Varicose veins are swollen, twisted, and bluish veins visible through the skin at the locations where they appear. Because varicose veins are related to blood circulation in the body, they most often occur where circulation is poorest, and due to gravity, circulation is poorest in the legs. Therefore, it is most common for varicose veins to start forming behind the knees and then spread upwards and downwards on the legs, usually downwards.
Varicose veins are hereditary, and about thirty percent of the population will experience varicose veins at some point in their lives. There are many different treatments for varicose veins, and the most modern treatments are minimally invasive and can be performed in about an hour without any significant convalescence needed after the procedure.
Although varicose veins cause discomfort and mild pain for the patient, they are almost never dangerous; blood clots associated with varicose veins and surgery for varicose veins are extremely rare.
Varicose veins occur due to wear and tear on the venous valves
The occurrence of varicose veins is due to wear on the valves in the veins that regulate blood flow. As blood is pumped towards the heart, the valves in the veins prevent the blood from flowing back downwards. Like everything else in the body, venous valves wear out over time, and if a person is predisposed to varicose veins, it is linked to their venous valves wearing out so much that they no longer seal properly.
The leakage that occurs when a venous valve does not seal properly causes some of the blood that should be pumped to the heart to instead flow back down the vein. As more and more blood flows back down the vein, it will accumulate in pools of blood, and it is these pools of blood that, as they grow, become varicose veins. These varicose veins will continue to grow as long as more blood flows back due to the leaking venous valves.
During surgery for varicose veins, only the varicose veins are treated, not the damaged venous valves. This means that varicose veins can recur over time even after they have been operated on.
Common Discomfort Due to Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are almost never dangerous, but over time, most people with varicose veins experience some discomfort. These issues include heavy legs, mild pain, skin redness, and leg ulcers. These problems can be an impediment to daily life for people with varicose veins, but these obstacles are usually not seriously limiting.
What most people with varicose veins instead experience as the biggest limitation is that the varicose veins are perceived as ugly. People with varicose veins refrain from going bare-legged, which can be a significant limitation in daily life, especially during the summer months.
Since good blood circulation reduces the effects of poorly functioning venous valves, measures to improve blood circulation can delay the onset of varicose veins and reduce the discomfort of existing varicose veins. Measures to improve blood circulation include weight loss, physical activity, avoiding standing or sitting still, keeping the legs elevated, a healthy diet, and more.
Serious Consequences, Including Blood Clots, from Varicose Veins
It is very rare for serious medical conditions to occur due to varicose veins or treatment for varicose veins. However, there is a certain risk of developing a blood clot - also called thrombosis - in connection with surgeries for varicose veins. It should be emphasized once again that this is extremely rare. Blood clots in connection with surgery for varicose veins are so rare that medication against blood clots after treatment for varicose veins is not recommended.
Summary - Varicose Veins and Risk of Blood Clots in Connection with Surgery for Varicose Veins
Varicose veins arise due to wear on the valves that regulate blood flow in the veins. When these valves function poorly, a certain amount of blood flows back down the vein and accumulates there in pools that eventually grow into varicose veins.
Varicose veins are common, with about thirty percent of the population developing varicose veins at some point in their lives. Varicose veins are almost entirely hereditary, but the size of the varicose veins and when they occur can be influenced by taking measures that improve blood circulation in the body. These measures include physical activity, weight loss, and avoiding standing or sitting still.
The most common issues associated with varicose veins are swollen and heavy legs, mild pain, redness around the ankles which can be accompanied by hard-to-heal and weeping sores. In addition to these issues, many people with varicose veins find them so unattractive that they refrain from being bare-legged in public settings.
The modern methods used to operate on varicose veins are minimally invasive and performed in about an hour under local anesthesia. The patient can then return directly home for only a couple of days of convalescence.
It is extremely rare for varicose veins to be dangerous. There have been cases where individuals who have had surgery for varicose veins developed blood clots in connection with the operation, but it is so rare that a recommendation for medication against blood clots is not deemed necessary.
