Treatment
of Varicose Veins and Venous Stasis Ulcers
Varicose veins affect up to
20% of men and 30% of women at sometime in their
lives. They appear as swollen or twisted veins
and are most commonly visible beneath the skin
on the legs.
For most people they are mainly a cosmetic problem.
For others, they can cause a variety of symptoms
and medical complications.
 Blood
flow from the legs
Blood is pumped from the heart to the legs through
arteries. Once it has given up the oxygen and nutrients
it was carrying, blood returns towards the heart
through the veins. To do this from the legs, blood
in the veins must flow upwards, against gravity.
One-way valves inside the veins prevent the blood
from flowing backwards.
The muscles in the legs help this flow. Each time
the calf and thigh muscles contract when walking,
veins deep inside the leg are squeezed. The valves
ensure the blood travels upwards.
Surface and deep veins
Blood from the outer layers of the leg collects
into veins near to the surface. These surface,
or superficial, veins are connected to the deeper
veins inside the leg by "perforator" veins.
When blood does not flow properly from the surface
veins to the deep veins, pressure can build up
in the surface veins. This results in blood pooling
and the visible sign of varicose veins.
 Causes
of varicose veins
The reason varicose veins
develop is not fully understood. Only humans seem to be affected
by the condition, suggesting it is related to our upright
posture.
One of the basic problems is damage to the valves.
This means that blood can't travel up the veins
as well as easily, and is more likely to pool.
It is possible that people inherit a tendency to
weak valves. Alternatively, the vein walls may
become weak, which causes bulging of the vein and
so damage to the valves.
 There
is a greater risk of getting varicose veins during
pregnancy, and if you are very overweight. Many
other factors have been blamed for varicose veins,
such as standing for long periods, crossing the
legs while sitting, smoking and poor diet. However,
there isn't strong scientific evidence to support
these theories.
Symptoms of Varicose Veins
The symptoms from varicose veins don't
necessarily match their size, and many people have
no symptoms at all apart from their unsightly cosmetic
appearance.
Mild symptoms include:
- aching or discomfort in the legs
- itching of the skin of the legs
- swelling of the ankles
More severe symptoms are usually associated with
the complications of varicose veins. These include:
Thrombophlebitis
One or more veins close to the surface of the skin
can become painful and reddened, due to inflammation
or blockage of the vein. This is different to the
more dangerous blockage of the deeper veins, known
as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which could require
hospital treatment.
Bleeding
Swollen veins near to the surface can bleed dramatically
if the leg is cut or bumped. This bleeding can become
a medical emergency if it cannot be stopped. The
person affected should be laid down, the leg elevated
(the feet raised above the hips) and pressure should
be applied over the bleeding point. Then seek medical
help.
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