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Varicose Vein CausesWhat are varicose veins? We've all seen them, usually on the back of the knees of calves of older women, large, bulging veins, dark-blue or purplish in color. In fact, the word varicose comes from a Latin word meaning "twisted", an accurate description of the corded, twisted veins that bulge above the surface of the skin. They are most common in people over the age of 50 -- almost 50% have varicose veins in one form or another. Women are also more likely to suffer from varicose veins, especially pregnant women. But anyone can get them. What causes varicose veins? You have to look inside the anatomy of a vein to see how they work. Blood flows through your veins everytime your heart pumps, circulating blood around your entire body. As blood travels "uphill" back up your legs towards your heart, gravity would tend to pull it down. To counteract this, veins have one-way valves, kind of like automatic doors that open and shut, allowing blood to be pushed through, but then closing behind it so the blood can't flow back down before the next heart beat. In normal, healthy leg veins, blood flow is smooth and steady, the valves work, and all is good. But if those valves weaken and begin to fail, blood is allowed to flow backward and pool up and swell, making the veins expand and bulge above the surface of the skin -- and there you have it, varicose veins.
Varicose vein symptoms - How to avoid varicose veinsNormally you will see varicose veins on the surface of your legs, but other symptoms include feelings of heaviness in the legs, swelling, pain and discomfort and sometimes rashes, numbness and tiredness. How can you avoid varicose veins? Like many medical conditions, aging and normal wear and tear on the body is a major factor, and there is not much you can do about getting older. So over the age of 50, you may just have to face the facts that varicose veins might begin to appear as your veins stretch and lose elasticity. Also during pregnancy, with the huge increase of blood volume in a woman's body, there is a tendency to form varicose veins -- not much you can do about that either. But some general tips for avoiding the problem include not spending too much time on your feet, not being overweight, getting plenty of exercise to improve circulation, don't smoke, not crossing legs when sitting, elevating legs when seated for extended periods, and eating a low-sodium diet. Special compression stockings are also available to help squeeze from the ankle upwards and keep blood moving in the right direction. In many cases, varicose veins are purely a cosmetic issue, but in certain circumstances, they can also lead to medical issues. Left untreated, serious cases of varicose veins can lead to infections and bloot clots, swelling and irritation, and skin ulcers. If your varicose veins are causing you anything more than mild discomfort, see your doctor as there are a number of procedures that can be done to minimize or remove varicose veins. You can find pictures of varicose veins here.Getting Rid of Varicose Veins - Varicose Vein TreatmentsModern medicine is bringing us new and improved techniques for getting rid of varicose veins, but let's start with some of the older, more traditional treatments first. Since the varicose veins you see are surface level veins, and there are many other veins in your legs not visible, it is actually possible to simply remove the problem veins, allowing blood flow to re-route through the other, healthier veins. This is easier said that done though. Vein stripping has been done for some time. Small incisions are made near the groin and knee, and the vein ends are tied off (surgical ligation), and the vein is yanked and ripped right out through the hole. This is genrally done under local or general anesthesia, on an outpatient basis. With the venal path disrupted, the varicose portion closes down and is absorbed by the body. A less invasive technique is the ambulatory phlebectomy, which is a more precise version of the stripping technique, leaving less scarring and less recovery time. Schlerotherapy is a more popular technique for destroying varicose veins. In schlerotherapy, injections (of a detergent-like solution) are made into the problem veins, causing them to swell and scar and seal themselves shut - the veins normally disappear within a few weeks as blood flow is again re-routed through other nearby veins. Schleroptherapy can be done in your doctors office without anesthesia. Sometime more than one treatment is needed, but overall this is a very effective treatment.Laser surgery for varicose veins is another option. EVLT (endovenous laser treatment) is an even more advanced varicose vein treatment, done on underlying veins. In EVLT, a thin, needle-like fiber optic line is threaded into the vein (under local anesthesia), and as it is slowly pulled back out along the length of the vein, its heat causes the vein to shrink and seal. Another endovenous technique uses radio waves to heat and close off damaged vein areas. These techniques have become more and more common in the last decade and are gradually replacing vein stripping in most instances. Keep in mind that no procedure promises the lifelong disappearance of varicose veins. These treatments remove only existing veins and do nothing to prevent other veins from causing future problems, so you might find yourself back at the doctor's office a few years later as more develop. Are varicose veins covered by insurance? In most cases, when it is strictly a cosmetic issue, the answer is no. For medically necessary procedures, the answer is usually yes. So check with your doctor and insurer to find out how severe your problem is and whether it is eligible for coverage. Be wary of any online ads you might see for herbal remedies or other all-natural supplements for getting rid of or reducing varicose veins -- the FDA doesn't recognize any of those as serious treatment options for varicose veins. Always check with your doctor before trying any medical treatment or taking any drugs, whether herbal or otherwise.
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