Varicose veins, also known as varicoses or varicosities, occur when your veins become enlarged, dilated, and overfilled with blood. Varicose veins typically appear swollen and raised, and have a bluish-purple or red color. They are often painful. The condition is very common, especially in women.

Varicose and Spider Veins are Caused by Increased Levels of Progesterone. Both males and females produce the hormone known as progesterone. However, women produce more than men. It is this increased production of progesterone that makes women more likely to experience varicose or spider veins.

Self-care — such as exercise, elevating your legs or wearing compression stockings — can help you ease the pain of varicose veins and may prevent them from getting worse. But if you’re concerned about how your veins look and feel and self-care measures haven’t stopped your condition from getting worse, see your doctor.

Varicose veins are caused by increased blood pressure in the veins. Varicose veins happen in the veins near the surface of the skin (superficial). The blood moves towards the heart by one-way valves in the veins. When the valves become weakened or damaged, blood can collect in the veins.

The resulting twisted blue bulges, known as varicose veins, may cause your legs to feel heavy, tired or achy and make you feel self-conscious about their unsightly appearance, but they don’t pose a major health threat. In general, ropy veins aren’t a precursor to heart trouble.

Both poor blood circulation and blood clots can cause you to experience a number of painful problems such as varicose veins or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Avoiding dehydration by staying properly hydrated will also improve the strength of the muscles that support your veins.

If a person has varicose veins, they can try the following home remedies to help manage the condition and improve symptoms:

1. Exercise.
2. Compression stockings.
3. Plant extracts.
4. Dietary changes.
5. Eat more flavonoids.
6. Herbal remedies.
7. Choose non-restrictive clothing.
8. Keep the legs elevated.

5 Foods That Varicose Vein Victims Should Never Eat

• Refined Carbohydrates. Refined carbohydrates or simple carbohydrates should be avoided as much as possible.
• Added Sugar. Processed foods like chocolate, cookies and cakes often contain high amounts of added sugar which contributes to poor vein health.
• Alcohol.
• Canned Foods.
• Salty Foods.

Minimally invasive treatment options Minimally invasive options exist, and most problem veins — from the tiniest spider veins to larger varicose veins — can be treated without surgery. Newer techniques include the use of heat, glue or a solution injected directly into the veins.

If symptomatic varicose veins are left untreated, they can lead to serious complications, including rashes, infections, bleeding, sores and blood clots. If your leg is already swollen, your complications may be more severe.

Walking is especially good for people who suffer from varicose veins, due to the fact that walking is a very low-impact workout. There is no jarring or pounding of your legs — just a simple movement that helps strengthen your calf muscles without straining your body.

“Massage may help reduce swelling or discomfort, but will not make varicose veins go away,” says Dr. Boyle. However, there are proven ways to treat them, especially when they’re causing symptoms, such as: Swollen legs, ankles and feet.

The Best Exercises for Varicose and Spider Veins, as well as a Healthy Heart

1. Walking. Walking is the simplest of all exercises since it requires no specialized equipment.
2. Marching in Place.
3. Calf Flexors.
4. Running.
5. Bicycling.
6. Toe Flexes.
7. Tippy Toes.
8. Squats.

Massaging varicose veins is contraindicated because the pressure applied could damage the already weak structure and cause parts of the vein or a blood clot to be released into the circulation (an emboli) placing the person at risk of pulmonary embolism.

Sclerotherapy: This is the most common treatment for leg veins. Over the years, dermatologists have improved sclerotherapy to make it safer and give patients better results. Today, dermatologists use it to treat spider and small varicose veins.

Technically, varicose veins cannot be permanently cured. The condition that causes them – Chronic Venous Insufficiency, or CVI, does permanent damage to the valves that control the flow of blood back to the heart and lungs. Currently, there is no way to repair the vein using a microscopic scalpel.

Hot baths, even hot tubs and lengthy hot showers, can make varicose veins worse. The heat from the water will cause the veins in your body to swell. If the veins start to swell, the blood flow will slow down.

Surgery can very effectively relieve varicose vein symptoms: In more than 80% of people who have varicose vein surgery, it improves symptoms like pain, swelling and itching or makes them go away completely, and their legs look better afterwards.

Some possible risks of laser varicose vein surgery include:

• Infection.
• Pain over the vein.
• Bleeding.
• Bruising.
• Nerve damage.
• Redness or swelling (inflammation) of the vein.
• Blood clots.
• Changes in skin color over the treated vein.

We ask our patients to walk after varicose vein treatment for 30 minutes and we advise walking every day for at least an hour a day for the weeks following treatment. Walking helps reduce the risk of developing a blood clot in the deep veins and can also help reduce leg pain after varicose vein surgery.

Your leg may feel stiff or sore for the first 1 to 2 weeks. Your doctor will give you pain medicine for this. You can expect your leg to be very bruised at first. This is a normal part of recovery and may last 2 to 3 weeks.

Walk for 10 Minutes Every Day After the first two days of rest following varicose vein surgery, try to get at least 10 minutes of walking in every day for two weeks.

Tips for Sleeping After Getting Rid of Varicose Veins Have your spouse or partner place a couple of pillows under your legs, just below the knee joint. If you wake during the night, focus on ensuring that your legs remain elevated. In addition, avoid ice packets made of ice from the freezer.

This procedure is usually done to remove the varicose veins closest to the surface of your skin. You will be awake during the procedure, but your doctor will numb the area around the vein.

As with any traditional surgery or minimally invasive procedure, pain is possible. However, with advances in medical technology, leg discomfort after varicose vein surgery should be minimal and last only a short time.

The first booklet (76 patients) suggested 7-10 days before driving and 2-3 weeks before returning to work. The second booklet (58 patients) explicitly advised return to all activities as soon as possible. Patients were contacted 6 weeks following surgery.

What Happens After Varicose Vein Stripping? It usually takes two to four weeks to recover from varicose vein stripping. However, your recovery time will depend on how many veins were stripped and where they were located. Your doctor will prescribe pain medications to help with the discomfort.

Vein ligation and stripping is a surgical treatment for varicose veins. One or more cuts are made over the vein, and the vein is tied off (ligated) in two places. All or part of the vein between the tied off areas is usually removed (stripped). You’ll need general or spinal anesthesia for this surgery.

How do you prepare for the procedure?

1. Be sure you have someone to take you home.
2. Understand exactly what procedure is planned, along with the risks, benefits, and other options.
3. If you take aspirin or some other blood thinner, ask your doctor if you should stop taking it before your procedure.

The cost of vein stripping surgery ranges from $1,500 to $3,000 plus fees charged by the hospital or surgical center. Costs for EVLT range from $600 to $3,000, depending on how much of the vein needs to be treated. Insurance may pick up part of the tab, however, if the varicose veins are painful or debilitating.