TVC - Information about varicose veins

What are veins for ?
Arteries transport blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Blood then flows through microscopic blood vessels called capillaries, allowing oxygenation and nutrition to the surrounding tissues. Blood then travels back to the heart via veins. Thus veins have to transport blood against gravity when we are standing upright. Walking causes the calf muscles to contract, pumping blood up the leg. When standing still, blood is prevented from flowing back down the leg by one-way (non-return) valves within the veins.

What are Varicose Veins?
We have two systems of veins within the legs: deep veins do most of the work and their valves last most people a lifetime. Valves protecting the superficial (surface) veins seem to be less reliable. They may fail and become incompetent (leaky) such that blood does not flow up the vein as efficiently as it should. Sometimes blood actually flows down the vein, (venous reflux). This causes the pressure within the superficial veins to increase, which then dilate and become varicose.

The superficial veins can be divided into two systems. The long saphenous vein (LSV) begins on the inside of the ankle, travels up the inside of the calf and thigh and ends by joining the deep (femoral) vein in the groin at the sapheno-femoral junction. The LSV and its major tributaries also communicate with the deep veins via perforator veins in the thigh and calf. LSV varicose veins are usually caused by incompetent valves in the groin and thigh.
The short saphenous vein (SSV) runs up the back of the calf and joins the deep (popliteal) vein behind the knee. SSV varicose veins result from an incompetent valve at this sapheno-popliteal junction or in perforators.

What trouble do they cause ?
Some people seem to live with varicose veins for many years and report getting little or no trouble from them. Incompetent valves, however, will never return to normal and varicose veins usually get steadily worse with time. They frequently cause increasing cosmetic concern but may also cause complications due to high venous pressure. These include:

These include:

Aching - Legs typically ache or throb at the end of the day or during prolonged standing and are more comfortable when elevated.

Pain - Some varicose vein sufferers report that the veins themselves are painful.

Itching - The commonest symptom of varicose veins!

Ankle Swelling - Better in the morning, worse at the end of the day (gravitational).

Thrombophlebitis - Blood flows inefficiently within thick walled, dilated veins and is therefore prone to clotting (thrombosis) causing the vein to become hard and tender. This incites an inflammatory response (phlebitis) leading to redness, swelling and pain. Thrombophlebitis may be complicated by lasting skin damage or discolouration or occasionally even deep vein thrombosis.

Bleeding - Uncommon but alarming. If bleeding does occur lie down flat with your legs elevated as much as possible (against a wall) and apply constant pressure to the bleeding point for 10 minutes.