Coping with VARICOSE VEINS

These swollen and enlarged veins most commonly appear on the legs and feet

In healthy veins, blood is prevented from flowing backwards by a series of tiny valves opening and closing. If these weaken, the blood flows backwards, causing swellings called varicosities. Any vein in the body can become varicose.

Risk factors include being female, having a family history, being older or overweight, having a job involving long periods of standing and during pregnancy.

Symptoms include lumpy, bulging or twisted blue or dark purple patches, aching, heavy uncomfortable legs, swollen ankles, burning or throbbing in your legs, and night-time muscle cramps. The dry, itchy, thin skin over the affected veins is called varicose eczema.

Symptoms are usually worse during warm weather or if standing or sitting for a long time. There is little evidence that you can stop varicose veins developing or worsening. Try to move around frequently, and exercise regularly to improve circulation and help control your weight. Complications occur because they affect blood flow, including

bleeding and thrombosis.

Treatment

If you have varicose veins that don’t cause discomfort, they are rarely serious or need treatment, and a GP visit isn’t necessary. If you do go, initially they may recommend compression stockings, taking regular exercise and elevating the leg when resting.

If your varicose veins cause discomfort or complications, they can be treated, but it’s unlikely you’ll get NHS treatment for cosmetic reasons. The GP may refer you to a vascular specialist for ones causing pain, swelling, or if there are skin changes caused by blood-flow problems, if the varicose veins have resulted in overlying eczema, or you have varicose ulcers.

The specialist will do a duplex ultrasound scan to produce a blood-flow picture. Treatments include:

✣ Endothermal ablation under local anaesthetic: Using a heated probe or laser to seal affected veins, your blood

will naturally be redirected to one of your healthy veins.

✣ Sclerotherapy: Injecting special foam to close the veins.

✣ Ligation and stripping: The affected veins are surgically removed under general anaesthetic.

✣ Cyanoacrylate glue occlusion: This is a new procedure involving injecting a special type of glue into affected veins.

✣ Transilluminated powered phlebectomy: A fairly new treatment, with uncertainty about its effectiveness and safety. A light called an endoscopic transilluminator is used under the skin to show the veins needing removal. The veins are cut before being removed by a suction device.