LEGS, SWOLLEN, WITH PROMINENT VEINS, USUALLY NOT PAINFUL: DESCRIPTION AND POSSIBLE MEDICAL PROBLEMS
Posted on April 9, 2009, under General health.
Out of all the changes the aging process incurs on the body, the one many women fear most is the appearance of varicose veins: prominent, enlarged veins that appear in the legs. Though people in their 20s can have varicose veins, the condition is more common among midlife and older adults, particularly women. In addition, people who spend a lot of hours on their feet are more prone to developing varicose veins.
Varicose veins are the result of faulty valves in the veins in the legs. The valves typically help to send blood back to the heart from the legs. However, when the valves become strained or stretched or damaged in some way, the blood flows back down into the vein, where it collects and builds up pressure. The vein, in turn, becomes distended and twisted, making it visible through the skin.
Since varicose veins are more of a cosmetic annoyance than a real health problem, many people learn to live with them. Usually, varicose veins are painless. Sometimes, however, an ulcer will form in the vein near the ankle or on the skin because of the great decrease in circulation. This results in an undernourished vein or patch of skin where an ulcer can form.
They may also swell up. The vein itself may become painful, the skin on the ankle near the valve may begin to itch, and your entire leg may become swollen. Most women with varicose veins find they experience these severe symptoms a few days before their periods; the rest of the time, they’re not particularly bothered by their varicose veins.
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