Varicose Veins Overview
This section of our website is designed to provide you with helpful information about evaluation and treatment of varicose and spider veins, with special attention to recent advancements in these areas. We hope this information will offer answers to some of the questions you may be having, or perhaps have been afraid to ask.
If you suffer from problems related to varicose and/or spider veins, you need not feel alone. More than 80 million Americans are suffering from similar problems. While some will seek treatment for cosmetic improvement, many are looking for relief from pain. Regardless of your reason for seeking treatment, we can help you.
What Are Varicose Veins?
Arteries bring blood from the heart to the extremities. Veins, by virtue of one-way valves, channel blood back to the heart. When obstruction is present, or when prolonged pressure is placed on the veins, the vein wall stretches and the valves no longer close properly. The veins in the legs that are close to the surface of the skin enlarge and result in what is commonly called varicose and/or spider veins.
Pain in the legs is frequently related to varicose veins in the lower limbs. Symptoms include feelings of fatigue, heaviness, aching, burning, throbbing, itching, and cramping. These symptoms often are accompanied by swelling, which frequently appears after long hours of standing. Vein disorders are not always visible, and diagnostic techniques are important tools in determining the cause and severity of the problem. A physical examination and the use of noninvasive diagnostic tests such as duplex ultrasound scanning (a test which determines how blood is flowing) may be used to evaluate the extent of the disease.
What Are Spider Veins?
Spider veins, or broken capillaries, are medically referred to as telangiectasias. They are dilated capillary veins less than 2mm in diameter that exist just below the surface of the skin on the legs or face. Spider veins are blue, red, or purplish in color with a web-like or linear appearance. Spider veins often occur in conjunction with varicose veins due to increased venous pressure.
How Are They Caused?
Heredity is the number one contributing factor causing varicose and spider veins. Women are more likely than men to suffer from varicose veins. More than 50 percent of American women with varicose veins experience varying degrees of discomfort as a result. Other predisposing factors include advancing age, careers requiring prolonged standing, and obesity.
Other influencing factors such as pregnancy, the use of birth control pills, and estrogen replacement therapy, may contribute to the disease process. As many as 70-80 percent of pregnant women develop varicose veins during the first trimester. Pregnancy causes an increase in hormone levels and blood volume which in turn causes veins to enlarge. In addition, the enlarged uterus causes increased pressure on the veins. Approximately 60-70 percent of varicose veins due to pregnancy will disappear within about three months after delivery.
