By Hadley Gavin
Varicose veins are a type of veins that lie under the skin of our legs and look widened, bulged and twisted. The condition is common and doesn’t usually need medical aid. These generally happen to the two main systems of veins:
- Deep veins – when our leg muscles squeeze deep veins during walking or exercising and carry most of the blood from the back of the legs to our heart.
- Superficial veins – These happen under our skin and don’t affect that much.
These veins have a one-way valve to make sure that the blood flow to the heart. If the flow fails, the blood flows backward and down to the veins. The condition can feel like an overload and stress you while standing. The excess pressure leads to varicose veins that widen and doesn’t close properly. Blood flows back to the legs along with the veins and causes varicose veins to form. The raised pressure in the veins leads to spider veins and discolored areas, which seem like bruises.
Causes of Varicose Veins
There are plenty of reasons why varicosities can happen. Doctors assume that defected or damaged valve, as mentioned above, are the primary reasons to have the condition. The valves make the blood flow well, and it is tough to determine its inefficiency.
Some doctors think that inherited problems can cause an inefficient valve. Some people are born with defects in the vein wall too. It results in weakness and might predispose valves and become leaky. The following aspects will give you the common reasons why people have varicose veins:
- Pregnancy
Pregnancy increases the volume of blood. The growing uterus adds pressure on the veins of women’s legs. The relaxation effect of estrogen hormone and progesterone on the walls of the veins contributes and develops varicose veins during pregnancy.
- Prolonged standing
If you have a standing job and you are almost stagnant in the process, you can have varicose veins. It is one of the common reasons to face the condition. It is smart to prevent the problem by staying active and not stagnant. You can also try and arrange a seat and take rest in-between your schedule.
- Obesity or distended belly
A bloated stomach or an obese individual can have a varicose vein. The upper body tends to become heavy on the legs and that leads to this condition. You are requested to stay fit and healthy to avoid such a condition.
- Straining
Conditions like chronic constipation, urinary retention due to enlarged prostate, chronic cough, and other reasons that lead prolonged stress can increase forces transmitted to the veins. It can often result in varicose veins. The mechanism contributes to forming hemorrhoids, and the varicosities locate in the anal and rectal area.
- Age
When you age, the veins start losing elasticity and they tend to stretch. The valves in the veins become weak and allow blood that should move to the heart to flow back. There is a blood pool in the veins and they enlarge and lead to varicose. These veins look blue as they have deoxygenated blood and are in the process of re-circulated through lungs.
If you have varicose veins you must consult Incredible Veins and reduce the condition. If you don’t have it as yet but you want to prevent it, you know the most common causes now. You will be able to prevent the reasons that can lead you to varicose veins. However, if the reasons are aging or pregnancy, you should consult a doctor and figure out what he suggests for you.
