Varicose veins occur when valves that push blood through the veins to the heart are damaged or malfunction. Blood that does not travel to the heart pools and causes discoloration or the veins to bulge. As a result, there are several risk factors associated with varicose veins, including:

• Natural valve degeneration occurs as a person ages. The weakened valves cannot push the blood toward the heart.
• Blood volume increases and blood circulation to the legs and pelvis decreases during pregnancy. Changes in volume and circulation support the developing baby.
• Excess weight places pressure on veins, causing them to work harder to circulate blood.
• Sitting or standing for long periods. Remaining in the same position for several hours restricts blood flow.
• Family history. Certain genetic diseases and conditions affect vein functionality.

Changes in a woman’s hormone levels place women at a higher risk of developing varicose veins. These types of changes typically occur after menopause or when women take birth control.

Patients with varicose veins often experience no symptoms, aside from the discoloration and bulging veins. However, others will suffer a variety of symptoms, including:

• Itching and burning
• Muscle cramps near the affected veins
• Discomfort

Prolonged periods of sitting or standing will sometimes worsen varicose vein pain.

No, your body has deep, superficial, and perforator venous systems. Any of these systems can develop varicose veins and have a range of severity. Every patient has different anatomy, risk factors, and condition, so no varicose vein is identical to the next.

Varicose veins are common; they affect about 1 in 3 adults. However, certain risk factors can increase the chances of someone developing varicose or spider veins. People often develop varicose and spider veins in their legs and feet.

The condition generally worsens over time and if left untreated can cause symptoms such as leg pain, restless legs or leg itchiness. Extreme cases can lead to skin ulceration and venous blood clots.

No, any person at any age can develop varicose veins. Men and women in their 20s to 90s have had varicose veins. However, certain risk factors increase the chances of having them, like age, gender, lifestyle, and family history.

There is no cure-all to prevent varicose veins, but there are measures you can take to decrease the severity of symptoms. Eating healthy, exercising regularly, avoiding standing or sitting for long periods, maintaining healthy body weight, wearing compression stockings, and elevating your legs all help minimize varicose vein symptoms.

Decreased blood flow can cause several potentially serious complications, including:

• Affected veins are thin and damaged, so if the patient bumps or injures their leg, excessive bleeding can occur.
• Blood clots. Superficial thrombophlebitis, or clots that form just beneath the skin, is characterized by pain and swelling.
• Decreased blood flow causes blood to pool and a painful sore to form.
• Varicose eczema. Red, flaky, irritated skin can crust over and blisters form at the affected area.
• Chronic venous insufficiency. Decreased blood flow disrupts the skin and blood’s ability to exchange waste, oxygen, and nutrients.

Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is a serious condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in the leg. In fact, DVT is very painful. Furthermore, without immediate treatment, a blood clot can travel to the lungs. A blood clot in the lungs is a life-threatening condition known as pulmonary embolism.

Your doctor will perform a physical examination and ask about any pain, swelling, or other symptoms you’re experiencing. Next, they will order an ultrasound test if they suspect you have a blood clot. Alternatively, your doctor may suspect you have other complications and order an ultrasound as a result.

Symptoms may or may not be visible. An ultrasound allows a doctor to examine the major veins inside the leg to check for venous insufficiency or varicose veins under the skin. The non-invasive exam allows the healthcare provider to detect the source of the vein issue, which is critical to proper treatment.

Vein Doctors Sydney offers the latest, most advanced, minimally invasive treatments for varicose veins. These include sclerotherapy, endovenous laser ablation, radiofrequency ablation, medical glue treatment and ambulatory phlebectomy. We also offer conservative management options including compression stockings. Our highly skilled team will tailor a patient-specific treatment plan for the best results, ensuring our patients feel comfortable and confident throughout the process.

• Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive treatment option performed by a vein specialist. It involves the injection of a solution (sclerosant) into the vein causing it to collapse and eventually disappear.
• Endovenous laser ablation and radiofrequency ablation involves inserting a catheter and administration of a heat source to the diseased vein.
• A relatively new treatment for varicose veins is Medical Glue Treatment (VenaSeal). This involves the injection of a special medical-grade glue into the diseased vein, which essentially seals the vein shut.
• Ambulatory phlebectomy is an outpatient surgical procedure removing the visible, bulging, and diseased veins.
• Compression stockings are a type of hosiery that is worn to improve blood flow and reduce the risk of developing varicose veins. Compression stockings are available in a variety of compression levels, depending on the amount of pressure required for your particular condition

The appropriate treatment plan will be tailored to your specific condition, taking into consideration the size and location of your varicose veins, as well as your overall health.

Heat from the laser in the form of light closes and shrinks the varicose vein. The laser causes scar tissue to form within the blood vessel, which seals off the vein. Blood then finds nearby veins to flow through.

A microphlebectomy or ambulatory phlebectomy is when a healthcare provider makes tiny incisions and removes the veins. The procedure uses only local anesthetic and requires no stitches. A phlebectomy is an in-office procedure that only takes about an hour.

Varicose veins are common in pregnant women. However, if pregnant, you should not have elective vein treatments until after you finish breastfeeding. Remember that varicose veins during pregnancy typically resolve on their own after giving birth without any treatment.