Varicose veins are twisted and swollen veins; appearing in dark blue or purple just underneath the skin. Varicose veins are common in the leg, and they can be visible in the form of thin lines, webs or branches. It happens because of the weak valves in the veins that do not work properly. The blood pool or collect in the veins instead of flowing up to the heart.
Women are more likely to develop varicose veins. The older you are, the more chance you can have varicose veins since aging causes the veins to become weak or damaged. Heredity is also the risk factor for developing varicose veins, if some members of the family have varicose veins, you will have more opportunity to have it too. Being overweight and standing or sitting for long period of time also increases the chance of developing varicose vein as it adds the pressure in the veins of lower body which the valves in the veins can be damaged or the walls of the veins can be weaken.
People who have varicose veins can experience the aching, painful and discomfort legs. The pain are worsens after sitting or standing for a long time. The ankles are swollen and there are color changes in the area around the varicose vein. At night, there is often a muscle cramp the legs.
The doctor will do physical examination and history taking. Normally diagnostic test such as Duplex ultrasound is included to check blood flow and the structure of the veins in the legs.
When varicose veins are worse, the medical treatment is necessary to relieve the pain. The doctor first recommends using compression stocking everyday to improve blood circulation and reduce pain or discomfort. For small varicose vein, sclerotherapy can be performed to treat small varicose veins; it involves injecting a solution into the vein to diminish the appearance of varicose veins. For some cases Radiofrequency ablation which is a minimally invasive treatment is performed to deliver the heat to damage the walls inside the veins and seal off the veins in the legs. The surgical procedure called ligation and stripping can also be done to remove varicose veins in the legs.
There are some ways to improve blood circulation and reduce your risk to develop varicose veins including exercising regularly and control your diet. Avoid high- heeled shoes and changing sitting or standing position regularly.
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