Varicose veins are blue, red or dark purple veins that are enlarged, bulging and gnarled. It is commonly seen in legs and feet. Some of these are painful and some are not. Read on to learn more about it.
Varicose veins are often found on the backs and fronts of the calves, the thighs and the inside of the legs near the feet and ankles. It can also appear during pregnancy on the buttocks, lower pelvic area and around the inner thigh.
There are various types of varicose veins. These include trunk, reticular and telangiectasia varicose veins. Trunk varicose veins are long, thick and knobbly. These are near to the skin’s surface. Reticular varicose veins are red and are grouped together in a network. Telangiectasia varicose veins are small clusters of red and blue veins that may appear on the legs or even on your face. These are also known as thread or spider veins.
Its symptoms include cramping, itching and swelling in the lower legs. You may also feel an achy or heavy feeling in your legs. Sometimes there’s even bleeding from the varicose veins. Aside from this, you may also get swollen ankles and feet. You may also feel throbbing or burning in the legs. You may even get dry and thin skin over the affected vein. Unfortunately, these symptoms feel worse during warm weather.
It is caused by age and pregnancy. It is also mostly found in women. It occurs when damaged valves in the veins prevent blood from flowing normally. The veins usually appear blue because these contain deoxygenated blood. It is blood that is in the process of being recirculated through the lungs.
Those who are at risk of getting varicose veins include people who have a family history of getting the veins, people who are obese, and those who sit and stand for long periods of time. Those who use menopausal hormone therapy or hormonal birth control may also get it.
If symptoms are mild, you may use compression stockings daily to make blood flow better in your legs. If using compression stockings are not effective enough, you may opt for nonsurgical procedures such as sclerotherapy, percutaneous laser treatments, closure system or endovenous thermal therapy that uses laser and radiofrequency ablation.
If the varicose veins are large and severe, then you may need surgery. You may opt to get vascular surgery in Singapore. This could include surgical ligation and stripping, and ambulatory phlebectomy.
It’s important to treat varicose veins because it can lead to more serious health problems including superficial thrombophlebitis, or blood clots in veins just below the skin, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or blood clots that form in veins that are deeper under the skin, bleeding, or sores and skin ulcers.
Varicose veins cannot be completely prevented but you can take measures to minimize the risk of having them. If you are overweight, you need to lose weight. You also need to exercise to improve your circulation and muscle tone. Aside from this, you have to eat a high-fiber and low-salt diet. Tight hosiery and high heels should also be avoided. It also helps to change your standing or sitting position regularly. At the end of the day, it’s best to elevate your legs. If you still get severe varicose veins, don’t fret because you can have nonsurgical procedures or even vascular surgery in Singapore.
