Varicose veins are coiled, enlarged veins and swollen veins that are visible on the body mostly on the legs and feet.

People who have this venous coiling on their body may not know the causes of this gnarling vein on their body.

Not to fear because we are going to take our time while going over this topic so as to get the best out of it.

Another challenge people might have is how to get this ugly veins out of their body and enjoy their once smooth legs devoid of coiled veins.

Not to worry because in our next article we are going to totally explore the various treatments available in getting rid of vericose veins.

Stay glued on here and wait for it.

Treatment may involve self-care measures or procedures by your doctor to close or remove veins.

Have you ever wondered why it’s mostly the veins on your legs and feet that become’s vericose.

It’s  because standing and walking upright increases the pressure in the veins of your lower body.

For many people, varicose veins and spider veins — a common, mild variation of varicose veins — are simply a cosmetic concern.

For other people, varicose veins may cause aching pain and discomfort.

Sometimes varicose veins lead to more-serious problems.

Varicose veins may also be a red light of a higher risk of other circulatory problems.

  Signs and Symptoms

For many people the presence of vericose vein is totally pain,while for some people a certain degree of pain and mild discomfort may be present.

The following signs will show that you have vericose veins

  1.  Veins that are dark purple or blue in color
  2. Veins that appear twisted and bulging; often like cords on your legs

For situations where some level of pain or mild discomfort i’s present.

The following situation arises.

  1. The legs or feet feels heavy and itchy.
  2. The leg or feet becomes a little swollen and there is a burning sensation felt on the
  3. When you stand or walk for a long time,the pain becomes worsened.
  4. The gnarled veins is always itchy.
  5. Bleeding from varicose veins
  6. A painful cord in the vein with red discoloration of the skin.
  7. There is skin color changes,there is inflammation of the skin and the veins hardens.
  8. In rare cases,skin ulcers appear ato the ankle,this might be a signal to a serious vascular dysfunction that needs urgent medical attention.

Do you need to see a doctor?

In most cases vericose veins are not alwats a cause for alarm.

Many people have lived and died with them,and also had a healthy life.

The mild pains that arises from vericose veuns can be alleviated through some self care processes such as exercise,lifting the legs often and wearing compression socks.

But if you’re concerned about how your veins look and feel and self-care measures haven’t stopped your condition from getting worse, see your doctor.

Causes

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It is the function of arteries to transport blood from the heart which is the pump to all other parts of the body through the circulatory system.

Veins on the other hands functions to return the circulated blood from the rest of the body back to the heart for oxygenation.

This process of returning circulated blood requires the veins on the legs and feet to work against gravity as they have to push the blood back to the heart.

Muscle contractions in your lower legs act as pumps, and elastic vein walls help blood return to your heart.

Tiny valves in your veins open as blood flows toward your heart then close to stop blood from flowing backward.

Causes of varicose veins can include:

  • Age. As an individual advances in age the veins in their body  loses elasticity, causing them to stretch. The valves in your veins may become weak, allowing blood that should be moving toward your heart to flow backward.As this blood flows backward,it will lead to swelling up of the veins in the lower body due to blood pooling in them causing them to become vericose.

    The vericose veins appears blue mostly visible on fair skinned individuals, this is because they contain deoxygenated blood(Deoxygenated means that the oxygen content of the blood is no longer present, so the blood needs to return back to the lungs for oxygenation )

Pregnancy. Some pregnant women develop varicose veins. Pregnancy increases the volume of blood in your body, but decreases the flow of blood from your legs to your pelvis. This circulatory change is designed to support the growing fetus, but it can produce an unfortunate side effect — enlarged veins in your legs.

Varicose veins may surface for the first time or may worsen during late pregnancy, when your uterus exerts greater pressure on the veins in your legs. Changes in your hormones during pregnancy also may play a role. Varicose veins that develop during pregnancy generally improve without medical treatment three to 12 months after delivery.

Risk factors

The factors listed below will increase your chances of developing vericose veins.

  • Age. The risk of varicose veins increases with age. Aging causes wear and tear on the valves in your veins that help regulate blood flow. Eventually, that wear causes the valves to allow some blood to flow back into your veins where it collects instead of flowing up to your heart.
  • Sex. Women are more likely to develop the condition.
  • Hormonal changes during pregnancy, premenstruation or menopause may be a factor because female hormones tend to relax vein walls.Taking hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills may increase your risk of varicose veins.
  • Family history. If other family members had varicose veins, there’s a greater chance you will too.
  • Obesity. Being overweight puts added pressure on your veins.
  • Standing or sitting for long periods of time. Your blood doesn’t flow as well if you’re in the same position for long periods.

Complications

Complications of varicose veins, although rare, can include:

  • Ulcers. Extremely painful ulcers may form on the skin near varicose veins, particularly near the ankles. Ulcers are caused by long-term fluid buildup in these tissues, caused by increased pressure of blood within affected veins.A discolored spot on the skin usually begins before an ulcer forms. See your doctor immediately if you suspect you’ve developed an ulcer.
  • Blood clots. Occasionally, veins deep within the legs become enlarged. In such cases, the affected leg may swell considerably. Any sudden leg swelling warrants urgent medical attention because it may indicate a blood clot — a condition known medically as thrombophlebitis.
  • Bleeding. Occasionally, veins very close to the skin may burst. This usually causes only minor bleeding. But, any bleeding warrants medical attention because there’s a high risk it can happen again.

What to do to prevent vericose veins

 

There’s no way to completely prevent varicose veins.

But improving your circulation and muscle tone can reduce your risk of developing varicose veins or getting additional ones.

The same measures you can take to treat the discomfort from varicose veins at home can help prevent varicose veins, including:

  • Exercising
  • Watching your weight.
  • Eating a high-fibe content food.