Varicose Veins Symptoms & Causes
Varicose veins prevent themselves as deeply colored, twisted veins in the legs that certainly seem unusual. You may have seen them on friends and family members before starting to feel like they’re developing on your legs. If you are wondering if the issues you’re experiencing may be due to vein disease, knowing the symptoms of problems like spider veins and varicose veins helps in early identification and treatment, which is the most successful way to treat vein disease.
How Can You Tell If You Have Vein Disease?
The best way to know is the symptoms, which can vary based on how long you’ve had problems and many other health factors. Some people will never notice symptoms other than the cosmetic ones, like the appearance of spider veins and varicose veins. For other people, before cosmetic issues appear, aching and burning in the legs start to signify that there is a problem. Common symptoms that patients experience include:
- Itching
- Burning
- Cramping of the legs
- Swelling of the ankles and legs
- Aches and sharp pains
- Heaviness and pressure in the legs
In addition to these symptoms, of course, you may also see the visual development of spider veins and varicose veins, which you can identify by their appearances. If you feel that you might have vein disease, the best way to know for sure is with a private consultation and a series of simple tests that allow us to tell you.
The importance of fast detection and treatment for varicose veins and vein disease
It is hard to feel normal when your legs are constantly itching, aching, and burning. For some, this is the reality of vein disease as it begins to develop. It can also affect the ease at which patients fall asleep when dealing with the throbbing feeling of varicose veins.
It is not necessary to live with these issues. Treatments, over time, have become more advanced, less invasive, and come with less needed downtime than ever before. When caught early, many treatment methods utilize a laser to avoid the need for surgical means. Our team can help you find relief from vein disease; however it is presenting itself to you. You can feel comfortable and happy again. It all starts with a simple consultation.
Vein disease, when it goes untreated, can develop into deeper issues as time passes, making it imperative that patients find out about and treat their vein disease as quickly as possible. The cosmetic issues like small spider veins may not bother you enough to seek treatment, but these can expand into swollen varicose veins. Visual and medical symptoms worsen as the valves that control blood flow begin to weaken and allow blood to put pressure on the artery walls. Severe symptoms of advanced vein disease include blood clots, which can sometimes be life-threatening.
These various vein conditions are preventable and treatable, so as long as you seek treatment, there is very little to cause worry.
If you feel self-conscious about your varicose and spider veins, the early treatment also positively impacts self-esteem and confidence. If you shy away from wearing shorts or dresses because you are afraid to show your legs, it’s a great time to seek treatment and bring your vein health and confidence back to the way they were before. Our modern treatments have great success in diminishing the appearance of varicose veins and spider veins, returning the skin to a healthy look.
Vein disease occurs in stages.
The key to knowing that you have vein issues lies in understanding the various signs of vein disease and when you should seek treatment. Let us explain how vein disease progresses and the symptoms you can look for to know it may be present. Seven main stages exist, ranging from symptoms that go from less to more severe as time goes on.
STAGE 1 – VEIN SWELLING:
Most of the damage from vein swelling occurs under the surface and does not necessarily present to the naked eye. Even if you do not see varicose or spider veins on the skin’s surface, vein disease at this stage can be present. Symptoms include:
- Leg pain
- Aches and cramps
- Throbbing
- Itching
- The heaviness of the legs
- Burning
- Swelling of the legs and ankles
- Restless legs (restless leg syndrome)
STAGE 2 – SPIDER VEINS:
Spider veins are often the first visible sign of vein disease. They can be identified by their appearance, which looks like small veins starting to appear on the legs’ surface. They look blue, purple, or red and appear as small, thin lines in a branch-like pattern. They can come along with itching, burning, and pain.
STAGE 3 – VARICOSE VEINS:
Varicose veins are a more advanced issue than spider veins. They appear as enlarged and swollen veins that are purple or dark blue. These are more swollen and often change the skin’s surface, bulging outward. Symptoms of varicose veins include painful legs, swelling, heaviness of the legs, and discoloration of the skin. They can bleed and become ulcerous as vein disease progresses. The extra weight created in the area can make the legs feel tired or painful after a long day of walking or standing.
STAGE 4 – HEAVY LEGS AND TIREDNESS (EDIMA):
Edema is a swelling of the legs and ankles caused by leaky vein valves, which cause blood to begin pooling in the legs, creating swelling.
STAGE 5 – ANKLE SYMPTOMS (CORONA PHLEBECTATICA):
Corona phlebectatica is another visible sign, which can be noticed as blood vessels at the ankles and feet that look like blue and red spider veins. Symptoms that come with these issues include pain, itching, burning, and swelling in the ankle and foot area.
STAGE 6 – SKIN DARKENING OR HARDENING:
Changes in the skin are often a sign of advanced vein diseases. Bleeding caused by damaged veins can start to affect the appearance of the skin. As this progresses, issues like skin ulcers can develop in the area. Symptoms of skin changes include pain, hardening of the skin, and a change in the color of the skin from a typical hue to a darker, reddish-brown color.
STAGE 7 – SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS:
Serious issues like leg ulcers can be present at this stage. This is an open wound on the leg or ankle caused by advanced vein disease and damaged veins, leading to hypertension and tissue breakdown. There is also a severe risk of blood clots developing at this stage. If you see any of these signs, it is essential to seek treatment immediately. Ideally, patients will catch vein disease long before this stage.
What to do when experiencing symptoms of vein disease
When you start seeing or feeling vein disease symptoms, the best thing to do is consult with a doctor. This will quickly get you on the track toward recovery. It is not always enough to go to a general doctor. Vein specialists are equipped with the experience to identify and treat vein disease quickly.
Seeking treatment for vein disease in the Columbus area starts with three easy steps.
- Schedule a consultation – contact us today for a vein screening.
- Health insurance – talk through what is and is not covered by insurance by talking to our expert staff. We deal with insurance companies to sort this out and can give you all details of the finances.
- Schedule your treatment – We offer the best and latest vein treatment options in-house at our Columbus, Ohio facility. We provide convenient and minimally invasive treatment options and have shown many patients excellent results, often with little to no downtime.
Don’t wait for vein disease to progress. Schedule a consultation today for varicose, spider, or other vein-related symptoms like any discomfort you are experiencing. Act fast to stop the progression of vein disease and lead a healthy life, free from pain.
