- What Causes Varicose Veins?
The cardiovascular system is charged with delivering oxygen-rich blood to every cell in your body. This is a monumental task requiring many specialized systems including the heart, lungs, blood and veins. If your blood is the mail carrier, then your blood vessels are the superhighways of your body. Arteries carry the oxygen-full blood away from the heart. Once the oxygen has been absorbed by the cells in the body, the veins return it to the heart via the lungs. It is in this last part of our journey where some problems can occur.
Gravity
The veins must fight against gravity to return blood from the legs to the lungs. For this reason, the body has special one-way valves and cell walls that are designed to keep all of the blood moving in the proper direction. A variety of conditions can cause the valves and vein walls to weaken resulting in pooling. Pooling is when blood gathers in veins, causing them to bulge.
You are probably familiar with the characteristic look of varicose vein. Their purple or blue appearance twisting and bulging close to the surface of the skin is a result of stationary blood that has collected in the veins. Varicose veins most commonly form on the inside of the legs or on the backs of the calves. They can form anywhere on the legs. Faulty valves in your veins and weak vein walls are the primary causes for varicose veins, which can develop in the legs anywhere from the groin to the ankle.
Medical Causes of Varicose Veins
A variety of medical factors (including age, weight, hormonal changes, trauma, pregnancy and genetics) can cause the one-directional valves to lose their effectiveness over time. Without the ability to keep the blood flowing is a single direction, gravity will cause the blood to pool. Pooling blood puts pressure on the veins, causing them to become weak, enlarged, and twisted. As the condition worsens, the pressure pushes them to the surface of the skin. If left untreated varicose veins can rupture or ulcers can form on the skin.
Sedentary Way of Life
Sedentary behavior is a significant risk factor for varicose veins. Consider the advantages of an active lifestyle that you are missing out on when you lead a sedentary lifestyle to better comprehend the impact of a sedentary lifestyle on the health of your veins. Regular exercise has a variety of essential health advantages, some of which directly or indirectly improve vein health and lower the chance of varicose vein development. So, try some exercise if you live such kind of life.
Pregnancy
Women are much more likely to develop varicose veins during pregnancy.
The majority of pregnant women who experience varicose veins do so in the first trimester, frequently as early as the first few weeks. Varicose veins affect about 40% of pregnant women. Additionally, a woman’s chance of eventually having varicose veins rises by 20% to 30% following two or more pregnancies.
This elevated risk is brought on by a number of pregnancy-specific variables, including:
• Pregnancy hormones, especially progesterone, cause the veins to dilate, which puts strain on them and makes returning blood to the heart more challenging.
• Pregnancy’s increased blood volume puts blood vessels under additional physical strain.
Obesity
It is well known that being overweight increases your risk of developing diseases including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Being overweight increases your likelihood of developing varicose veins, and if you do, you are more likely to experience symptoms than someone who is not overweight yet has varicose veins.
Obesity is linked to low-grade chronic inflammation, which aggravates varicose veins by altering blood vessel linings and further reducing blood flow. A serious complication of venous disease that can be slow to heal and difficult to treat is ulcers, or open sores in the skin. If you are obese and have varicose veins, you are also more likely to develop ulcers.
Home Remedies For Spider Veins
1. Massages
Because massage is an efficient approach to increase healthy blood circulation, it is claimed to help with spider veins. This treatment can also help with the pain and swelling that spider veins can cause. Massage should only be done by a qualified therapist, ideally one who has dealt with spider veins before.
2. Herbal Supplements
Supplements are another common treatment for spider veins and a variety of other ailments. External application of witch hazel, as well as oral doses of gingko biloba, bilberry, and horse chestnut, are effective for spider veins.
Garlic, turmeric, and cayenne pepper are some of the other substances that are frequently prescribed for spider veins. Butcher’s broom might be an excellent alternative if your veins are creating symptoms like heaviness or pain in your legs at the end of the day.
Are there different types or stages of varicose veins?
Yes, there are different types and stages of varicose veins, which are classified based on their size, appearance, and severity. Here are the common types and stages:
- Spider Veins (Telangiectasias): These are small, thin veins that appear close to the surface of the skin. They are usually red, blue, or purple in color and often resemble a spider web. Spider veins are typically cosmetic and may not cause significant discomfort.
- Reticular Veins: Reticular veins are larger than spider veins but smaller than varicose veins. They are blue or green in color and can appear as thin lines beneath the skin. While they are not as bulging as varicose veins, they are more visible than spider veins.
- Varicose Veins: Varicose veins are enlarged, swollen, and twisted veins that are visible beneath the skin’s surface. They often appear as blue or dark purple bulges and can cause discomfort, pain, or aching. Varicose veins can progress to more advanced stages if left untreated.
- Trunk Varicose Veins: These are larger varicose veins that are more prominent and often cause discomfort, especially after prolonged periods of standing or sitting. They are characterized by their twisted and gnarled appearance.
Can varicose veins lead to complications such as blood clots or ulcers?
Yes, varicose veins can lead to complications. The stagnant blood flow in varicose veins increases the risk of blood clots, a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Is pregnancy a common cause of varicose veins, and do they resolve after childbirth?
Yes, pregnancy is a common cause of varicose veins. During pregnancy, the growing uterus puts pressure on the large vein on the right side of the body (the inferior vena cava), which, in turn, increases pressure in the leg veins. This pressure can lead to the development or worsening of varicose veins in the legs.
Will Tight Clothing Or High Heels Cause Varicose Veins?
Yes and no at the same time, since tight clothing directly doesn’t cause varicose veins but it does increase the chances and contribute to factors that increase the risks:
1. Tight Clothing: Tight clothing especially those which cover the area around the waist, legs, or groin are known to compress veins and reduce proper blood circulation. If you continue to do this, you can expect pressure in your veins, which can lead to varicose veins anytime soon.
2. High Heels: High heels are known to limit natural movements of the calf muscles, which are important in order to pumping blood from the legs back to the heart. This will further cause blood to pool in veins, which of course increases the chances of varicose veins overtime.
Prevention Tips:
• Avoid tight clothing and wear loose ones, they are much more comfortable and don’t restrict your blood circulation!
• Avoid sitting or standing for too long especially if you are wearing tight clothes.
• Do not wear heels for too long and allow your calf to function more.
Is It Possible For Injuries To Cause Varicose Veins?
Yes, injuries are one of the leading causes of varicose veins since they directly damage veins, here’s more about them:
How Trauma Causes Varicose Veins:
1. Damage To Veins: If you had injuries like fractures, deep cuts or trauma that has managed to damage the valves inside the veins, then they valves can malfunction and the blood may start flowing backwards and can even pool, which leads to varicose veins.
2. Impaired Circulation: If your injury limits your mobility, then blood circulation can slow down, which makes you much more prone to varicose veins.
3. Inflammation: Inflammation or scarring from the injury can disrupt the blood flow and increase the pressure in veins, which obviously leads to varicose veins.