles.

All the complication must be reported to the doctor at the earliest to prevent the condition from worsening.

Varicose Veins - Know The Signs Of The Condition!

Varicose veins are bulging blue veins on the legs that can cause leg swelling, skin blackening and even open wounds called ulcers. It is commonly seen in people aged 35 and above who have to stand a lot. Here are a few tips to prevent these:

1. Avoid standing for long periods: standing for long periods of time causes blood to pool in your leg veins and they begin to bulge out like a balloon. Avoid standing desks at your work. If you have to stand, take a 5-minute break every hour and walk around or sit down.

2. Keep weight in check: overweight people have a higher incidence of varicose veins. Keeping your weight in check would also prevent varicose veins.

3. Exercise 30 minutes a day: exercise, especially brisk walking or jogging, will get the blood in your leg veins to circulate and thus prevent varicose veins.

4. Take the stairs: this simple exercise activates your calf muscles and gets blood to circulate in your veins.

5. Be vigilant: calf cramps, swelling, change in colour of skin over foot and open wounds over the feet are a few signs that you need to look out for. Seek medical help to prevent worsening of this disease.

Follow these simple steps and you would be able to prevent varicose veins and have healthy feet.


5 Tips To Prevent Varicose Veins and Varicose Ulcers

Blood flows through the tubes called as blood vessels. There are two networks of blood vessels   the arteries and the veins. The arteries carry pure or oxygenated blood from the heart to the various parts of the body. The veins, on the other hand, collect impure blood from all over the body and reach it to the heart. Blood flow in the veins is controlled via valves, which ensure blood does not flow in the reverse direction (against its desired direction of flow). The veins in the legs, which are farther from the heart, are quite thick and exert extra pressure to pump blood into the heart. They need to transport blood against gravity and so in people who are prone to stand for long hours, they can become thicker, swollen, twisted, and engorged. In severe cases, there could even lead to bleeding.

Some common causes for varicose veins are:

Damaged valves which are not able to control the flow of blood in the required direction.
Veins with a thin wall that are unable to control blood flow.
Risk factors: Though these are the suspected causes, there are specific risk factors which aggravate the condition of varicose veins.

Family history
Smoking
Occupations which require prolonged standing (construction jobs, painters, etc.)
Pregnancy
Obesity
Age, which reduces the elasticity of the veins
Surgery in the leg, which could have hampered the values or veins
There are quite a few symptoms of varicose veins. These are quite distinct and present as:

Swollen, ropy leg veins which can be blue
Pain, especially with prolonged standing
Tenderness on touching the veins
Itching and heaviness along the veins
Skin changes like scaling and dryness
Night cramps around the area
Susceptibility to bleed from these veins
While varicose veins are easy to diagnose given their distinct clinical presentation, some additional testing can involve the following:

Doppler ultrasound
Scanning
MRI
As said, prevention is better than cure; here are some preventive measures that can be really helpful:

Elevate legs as much as possible. When working, take short breaks to reduce stagnation and promote blood circulation
Quit smoking
Avoiding alcohol, as it causes venous dilation
Weight management
Avoid tight clothing and sitting with cross-legs for prolonged periods as they put a lot of pressure on the veins and valves
Follow a regular exercise regimen to improve blood flow in the legs, like walking or running
Starting from the least invasive to the most, this condition can be treated by:

Compression stocking (Ted hose or Jobst stocking) which improves circulation and reducing pain
Surgical options include sclerotherapy, laser treatment, and stripping off the vein. These are done in very severe cases, but quite rare.

Varicose Veins - How Best It Can Diagnosed?

Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged superficial veins that typically appear in the feet and legs.
For many people, the condition is simply a cosmetic concern while for others varicose veins include symptoms like swelling, discomfort and aching.

What Causes Varicose Veins?
Doctors believe that damaged or weak valves may cause varicose veins. Arteries carry oxygenated blood from your heart to other parts of the body and the veins send it back to your heart for recirculation. The veins of your lower body need to work against gravity in order to return the blood to your heart.
Muscle contractions in the extremities act as pumps while the elastic vein walls send blood back to the heart. Small valves open in your veins as blood flows to your heart, and then close again to prevent the blood from flowing back. If these valves become damaged or weak, blood may flow back and accumulate in the veins, causing it to twist or stretch.

Symptoms of Varicose Veins
You may experience the following signs if you have varicose veins  
  Discoloration of the veins   usually they appear blue or dark purple
  Legs feel heavy
  Itching around the affected veins
  Muscle cramps
  A throbbing, burning sensation
  Swelling and bruising
  Discomfort and pain the veins of the legs

The symptoms of varicose veins are quite prominent and require treatment. If the condition is not that severe, exercises and compression stockings may be prescribed to manage the symptoms. However, if you are looking for a long-term cure, laser treatment may be the best option for you.

Can Laser Treatment Cure Varicose Veins?
Your doctor may use highly focused laser beams to treat varicose veins. The laser emits heat, which forms scar tissues. The scar tissue closes the vein so it loses its source of blood and eventually dies. In a year or two, the vein is likely to disappear.

Here are the different types of laser treatment you can opt for  
  Simple Laser Treatment   The laser beams are focused on the outer surface of the skin. It helps cure the tiny veins that are located just beneath the skin. Normally, more than one session of laser treatment is required. Your doctor may schedule you for a session every 6-12 weeks.

  Endovenous Laser Treatment   This type of laser treatment is directed towards treating larger varicose veins that appear in the legs. The doctor passes a laser fiber through a catheter (a long, thin tube) into the veins. While doing this, he/she keeps a close watch on the veins through a duplex ultrasound screen.

Laser treatment is less painful than other procedures like vein stripping and ligation. The entire procedure can be done while you are on local anesthesia or sedatives. Moreover, the time for recovery is relatively short. You can expect to get back to your routine activities in a week or two following laser treatment.

Laser Treatment For Varicose Vein!

Varicose veins is a medical condition where the veins become large and swollen and begin to appear so especially on the legs and feet though any vein can become varicose. This happens when the valves do not function properly and allow the blood to flow in the opposite direction or to pool. Due to this, the veins enlarge, and they begin to appear blue or dark purple on the skin. Legs and feet are the most commonly affected areas because standing or walking increases the pressure on the veins in the lower part of the body.

Symptoms of Varicose Veins
Apart from the twisted and bulging appearance like cords in blue and dark purple, varicose veins may include other painful symptoms as well such as-

Throbbing feeling and aching, heavy feeling in the legs.
Muscle cramping and swelling in the legs.
Severe pain after sitting or standing for a long period of time.
Bleeding varicose pains.
Treatment for Varicose Veins
In severe cases, varicose veins may rupture and form varicose ulcers on the skin. To avoid complications, it is best to get varicose veins treated before it worsens. Varicose veins can be treated in two ways- either by surgeries or by non-surgical methods, that is, by home remedies, medicines or non-invasive methods.

Surgical methods to treat Varicose Veins
Vein Stripping - Under general anesthesia, two cuts are made one below the groin and one behind the knee joint. The affected vein is then tied or clamped off at the top incision using a technique called vein ligation
Phlebotomy is another method where smaller incisions are made along the vein and using surgical instruments, the vein is pulled out.
Though treating varicose veins by surgeries is the most effective method, it involves several risks. Patients take a longer time to recover from surgeries than non-surgical methods. The sedation may cause complications. Chances of nerve injuries cannot be negated which may lead to fatal conditions such as deep vein thrombosis.

Non-surgical methods to treat Varicose Veins

Radiofrequency ablation is a method in which heat generated electromagnetic waves are used to close off the veins.
Endogenous laser ablation- in this case, lasers are used to close off veins.
Sclerotherapy is another method where a liquid or foam is injected into the affected vein to close it off.
Although big veins cannot be treated by these methods or additional treatments may be required, these methods are not only effective but also free from cuts and stitches or anesthesia. Performance of these treatments need not always take place in hospitals, special clinics can cure varicose veins using these methods. It is always advisable to consult doctors for treating varicose veins who can suggest the best treatment needed to cure varicose veins.


Surgical & Non-Surgical Treatment Options For Varicose Veins - Which Is Better?

Every woman wishes for great legs they can flaunt in tiny shorts and skirts whenever they feel like it. The greatest impediment to this freedom, however, is unattractive spider and varicose veins that make legs lose their aesthetic value and limit women from enjoying experimenting with short outfits. Not only do these veins look unattractive on legs, but they are quite painful as well. The good news is that modern medicine has enabled doctors to use the body's own healing mechanisms to amend the problem. Doctors can now employ the use of laser treatments and injections to provide quick relief to patients. What's more, these treatments can be addressed easily in a doctor's office and require short visits, and you can walk comfortably out of the doctor's office on your own.

How it works
Minimally invasive laser treatments and injections are used to collapse and then shrink the affected veins. Thereafter, the veins are then absorbed into the tissue that underlay this, and will bring a clear effect such that all the visible traces will be gone. The surrounding healthy veins will then take control and restore the normal circulation of the body. While there might be some little bruising noticed, it will only last temporarily.

Options available
Today the treatments for these veins are improved and what's more, the process is much more comfortable. This is unlike the past where thick, uncomfortable, elastic compression socks were used to relieve pain and the procedures involved a surgery where veins are stripped out of the leg and patients are put under anesthetics. The options that are available today include endovenous laser ablation where a map around the abnormal vein is created with ultrasound, a catheter inserted into the vein and a laser carefully passed through the catheter generating a controlled amount of heat that will seal the vein and redirect blood to the healthy vessels. There is injection sclerotherapy where a pharmaceutical liquid is injected into the vein that will cause the vessels walls to adhere and then seal shut and the blood instantly gets directed to healthier veins while the treated vein disappears. Laser sclerotherapy is reserved for tiny superficial veins and may not get injected.

While there is no cure for varicose veins, a doctor can prescribe post treatment instructions that will minimize the chances of a patient getting the veins again. Things like managing diet, exercise and good lifestyle choices are among them. Also routine monitoring is the key to preventing future reoccurrences.

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