What is Vein disease?

Vein disease is a common affliction that affects 30% to 50% of adults. Symptoms may include pain, swelling, superficial blood clots, skin changes and even ulcer formation on the lower extremities. With awareness, however, symptoms can be caught at an early stage and treatments as well as preventative measures can be taken. Typically, women are often more affected than men, but men present with more severe symptoms including skin changes and ulcer formation.

Blood travels through the circulating system with the help of the arterial and the venous system. Arteries transport oxygenated blood from the heart to all other parts of the body. Oxygen depleted blood is then returned through the blood vessels back to the heart through vessels called veins.

A series of one-way valves control the actual flow of the blood in the veins. When valves malfunction and fail to operate properly, disease may develop. In this case, it may allow blood to leak or flow backwards especially in the lower extremities. This backward flow, called venous reflux, is what precipitates symptoms. These symptoms arise from an elevated blood pressure in the veins or it may be referred to as venous hypertension. This process leads to an intense inflammatory process both in the vein wall and valves as well as the skin and underlying healthy tissue.

Spider veins and varicose veins are two of the more common vein problems in which people are typically more familiar. Spider veins lie just below the skin’s surface and usually appear as red or blue blotches. These veins may sound scary but they are typically not dangerous and are simply cosmetic in nature.

Varicose veins also lie just below the skin’s surface but may represent a more serious problem and require medical attention. They often appear as twisted, bulging or lumpy veins and are usually quite noticeable. Varicose veins and underlying venous hypertension may lead to blood clots, skin damage, inflammation and leg ulcers if left untreated.

Symptoms can often be present for many months or years without escalating into serious problems. When symptoms develop slowly, people start to accept them as part of the regular aches and pains associated with aging and simply ignore their presence. Many patients receive the wrong medical advice from their physician by being told no medical treatment is necessary or indicated. That is why it is especially important to recognize aches and pains and skin changes, which may be harmful and indicative of disease, and to seek medical treatment from a vein specialist.

In addition to the appearance of spider or varicose veins, there are many other symptoms to watch for including swelling, discoloration with inflammation, along with complaints of pain, heaviness and tenderness along the affected areas. Some patients have a sensation of itching or burning within the affected leg. Another complaint is restless leg syndrome. This typically occurs during the night as the cramping leg muscles contract to push the blood out of the legs back toward the heart.

Venous valvular insufficiency is easy to diagnose because the symptoms are often visible and because a diagnostic duplex ultrasound exam is so widely available. Spider veins are mainly a cosmetic issue and are visually undesirable, therefore, many patients prefer to have them treated. It is a relative easy procedure and can quickly be done in a doctor’s office with the injection of a sclerosing agent or topical skin laser. Varicose veins with underlying venous valvular insufficiency can be treated with other minimal invasive procedures with little or no down time and can be performed in the doctor’s office as well.

There are a variety of non-invasive minimal venous treatments that will eliminate the visible effects and potentially prevent more serious health risks. These minimal invasive procedures include endovenous radiofrequency ablation, endovenous laser ablation and ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy among others. One should not wait or procrastinate if you have experienced any of the signs or symptoms of vein disease but instead visit your physician vein specialist to prevent or treat those early warning signs. More importantly, you may be surprised at how much better you feel.

Please visit our vein resource center at www.bestveincare.care for more information on vein care, physicians and treatment options.