How do you get Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are large rope-like knots of veins bulging out of the surface of the skin. They can be pretty dangerous and lead to pain and discomfort, bleeding, ulcers, infections, and a potentially fatal medical condition called Deep Vein Thrombosis.
Do you want to find a treatment for varicose veins?
If so, you might be curious to find out how do you get varicose veins in the first place.
Varicose Veins occur as a result of a medical condition called chronic venous insufficiency. We’ll discuss it in greater detail later in this article.
There are a number of DIY home treatments for varicose veins such as exercising, keeping legs elevated, etc. However, these are temporary solutions that can only provide some brief relief from the pain and discomfort.
If you want to get rid of varicose veins completely, you need to visit your local varicose vein specialist for permanent treatments for varicose veins such as VenaSeal, Radiofrequency Ablation, and Laser Ablation.
In this article, we’ll discuss how do you get varicose veins, what are the risk factors, and effective treatments for varicose veins.
What are Varicose Veins?
Varicose Veins are large knotted rope-like veins that bulge out of the surface of the skin. They are generally dark purple, blue, or red in color.
In addition to being visually displeasing and causing pain and discomfort, varicose veins can also be extremely dangerous. Some of their mildest symptoms can be bleeding, skin infections, and ulcers.
However, in worst case scenarios, blood clots may form within the varicose veins, leading to deep vein thrombosis. Over time, if these blood clots break and get carried to the lungs, you may also suffer from a potentially fatal medical condition called Pulmonary Embolism.
How do you get Varicose Veins?
Varicose Veins occur as a result of a medical condition called Chronic Venous Insufficiency, a serious vein disease in which the valves in the veins malfunction.
Valves in the veins are supposed to act as one-way doors facilitating blood flow to the heart while preventing it from flowing back down to the legs. When they stop functioning correctly, blood flows back down and, eventually, the blood pools behind the veins. This weakens the vein walls and they start growing large, eventually bulging out in the form of varicose veins.
Risk Factors for Varicose Veins
The following are some of the most prominent risk factors for varicose veins:
- Family History of spider veins or varicose veins.
- Sitting or standing still for long periods of time. This generally applies to people with largely stationary professions such as office workers and teachers.
- Crossing legs when sitting.
- Obesity.
- Pregnancy.
- Being older than 40 years.
- History of blood clots in the legs.
Temporary Home Treatment for Varicose Veins
The following are some home treatments for varicose veins. However, you should note that these can only relieve some of the pain and discomfort of varicose veins. They cannot get rid of varicose veins altogether, for that you will still need to see a varicose vein specialist in NY or varicose vein specialist in NJ.
Exercise
Regular exercises — ones that work your calf muscles — can help facilitate blood flow to enhance blood circulation to the heart. This can provide relief from the pain and discomfort of varicose veins. Recommended low-intensity exercises include swimming, walking, cycling, and yoga.
Compression Stockings
Compression Stockings apply pressure on the veins, which can also enhance blood circulation to the heart and provide temporary relief. However, if you wear ill-fitting stockings, they can worsen the situation by causing irritation and bleeding.
As such, if you decide to wear compression stockings, please consult your local vein specialist in NY or vein specialist in NJ. At Vein Treatment Clinic, we can have you custom-fitted for compression stockings that are the exact size for your needs.
Keeping Legs Elevated
When you keep your legs elevated, some of the blood pooled around your legs can flow back towards the heart. This can, in turn, improve blood circulation and provide temporary relief.
Permanent Medical Treatment for Varicose Veins
The previously mentioned home treatments for varicose veins are only temporary solutions that can provide relief from the pain and discomfort. They cannot cure varicose veins permanently.
Furthermore, considering varicose veins can eventually lead to deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, it is highly recommended that you act fast and get treated. To get rid of varicose veins permanently, you’ll need to consult a phlebologist — the official name for a vein doctor.
There was a time when treatments for varicose veins were surgical in nature. However, thanks to modern medicine, medical treatments for varicose veins are now minimally-invasive and carry negligible risks.
The most effective medical treatments for varicose veins are Laser Ablation, VenaSeal, and Radiofrequency Ablation. Following these, the phlebologist may also recommend a Sclerotherapy session to get rid of any remnant surface veins.
At Vein Treatment Clinic, we work together with VIP Medical Group to give our patients access to some of the most qualified Ivy-League phlebologists in the world. In addition to having an excellent track record with their patients, they excel at minimally-invasive procedures that can be concluded within an hour. Furthermore, most patients can get on with their regular daily activities immediately after the procedure.
Now that you know how you get varicose veins and how to treat them, you should act fast and book an appointment with a vein specialist today.