Varicose veins are one of the few conditions that have both medical and psychological implications. Varicose veins, also known as spider veins, customarily happen as a consequence of faulty valves or other issues inside a vein that impede the ordinary flow of blood. This cause blood to pool in the vein making it enlarged, twisted and visible. Though it can occur in any piece of the body, it is most typically found in the back of the lower part of the leg. This is understandable, considering the fact that; (1) the legs have to carry the weight of the whole body and (2) the veins of the leg have to transport blood all the way to the heart against the force of gravity.
Some folks believe that varicose veins are hereditary; however, it has been shown that many factors increase the risk of this condition. A number of these factors include standing or sitting for a particularly long period of time (this is one of the strongest causes ), hormonal imbalances; usually due to hormone-mimicking oral contraceptives, obesity and pregnancy; which is the strongest factor for women. In fact, predicted that 41% of ladies in their mid 50s will have suffer varicose veins, especially during pregnancy. Luckily, though , most instances of varicose veins due to pregnancy sometimes vanish after delivery.
Due to blood pooling in the veins, varicose veins is characterized by a dull sensation of pain, cramps, feeling of heaviness in the legs or fatigue after standing for a short period. It is a general belief that the condition does not constitute much of a medical problem, except for the ugly, depressing sight it creates. Unfortunately, this is only true as long as the condition is treated on time. If for a very long period, varicose veins could lead to leg ulcers, formation of blood clot in deep veins, discoloration problem, apart from the skin due to breakdown of blood cells or other more serious medical conditions.
Diagnosing varicose veins might be as simple as visual observation, however, for a more correct diagnosis, advanced medical procedures are employed.A typical diagnostic tool for varicose vein is a medical procedure called phlebography. It involves injecting a radio-opaque substance into the bloodstream. The substance is monitored across the vein so that the abnormalities in blood flow can be noticed. X-ray or ultrasound can also be used to diagnose effectively the abnormality in venous blood flow causing varicose veins.
Depending on the severity of the condition, there are three major varicose vein removal. In most cases, wearing elastic compression stockings could be the only treatment needed. The the bloodstream. the veins of the leg improving the vein so that the veins. This treatment is usually very effective when coupled with weight loss, in case of obesity, increased activity and avoiding prolonged periods of standing or sitting.
However, when this option is not effective, another medical procedure called sclerotherapy is commonly employed. This process involves cutting off blood flow through the influenced vein by injecting a substances known as sclerosant. Often, the injection of this substance is done many times till a complete collapse of the faulty vein is achieved. After, pressure is externally applied to the vein till its capability to move blood is restored. The procedure has been discovered to be very effective, with almost 90% improvement rate. However, the side effects include agony in the site of injection, bruises, skin sores and discoloration or appearance of brown lines along the site of the vein. Though, the majority of these side effects disappear after a few weeks.
In cases of very severe varicose veins, surgery could be employed as a last resort. This procedure involves surgically removing the damaged part of the vein. Notwithstanding, this is a complex procedure and is therefore employed as a last option in very extreme cases.
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