Whether or not you’ve been diagnosed with varicose veins, you’ve probably heard of it before, and you probably have an idea what it will look like. If you have it or think you have it, here is some information that will hopefully help you decide whether or not you want treatment.
What are the causes
They are characterized by weakened veins close to the surface of the skin. They tend to stretch, which makes them weaker than a normal vein. This happens when blood in a vein collects due to damaged or defective valves in the veins. When blood collects, the vein must expand, the walls of the vein stretch and weaken.
There are visible and invisible symptoms. If you have varicose veins, you may notice that your legs feel sore and heavy after standing, or restless when lying down. You may also notice that the skin of your veins is unusually colored or shiny, and that your ankles or feet are swollen, itchy and sore. The wounds also tend to bleed more than normal.
While they can usually be diagnosed with a simple physical exam, there are also a number of tests that can be performed. The Trendelenburg test requires you to elevate your leg to the level of your heart so that the excess blood can leave your leg. As soon as you get up, your doctor will examine your legs for varicose veins, as they will be visible almost immediately as the blood flows back to your legs. Another test uses a tourniquet to stop blood flow to the leg, and then uses the same procedure. Additionally, ultrasound and venographic tests are used to determine what causes them.
Unfortunately, as soon as varicose veins stretch and stretch the walls of a vein on weekends, they never come back alone. Fortunately, most people can find relief without having to undergo medical intervention. When treating the lifestyle, the legs can sometimes be lifted to reduce swelling and compression stockings can be worn to improve blood circulation. For people who need medical treatment to relive the symptoms of varicose veins, there are a number of minimally invasive procedures that can help. Endovenous laser ablation and high frequency endovenous ablation use a catheter to seal the vein with a laser or radio energy. Sclerotherapy is the injection of a solution that irritates the inside of the vein, causing it to swell and stick together, create scar tissue and destroy the vein. Surgical treatment may be necessary for more severe varicose veins.