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Varicose veins – causes, symptoms, and effective treatments

    In most countries, around 20% of the population end up with varicose veins. It is a potentially painful condition, which means that it can be quite debilitating.

    Ask any vein doctor Houston or in any large city in the world what the complaint they deal with the most is and they will most likely say varicose veins. Closely followed by spider veins.

    The underlying cause of varicose veins

    Our veins have one-way valves in them that open to let the blood flow through. They then close to stop if flowing backwards. Over time, the veins tend to stretch and become less elastic. 

    The symptoms of varicose veins

    When that happens, the valves can no longer work properly, so they no longer open and close properly. Blood builds up in the veins causing them to swell. This leads to them becoming painful and causes circulation issues. Eventually, the legs start to swell, especially around the ankles and the skin dries out. Some people end up developing ulcers and may also suffer from muscle cramps. 

    The importance of spotting the signs early

    You can read more about how symptoms progress by clicking here. Armed with that information, you will be able to spot when it is time to see your doctor and seek treatment. Not doing so at an early enough stage can leave you in danger of developing issues that will not completely clear up even after you have had your veins treated.

    Treatments that can be used to get rid of varicose veins

    In the past, surgery was the main way of treating the most serious cases of varicose veins. These days, this is rarely necessary. An experienced and qualified vascular surgeon will typically be able to use a laser or special foam that is injected into the affected veins to treat the condition. 

    These treatments are practically painless. At least, for most people. But you will almost certainly need to have more than one session. Usually, the sessions will be several weeks or even months apart. Within a day or so of treatment bruises will become visible. They can take a while to develop and clear up, but your surgeon will advise you about whether you can cover them up using makeup.

    Can varicose veins come back after treatment?

    The damaged veins are not removed completely by these treatments. They are simply closed off and begin to fade. But, in time, you might once again start to see thickened veins showing through your skin. This can happen at any time. It is wise to keep a look-out for this and seek treatment at an early stage so that they can also be removed in as few sessions as possible. Use these images to help you to spot the early stages of venous insufficiency.

    If you do have varicose veins, there is no need to worry unduly about it. But it is worth seeking treatment because if you do not they will usually get worse and start to become painful.