Varicose VeinsSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are swollen, twisted, and enlarged veins that you can see under the skin. They are often red or blue in color. They most often appear in the legs, but can occur in other parts of the body.
Varicosity
Normally, one-way valves in your leg veins keep blood moving up toward the heart. When the valves do not work properly, they allow blood to back up into the vein. The vein swells from the blood that collects there, which causes varicose veins over time.
Varicose veins are common, and affect more women than men. They do not cause problems for most people. However, if the flow of blood through veins becomes poor enough, problems such as leg swelling and pain, blood clots, and skin changes may be present.
Risk factors include:
- Older age
- Being female (hormonal changes from puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can lead to varicose veins, and taking birth control pills or hormone replacement can increase your risk)
- Being born with defective valves in the veins
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- History of blood clots in your legs
- Standing or sitting for long periods of time
- Family history of varicose veins
Symptoms of varicose veins include:
- Fullness, heaviness, aching, and sometimes pain in the legs
- Visible, swollen veins
- Very small veins that you can see on the surface of the skin, called spider veins.
- Thigh or calf cramps (often at night)
- Mild swelling of feet or ankles
- Itching near the varicose veins
- Restless leg symptoms
If flow of blood through the veins becomes poor enough, symptoms may include:
- Leg swelling
- Leg or calf pain after sitting or standing for long periods
- Skin color changes of the legs or ankles
- Dry, irritated, scaly skin that can crack easily
- Skin sores (ulcers) that do not heal easily
- Thickening and hardening of the skin in the legs and ankles (this can happen over time)
Your provider may suggest that you take the following self-care steps to help manage varicose veins:
- Wear compression stockings to decrease swelling. These stockings gently squeeze your legs to move blood up toward your heart.
- DO NOT sit or stand for long periods. Even moving your legs slightly helps keep the blood flowing.
- Raise your legs above your heart 3 or 4 times a day for 15 minutes at a time.
- Care for wounds if you have any open sores or infections. Your provider can show you how.
- Lose weight if you are overweight.
- Get more exercise. This can help you keep off weight and help move blood up your legs. Walking or swimming are good options.
- If you have dry or cracked skin on your legs, moisturizing may help. However, some skin care treatments can make the problem worse. Talk to your provider before using any lotions, creams, or antibiotic ointments. Your provider can recommend lotions that can help.
If only a small number of varicose veins are present, the following procedures may be used:
- Sclerotherapy. Salt water or a chemical solution is injected into the vein. The vein hardens and disappears.
- Phlebectomy. Small surgical cuts are made in the leg near the damaged vein. The vein is removed through one of the cuts.
- If the varicose veins are larger, longer, or more widespread on the leg, your provider will suggest a procedure using such a laser or radiofrequency, which can be done in the provider's office or clinic.
UPMC Heart And Vascular Institute (Vascular Surgery)
Dr. Eric Hager earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, then completed a residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He completed a vascular surgery fellowship at UPMC and joined the division of Vascular Surgery in 2012. Dr. Hager is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Varicose Veins. His top areas of expertise are Varicose Veins, Arterial Insufficiency, Venous Insufficiency, Stent Placement, and Thrombectomy.
UPMC Heart And Vascular Institute (Vein Center)
Dr. Michael Singh joined UPMC in 2012. He completed his medical degree and a general surgery residency at the SUNY School of Medicine at Buffalo. He completed a vascular surgery fellowship at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Dr. Singh is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons, Distinguished Fellow in the Society for Vascular Surgery and a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation. He is board-certified in both General and Vascular Surgery. Dr. Singh is the Chief of Surgical Services at UPMC Shadyside, Chief of Vascular Surgery at UPMC Shadyside and Co-director of the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute Aortic Center. He has received numerous patient care and teaching awards throughout his career, and has authored >80 peer reviewed publications. Since 2015, annually he has been selected as one of Pittsburgh's Best Doctors. Dr. Singh oversees several clinical trials, and many of those research projects focus on the treatment of complex aortic and iliac artery aneurysms, peripheral arterial occlusive disease and the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency. His areas of clinical expertise include the management of complex aortic aneurysms, aortic dissections, thoracic aortic aneurysms, venous insufficiency, thoracic outlet syndrome, arterial venous malformations, congenital venous anomalies and peripheral arterial occlusive disease.Dr. Singh is the Chief of Vascular Surgery at UPMC Shadyside and sees patients at UPMC Shadyside.LGBTQIA+ Affirming: This provider has completed training on how to create a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for LGBTQIA+ patients. This provider may or may not offer LGBTQIA+ specific medical or surgical care. Please ask when scheduling. Dr. Singh is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Varicose Veins. His top areas of expertise are Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Varicose Veins, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA), Stent Placement, and Thrombectomy.
Northwell Health Physician Partners Vascular Surgery And Vein Care At Huntington
An internationally recognized vascular surgeon and vein specialist, Antonios P. Gasparis, MD, FACS serves as System Chief for Ambulatory Vascular and Vein Program at Northwell Health. Dr. Gasparis completed his residency in General Surgery at SUNY Syracuse, followed by a fellowship in Vascular Surgery at SUNY Stony Brook. He was on the faculty at Stony Brook from 2003-2023 and Professor of Surgery. During his tenure, he held multiple administrative positions and developed an internationally recognized venous program. Dr. Gasparis has been on the Board of several national organizations and is the Past-President of the American Venous Forum, the premier national society on venous disease. He is a true educator, running multiple educational programs in venous disease. He is a researcher and innovative surgeon who cares deeply for his patients and their families. Dr. Gasparis is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Varicose Veins. His top areas of expertise are Varicose Veins, Venous Insufficiency, Pelvic Congestion Syndrome, Deep Vein Thrombosis, and Angioplasty.
Varicose veins tend to get worse over time. Taking self-care steps can help relieve achiness and pain, keep varicose veins from getting worse, and prevent more serious problems.
Contact your provider if:
- Varicose veins are painful.
- They get worse or do not improve with self-care, such as by wearing compression stockings or avoiding standing or sitting for too long.
- You have a sudden increase in pain or swelling, fever, redness of the leg, or leg sores.
- You develop leg sores that do not heal.
Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if TR987 0.1% gel + Standard of Care works better than Standard of Care alone to treat Venous Leg Ulcers (VLUs). It will also provide additional information about the safety of drug TR987 0.1% gel.
Summary: The assessment of peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2) by pulse oximetry has become standard in perioperative care for the detection of hypoxaemia. The oxygen reserve index (ORI) can provide an early warning of deteriorating oxygenation long before a change in SpO2 occurs, reflect the response to oxygen administration, facilitate oxygen titration and prevent unwanted hyperoxia. The combin...
Published Date: May 10, 2024
Published By: Neil Grossman, MD, Saint Vincent Radiological Associates, Framingham, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Iafrati MD. Varicose veins: surgical treatment. In: Sidawy AN, Perler BA, eds. Rutherford's Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 154.
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Sadek M, Kabnick LS. Varicose veins: endovenous ablation and sclerotherapy. In: Sidawy AN, Perler BA, eds. Rutherford's Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 155.