Are My Varicose Veins a Health Concern?

With six offices in College Park of Orlando, Kissimmee, Waterford Lakes of East Orlando, Davenport/Haines City, Lake Mary, and The Villages, Vascular Vein Centers is the place to go for specialist varicose vein care in Central Florida. 

Many people seek our minimally invasive vein closure treatments simply because they don’t like how these bulging, twisted varicosities look. But when varicose veins are more than just an aesthetic concern, timely treatment can help protect your leg health, too. 

How veins become “varicose”

Increased blood pressure inside a lower extremity vein can make it swell and contort, or become varicose. This happens when something (i.e., older age, excess weight, pregnancy, inactivity, frequent standing) weakens their internal valves, causing blood pooling, sluggish circulation, and ongoing vascular strain. 

Varicose veins are common, especially among middle-aged and older adults: By the age of 50, about two in five women (40%) and one in five men (20%) have noticeably swollen, bulging, or contorted bluish-purple veins marking the skin along their lower extremities. 

When vein damage progresses 

The worst thing about most varicose veins is their conspicuous appearance. But as a form of venous disease, these abnormal varicosities can also become a health concern. 

Mild varicose veins don’t usually cause other symptoms, but moderate-to-severe varicose veins often do. Certain symptoms can indicate that varicose veins aren’t simply a cosmetic issue, but part of a bigger circulatory condition called chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).  

Early CVI symptoms

In the initial stages of CVI, sluggish circulation can aggravate varicose veins and cause:

Throbbing pain

Worsening varicose veins may trigger sporadic bouts of throbbing leg pain or general ongoing discomfort, both during activity and when you’re at rest.  

Achy heaviness

You may also experience throbbing or shooting pain around a problematic varicose vein following long stretches of sitting or standing. Advancing venous damage can make the affected leg feel heavy, achy, or cramped by the end of each day, too. 

Mild leg swelling

When vein damage and CVI combine to slow circulation, you may develop mild edema, or abnormal fluid buildup that causes lower extremity swelling. Mild leg swelling is subtle, making your socks feel uncomfortably tight.  

Advanced CVI symptoms

Without intervention, CVI and vein damage can progress and cause:

Increased swelling

As poor circulation worsens, edema-related swelling does, too. Increased fluid retention causes increased leg discomfort and makes the affected leg appear noticeably larger.

Itchy skin changes 

Progressive vein damage and fluid retention can also cause detrimental skin changes that affect the structure, elasticity, and function of overlying epidermal tissues. 

At first, the changing skin around a varicose vein may just feel itchy all the time. This is an early sign of venous stasis dermatitis, an inflammatory skin condition that causes scaling, flaking, discoloration, and hardening.  

Open wounds

As the skin near a damaged vein becomes more fragile, it’s more vulnerable to breaking open, causing painful open sores (venous ulcers) that take a long time to heal. 

Venous bleeding

Worsening varicose veins carry an increased risk of vascular bursting. When increased pressure inside a varicosity causes it to burst, it may leak internally and cause a tender bruise or bleed through your skin.  

Blood clots 

Circulatory stagnation can also lead to superficial vein thrombosis, or a blood clot in a surface vein, usually, one that’s varicose. Superficial thrombophlebitis symptoms include sudden pain and swelling, red or discolored skin, and warmth. 

CVI, varicose veins, and superficial thrombophlebitis are all risk factors for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or a blood clot in a deeper vein. DVT requires prompt care because of its potential to cause a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. 

Protect your vascular health

Luckily, you can do a lot to protect your vascular health and support improved lower extremity circulation, even when your varicose veins are mild and don’t cause additional symptoms. We may advise you to:

• Make daily exercise a priority 
• Maintain a healthy body weight
• Avoid long stretches of inactivity
• Wear compression stockings
• Switch to a heart-healthy diet 
• Commit to smoking cessation

These strategies can slow or even halt venous disease progression, helping you protect your leg health and avoid worsening circulatory problems. They can also help you manage moderate-to-severe varicose veins and their symptoms, especially when combined with interventional treatments and therapies. 

After evaluating your varicose veins and lower extremity circulation via noninvasive vascular ultrasound imaging, we may recommend a minimally invasive vein removal treatment like:

• Standard chemical sclerotherapy 
• Varithena® microfoam sclerotherapy
• Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) 

With so many effective solutions available, your varicose veins don’t have to progress into a health concern, and our board-certified vascular experts are here to help.  

Schedule an appointment at your nearest Vascular Vein Centers office in College Park of Orlando, Kissimmee, Waterford Lakes of East Orlando, Davenport/Haines City, Lake Mary, or The Villages, Florida, today.