Varicose veins are a common disease, and may continue to exist for many years in sufferers. So what is it? And how does it arise? And how is it treated?
What are varicose veins?
Senior Specialist in Artery, Vascular and Vein Surgery at Royal Jordanian Medical Services, Dr. Omar Al-Madadha, defines varicose veins as an expansion and enlargement of superficial veins that can occur in any vein in the body, but the most common are varicose veins.
He added in a special statement to "Al Jazeera Net" that varicose veins arise due to weakness or damage to the valves inside the veins, which transport blood from the body towards the heart, or because of weak contraction of the muscles surrounding these veins, which prevents the arrival of blood from the parties to the heart and leads to its accumulation inside the veins and expansion and hypertrophy and then varicose veins are formed.
Varicose veins also cause high intra-abdominal and pelvic pressure due to pregnancy and obesity, which limits blood flow from the extremities to the heart.
Who is most at risk?
Dr. Al-Madadha shows that age and aging are one of the factors of the disease, due to the wear of the valves with age, and women are the most susceptible to varicose veins, due to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and even menopause, where female hormones help relax the walls of the veins, in addition to hormone treatments and birth control pills that increase the chances of infection.
He adds that during pregnancy, women usually notice an increase in varicose veins due to hormonal changes and increased pressure inside the pelvis, and that obesity also causes increased pressure inside the abdomen, which reduces blood flow from the limbs towards the heart, in addition to standing or sitting for long hours without moving, because the muscles that help their contractions to flow blood inside the veins do not work.
What are the main symptoms of varicose veins?
Dr. Al-Madadha indicates that the symptoms start from the appearance of veins in a simple way, or the so-called spider veins, with pain and heaviness in the muscles of the legs and lack of a sense of comfort, in addition to the appearance of the veins clearly with enlargement and stretching in them, swelling of the ankle and legs, itching and redness of the skin near these varicose veins.
Skin pigmentation and venous ulcers, severe pain due to clots in these superficial veins, and bleeding in some cases due to weakness in the walls of varicose veins are also symptoms.
How can varicose veins be prevented?
Dr. Al-Madadha advises maintaining exercise and walking to prevent varicose veins, as well as maintaining the appropriate weight, and avoiding high-heeled shoes and tight socks.
It is also advised to avoid standing or sitting for long periods, with your legs elevated when sitting and lying down.
What are the therapeutic procedures for the disease?
Dr. Al-Madadha explains that treatment includes self-care for the injured, such as raising the legs and exercising, using compression stockings that help the muscles move the blood more effectively, reducing pain and reducing the worsening of varicose veins.
If you do not find these tips, traditional surgical procedures and modern intravenous interventions, which consist of ligating a high vein, and surgically removing varicose veins along the leg through small incisions, are resorted to.
Modern intravenous interventions have emerged to reduce surgical risks and reduce the use of anesthesia in general and the formation of scars from traditional surgery.
THESE INCLUDE SCLEROTHERAPY, RADIOFREQUENCY INTRAVENOUS CATHETERIZATION OR LASER THERAPY, AS WELL AS INJECTION OF VEINS USING MEDICAL GLUE, WHICH LEADS TO THE CLOSURE AND DISAPPEARANCE OF DILATED ONES.
Al-Madadha confirms that these modern surgical interventions are performed on a daily and normal basis in hospitals, and the patient can leave immediately after the operation, as they are performed using simple local anesthesia, without surgical incisions or traces and scars.
What is the prevalence of varicose veins?
Specialist in vascular surgery, interventional radiology, kidney transplantation and transplantation, Dr. Firas Abdullah, confirms that varicose veins are common diseases, and that approximately 50% of patients have a family member with this disease.
Dr. Firas revealed that if both parents have varicose veins, the chances of a person developing the disease are close to 90%. He added in a special statement to "Al Jazeera Net" that in the event of infection of one of the parents, the girls are exposed to infection by 60%, while in sons this percentage is 25%, noting that the prevalence of varicose veins is greater in women (55%) compared to men (45%), and it is estimated that 41% of women over the age of 50 suffer from the disease.
When is varicose vein disease dangerous?
Dr. Firas Abdullah believes that varicose veins are not accompanied by symptoms in most cases, and may continue to exist for many years without the need to see a doctor, but the common symptoms are pain when standing with a feeling of heaviness or heat and sometimes itching, and it improves with rest and raising the legs.
He pointed out that when the stages of varicose veins progress, changes may occur in the skin such as eczema, pigmentation and skin ulcers (superficial wounds), and in some stages of the disease bleeding may occur, and sometimes clots in the superficial veins accompanied by severe local pain with redness, so it is recommended to treat it when symptoms or changes occur in the skin, and in some cases the treatment is for cosmetic reasons only.
Does walking treat varicose veins?
It is noted that the pain associated with varicose veins subsides when walking, according to Dr. Firas Abdullah, due to the work of the muscles that press on the veins and help return blood to the heart, but walking itself does not help treat varicose veins.
Do the places where varicose veins appear in women and men differ?
Dr. Firas Abdullah confirms that there is no difference between the sexes in the places where varicose veins appear, but women are more susceptible due to hormonal changes and the effect of pregnancy on the functioning of veins in the pelvic area.
Does laser treat varicose veins?
Dr. Firas Abdullah points out that laser is one of the treatment methods used using internal heat to treat varicose veins, and it is one of the successful and effective methods if used in the right ways.