Serious health risks with varicose veins
Varicose veins are not only unsightly, but they’re also painful. And sometimes this pain can lead to more serious health concerns like swelling in the legs, hyperpigmentation or darkening of the skin, typically by the ankle. This could also lead to debilitating venous leg ulcers, which are considered the final stage of venous disease. A vein doctor can pinpoint your specific ailment with a vein screening.
Venous disease
Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Veins do their part by returning oxygen-poor blood to the heart. But if leg veins cannot pump enough blood back to the heart, this means the body suffers from chronic venous disease.
When you’re standing up, the blood in your leg veins go against gravity so it can flow back into your heart. And to accomplish this, your leg muscles have to squeeze the bottomless veins of your legs and feet to help propel blood back to the heart. One-way flaps, called valves, in your veins keep blood flowing in the right direction. When your leg muscles relax, the valves inside your veins close. This prevents blood from flowing in reverse, back down the legs. The entire process of sending blood back to the heart is called the venous pump.
When you walk and your leg muscles squeeze, the venous pump works well. But when you sit or stand, especially for a long time, the blood in your leg veins can pool and increase the venous blood pressure. Deep veins and perforating veins are usually able to withstand short periods of increased pressures. However, sitting or standing for a long time can stretch vein walls because they are flexible. Over time, in susceptible individuals, this can weaken the walls of the veins and damage the vein valves, causing CVI.
If you have any questions about vein screening, how to treat varicose veins, or compression stockings, do not hesitate to call us at 239-694-VEIN or send us a quick email at [email protected].