Do your legs sometimes feel heavy and achy? Do some of the veins on your legs appear twisted and enlarged? If so, you’re not alone. With more than 30% of Americans living with varicose veins, this condition is very common.
Your body’s circulatory system is comprised of two types of vessels: arteries and veins. Arteries carry oxygenated blood (blood full of oxygen for your body to use) from your heart to the rest of the body while veins carry deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart.
Your veins have one-way valves to keep blood flowing to the heart and preventing it from traveling backwards. If these valves are damaged or weakened, the blood will instead travel backwards and pool in the legs, causing them to swell. Veins that are enlarged and swollen enough to be seen are known as varicose veins. These twisted and bulging veins appear most often appear on legs, though they can be found anywhere on the body.
Smaller, more superficial veins are known as spider veins. They are enlarged capillaries close to the surface of the skin. Capillaries are tiny, thin-walled veins that act as a bridge between your arteries and veins.
Risk Factors for Varicose Veins
Though nearly anyone at any age can develop varicose veins, there are certain factors that increase your chances of developing them. These risk factors include:
- Family history – If you have family members with varicose veins, your risk of developing them increase, especially if the family members are men
- Sedentary lifestyle – Staying in one position for too long, especially if you are standing or sitting all day, may force the veins in your legs to work.
- Overweight – Carrying extra weight can put extra pressure and stress on your veins, increasing the likelihood of you developing varicose veins.
- Pregnancy – The weight gain, the increased fluid volume, and hormones add more pressure to the veins in your legs. Many women find the varicose veins they develop during pregnancy usually go away within 1 year.
- Aging – This is typically caused by normal “wear and tear” that may cause your veins to weaken or the valves to malfunction.
- Gender – Women tend to get varicose veins more often than men. This is believed to be because of hormonal changes that occur during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause.
- Tobacco – Tobacco use increases your changes of develop varicose veins
If you have any of these risk factors, it is important to check your body for early signs of varicose veins on a regular basis.
Signs and Symptoms of Varicose Veins
Bulging, twisted veins are the only indication that you have varicose veins. Other signs and symptoms of varicose veins include:
- Swelling in your ankles and feet
- Painful, “heavy” or achy legs
- Leg cramps – especially at night
- Itchy legs
- Burning or throbbing sensations in your legs
- Skin changes such as redness, brown spots, and/or thickening and hardening of the skin on the legs and ankles
- Ulcers or open wounds on the legs or ankles which are slow to heal
Although varicose veins themselves generally do not lead to long-term health problems, they usually worsen over time, so it is important to take care of them early.
If you think you have varicose veins, make an appointment with Heritage Veins and Aesthetics for a consultation and evaluation.
To find out everything you need to know about varicose veins, browse our website to learn more.