| Varicose veins | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Left leg of a male affected by varicose veins | |
| Pronunciation | |
| Specialty | Vascular surgery, dermatology[1] |
| Symptoms | None, fullness, pain in the area[2] |
| Complications | Bleeding, superficial thrombophlebitis[2][1] |
| Risk factors | Obesity, not enough exercise, leg trauma, family history, pregnancy[3] |
| Diagnostic method | Based on examination[2] |
| Differential diagnosis | Arterial insufficiency, peripheral neuritis[4] |
| Treatment | Compression stockings, exercise, sclerotherapy, surgery[2][3] |
| Prognosis | Commonly reoccur[2] |
| Frequency | Very common[3] |
Varicose veins, also known as varicoses, are a medical condition in which superficial veins become enlarged and twisted. Although usually just a cosmetic ailment, in some cases they cause fatigue, pain, itching, and nighttime leg cramps.[1][2][5] These veins typically develop in the legs, just under the skin.[3] Their complications can include bleeding, skin ulcers, and superficial thrombophlebitis.[1][2] Varices in the scrotum are known as varicocele, while those around the anus are known as hemorrhoids.[1] The physical, social, and psychological effects of varicose veins can lower their bearers' quality of life.[6]
Varicose veins have no specific cause.[2] Risk factors include obesity, lack of exercise, leg trauma, and family history of the condition.[3] They also develop more commonly during pregnancy.[3] Occasionally they result from chronic venous insufficiency.[2] Underlying causes include weak or damaged valves in the veins.[1] They are typically diagnosed by examination, including observation by ultrasound.[2]
By contrast, spider veins affect the capillaries and are smaller.[1][7]
Treatment may involve lifestyle changes or medical procedures with the goal of improving symptoms and appearance.[1] Lifestyle changes may include wearing compression stockings, exercising, elevating the legs, and weight loss.[1] Possible medical procedures include sclerotherapy, laser surgery, and vein stripping.[2][1] However, recurrence is common following treatment.[2]
Varicose veins are very common, affecting about 30% of people at some point in their lives.[8][3][9] They become more common with age.[3] Women develop varicose veins about twice as often as men.[7] Varicose veins have been described throughout history and have been treated with surgery since at least the second century BC, when Plutarch tells of such treatment performed on the Roman leader Gaius Marius.[citation needed]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Varicose Veins". National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Varicose Veins – Cardiovascular Disorders". Merck Manuals Professional Edition. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Varicose Veins". medlineplus.gov. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- ^ Buttaro TM, Trybulski JA, Polgar-Bailey P, Sandberg-Cook J (2016). BOPOD – Primary Care: A Collaborative Practice. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 609. ISBN 9780323355216.
- ^ "Varicose veins". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ Lumley E, Phillips P, Aber A, Buckley-Woods H, Jones GL, Michaels JA (April 2019). "Experiences of living with varicose veins: A systematic review of qualitative research" (PDF). Journal of Clinical Nursing. 28 (7–8): 1085–1099. doi:10.1111/jocn.14720. PMID 30461103. S2CID 53943553.
- ^ a b "Varicose veins and spider veins". womenshealth.gov. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- ^ Baram A, Rashid DF, Saqat BH (August 2022). "Non-randomized comparative study of three methods for great saphenous vein ablation associated with mini-phlebectomy; 48 months clinical and sonographic outcome". Annals of Medicine and Surgery. 80: 104036. doi:10.1016/j.amsu.2022.104036. ISSN 2049-0801. PMC 9283499. PMID 35846854. S2CID 250251544.
- ^ "Varicose veins Introduction – Health encyclopaedia". NHS Direct. 8 November 2007. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2019.