Varicose Veins

The body has many veins located close to the surface of the skin, which help return blood that is low in oxygen to the heart. As people age, these veins may become stretched and distorted.

Varicose veins are veins that are unnaturally and permanently distended and typically appear as blue, bulging and twisted veins visible through the skin on a person’s legs. aggravated by prolonged periods of standing or sitting.

When varicose veins become prominent, painful, or inflamed, treatment is usually necessary, especially when skin irritation or ulcers develop.

The body’s arterial system carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body. The aorta, the largest artery in the body, arches upward from the top of the heart and then descends through the middle of the torso. Smaller arteries branch off from the aorta and distribute blood to the head, the body’s organs and the arms and legs.

Blood that is low in oxygen is then channeled through the body’s venous system. The venous system is comprised of superficial veins, located close to the skin, which lead into perforating veins, which in turn lead into deep veins located within groups of muscles. Perforating veins have one-way valves that ensure that blood goes in one direction, from superficial veins to deep veins, in normal circumstances. From the deep veins, blood flows into the vena cava, the body’s largest vein, and back into the heart. At any given moment, approximately 65 percent of a person’s blood volume is in this venous system.

Blood is pushed through veins in part from the force of the heart pumping fresh blood into the circulatory system, and blood also flows through some veins from the force of gravity. But when blood has to fight gravity and flow ‘uphill’ on its way back to the heart, as it does through deep veins in the feet and legs, muscle contractions work to ‘pump’ blood back towards the heart.

Vein walls are very elastic and many veins have small valve structures that only allow blood to flow in one direction. When leg muscles contract, they push inward against the elastic vein walls. This squeezes blood upward, pushes the valves open, and allows blood to move toward the heart. When leg muscles relax, the vein wall also relaxes and the valves inside the veins close to prevent blood from flowing backwards. This method of pumping blood out of the legs is called the venous pump.

The venous pump is very effective when a person is walking and leg muscles are contracting. But when a person sits or stands, blood pressures in leg veins can build. Deep veins are usually able to withstand increased pressures, but as superficial vein walls stretch and weaken due to age or heredity, blood can begin to flow backward and collect inside these smaller veins. This in turn may cause increased pressure that can permanently damage the elastic vein walls. As superficial vein walls stretch and bloat out of shape, the valves that normally prevent blood from flowing backward also become distorted and stop functioning properly. Malfunctioning valves in turn allow more blood to backflow and pool in the veins, further increasing pressure inside leg veins.

In some people, deep veins can become damaged and unable to pump blood out of the legs and back to the heart, a condition called chronic venous insufficiency. But when the vein walls or valves of veins near the skin become damaged, the veins may become stretched and distorted, and varicose veins or spider veins may result.

The word ‘varicose’ means a vein is unnaturally and permanently distended. Varicose veins appear as blue, bulging and twisted veins, visible through the skin on a person’s legs. In some people, varicose veins may be raised up and stand out on the surface of the skin.

Left untreated, varicose veins can cause tiredness or heaviness in the legs. Affected areas of the leg may also ache or burn. In severe cases, varicose veins can lead to swollen ankles and scaly, dry skin.The skin around the ankles can even become discolored and fragile, so that a small scratch can turn into an ulcer or open sore.

Spider veins are a mild variation of varicose veins. Tiny blood vessels called venules near the surface of the skin may also become permanently dilated due to the pressure of blood inside leg veins. As these smaller veins stretch, they become visible as a nest of red or blue lines just under the skin. They are called ‘spider veins’ because they often appear in the form of a spider or spider web, with a small center and lines extending from or around the focal point. Spider veins may be unattractive, and though they are not significant medically, they can be a source of discomfort.