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

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 are abnormal veins that usually appear as bulging, twisting, rope-like cords in the lower extremity. It is a very common condition, nearly affecting 25% of men and 40% women. Varicose veins occur when the valves in the veins do not properly function. As a result, blood cannot flow effectively.

Risk Factors

A number of factors can put you at risk of developing varicose veins. These may include  

  Heredity
  Gender
  Pregnancy
  Age
  Prolonged standing
  Obesity

Symptoms Associated with Varicose Veins

For many people, varicose veins develop without revealing any symptom. However, others may experience the following signs  

  Visible purple veins
  Heaviness in the calves
  Swelling and tenderness
  Leg tiredness
  Pain
  Blood clots

If the condition deteriorates, you may also encounter symptoms like  

  Ankle sores
  Skin ulcers
  Bleeding

If you have a severe case, your veins may rupture. Therefore, consult a doctor and get the condition treated before it worsens.

Treating Varicose Veins with Radiology

If conservative techniques   compression stockings, lifestyle changes, and others   fail to relive the symptoms or cure the condition, your doctor may recommend radiofrequency ablation for varicose veins.
Radiofrequency ablation involves using heat from an electric current produced by a radio wave to remove the damaged tissues. The procedure takes place in a hospital or a clinic under the supervision of a radiologist.
The specialist will first prep you up for the procedure   the appropriate leg will be prepared using sterile technique and you will be given local anaesthesia. Ablating the veins using laser takes only about a few minutes. Once the procedure is completed, the patient may be kept under observation briefly before being let off. However, he/she might have to wear a special compression stocking, as prescribed by the doctor, to speed up healing.

Varicose veins typically deteriorate over time despite making necessary lifestyle changes for pain management. The minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation procedure is an effective treatment for a condition as painful as varicose veins. It is safer than surgery with minimal risks. Since it is an outpatient procedure, the patient is allowed to walk away the same day.

Varicose Veins - Know All About Them!

What are varicose veins? 
Varicose veins are enlarged veins that typically develop in the legs and the feet. This condition is triggered when there is something wrong with the valves of the veins. When the valves do not function properly, blood flow to all parts of the body is disrupted. Since the legs are the farthest part of the body from the heart, gravity makes it difficult for blood to flow up to the heart. It is a common affliction and affects nearly 25% of the adult population all across the world and 10 million people in India are diagnosed with it every year. The raised veins just under the top layer of the skin appear to be purplish-blue.

Varicose veins are common in people who are -
  Above 50 years of age
  Long stretch sitting
  Pregnant
  Menopausal
  Obese
If someone in your family has a history of varicose veins, you are quite likely to get it too.

What are the symptoms of varicose veins?
Varicose veins are characterized by the following symptoms -
  The most obvious symptom is the large twisty veins
  Pain all down the length of your legs
  Discoloration of the skin of the legs and feet

Diagnosis of varicose veins -
The doctor usually diagnoses varicose veins by a physical examination. An ultrasound may determine if your flow of blood is affected. It is a non-invasive procedure and is done with the help of high-frequency sound waves.
You may even have to undergo a venogram. The doctor injects a colored dye into your veins and X-rays them. The dye gives an indication of how well your blood is flowing through the veins.

Treatment of varicose veins -
There are several treatment options for varicose veins-

Vascular surgery - When the other methods do not work, doctors prescribe vascular surgery.
Ligation and stripping - through this surgery, the surgeon ties up the vein to prevent pooling of blood in the veins and sometimes the vein itself is removed.
Sclerotherapy - the doctor injects a chemical right into the varicose vein which closes it.
Radiofrequency ablation - the doctor uses radiofrequency to heat the varicose vein up, which makes the walls collapse
Varicose veins are a painful condition that can be avoided if you implemented a few changes to how you live your life and even if you do get them, there are ways to cure them.

In Detail About Varicose Vein & Its Treatment!

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?

The veins are a type of blood vessels which collect impure blood from all parts of the body and return it to the heart. The veins in the legs especially are quite thick and need to exert extra pressure to pump blood against gravity towards the heart. In quite a few people, these veins could be engorged, swollen, and twisted, which are known medically as varicose veins.

Causes:
Defective or damaged valves in the blood vessels. Normally, the blood flow is controlled by valves which ensure blood flows in the desirable direction. When these valves are not able to control the flow of blood, then varicose veins can return
Thin vein walls can lead to improper flow of blood, resulting in varicose veins

Risk factors:

Prolonged standing
Obesity
Pregnancy
Smoking
Surgery in the leg, which could have hampered the values or veins
Age, as the elasticity of the vessels, reduces with age and can impede normal blood flow
Family history
Symptoms:

Blue, swollen veins in the legs which are thin and ropy
Pain with prolonged standing followed by pain and tenderness
Itching and heaviness in the legs
Cramping in the night
Blood clots in the superficial vessels
Severe varicose veins can cause bleeding
The area around the leg feels firm and/or hard
There could be skin changes like scaling, dryness, and color changes
Increased propensity to bleed in the affected leg
Diagnosis:

Usually easily diagnosed in clinical examination
The above-listed features are very characteristic and help in identifying them
Further testing may be done to identify the problematic valve, usually using a tourniquet
Doppler ultrasound, scanning, and MRI may be required to confirm diagnosis, which are quite rarely used
Prevention/Treatment:

Keep the legs elevated as much as possible. During working hours, take short breaks where you are able to elevate the legs
Even in prolonged journeys, try to take a break which will improve circulation
Quit smoking
Compression stocking (Ted hose or Jobst stocking) can be used to improve circulation. They also help in controlling pain and are very commonly recommended to treat varicose veins
Avoiding alcohol, which leads to venous dilation
Weight management, as being overweight is a big risk factor
Do not cross legs when sitting, as it puts constant pressure on the valves
Avoid tight clothing which can put pressure on the veins and/or valves
Keep a regular exercise regimen like walking to improve blood flow
Surgical treatment options include sclerotherapy, laser treatment, and stripping off the vein, but are not usually required.

Varicose Veins - 9 Signs You Are Suffering From It!

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