1. What causes varicose veins?
Because of gravity, veins in your legs have to start working extra hard. Your circulatory system consists of arteries and capillaries in your body and they take blood from your heart and spread it to the rest of your body, and your veins send that blood back to your heart. But, since your leg veins are working against gravity, there is more strain put on them. So, if your leg veins are damaged or weakened, then the blood can start to flow backward and that's where the blood ends up pooling in your veins and that pooling is what causes varicose veins.
Here are some of the leading factors of varicose veins:
- Obesity
- Age
- Genes
- Hormones
- Sedentary lifestyle
2. Varicose and spider veins are NOT the same.
Varicose veins and spider veins are often mistaken for one another, but there are differences. Spider veins are red or purple in color, they're normally smaller in size and tend to be flat on the skin. Varicose veins are blue, are normally bigger, and tend to bulge out on your legs. Both types of veins are very common, but spider veins are more common than varicose veins are. The treatment for each vein condition is also different. Varicose veins require a stronger treatment than spider veins because of their size.
3. Some people may experience pain from varicose veins.
Though no one likes the way varicose veins look, not everyone suffers from any pain as a result of the veins. The people that do suffer from the pain tend to deal with these symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Swelling
- Itching
- Burning
- Numbness
- Restless legs
- Aching
- Heaviness
Keep a close eye on your varicose veins if they begin to swell, feel tender, or if they start to bleed. This vein condition is something that you don't want to leave untreated if they start to become a problem. Noticing and ignoring these issues could end up leading to blood clots.
4. Varicose veins don’t only occur in your legs.
While the most comment place for varicose veins in men and women are the legs, that isn't the only place they can occur. They primarily occur in the legs due to gravity but, you can other times see varicose veins on the face and neck area, or wherever any damaged or weakened veins are in your body.
5. Changing your lifestyle can help.
While the majority of people that experience varicose veins experience this condition due to genetics, there are ways that you can decrease your chances of developing varicose veins. Some of these ways include:
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid sitting or standing for too long
- Do not spend too much time in high heels
- Stay away from clothing that is too tight on your waist and thighs
Although those aren't guaranteed ways to keep you from developing varicose veins, they can certainly help decrease your risk, and also decrease the amount of pain and problems you might have if you do end up developing this condition.
If you think you may have varicose or spider vein issues then book your Vein Consultation with Dr. Giraldo today! Better veins, more confidence! 469-362-8665