Are Your Varicose Veins Signifying Something More Serious?

Posted on February 4, 2022

If you have varicose veins, you may bemoan them because of the way they look on your legs, but did you realize that they might signify something more sinister about your health? While some people never experience any issues with their varicose veins, others suffer from vein issues that can seriously impact their health. Recent research suggests that those who have varicose veins are more likely to develop deep vein thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism.

Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins in your body. This can cause leg pain and swelling or might not cause any discomfort at all.

If a blood clot breaks away and travels to your lungs, it is known as a pulmonary embolism. This is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms may include chest pain and shortness of breath. Pulmonary embolisms can cause permanent lung damage. Because varicose veins can lead to severe medical complications, it’s important to truly understand troubling signs associated with varicose veins.Symptoms of Varicose Veins

Some people can live their entire lives without complications from varicose veins, but if you should find yourself with any of the following symptoms, you need to get them checked out by a vein specialist immediately.

• Swelling in the legs, anles, and feet
• Severe and continuous leg pain
• Heaviness or a dull ache in the legs that happens often
• Varicose veins are red and painful or feel warm
• Spontaneous bleeding from veins or bleeding from a slight injury
• Itchy and inflamed skin around veins
• Ulcer and open skin wounds that developed on their own

Other Conditions That Can Result from Untreated Unhealthy Veins

There are several other conditions that can result from untreated varicose veins. That’s why it’s vital to get your varicose veins checked out, especially if you have the following symptoms:

• Muscle cramps: Cramping, especially cramps that occur at night, can occur when blood pools in the veins instead of flowing through muscle tissue as it should.
• Severe pain: This generally presents as a deep ache or heaviness in the limbs.
• Itching and burning: Leaky blood vessels can cause itching. Because little oxygen can reach the skin, veins can become itchy and red.
• Skin ulcers: A varicose ulcer can occur when blood doesn’t circulate back to the heart effectively. As blood backs up in the veins, pressure builds under the skin, and an open wound may form.
• Lymphedema: When varicose veins begin to damage the lymphatic system, lymphedema can occur. Lymphedema causes swelling, most commonly in the feet and toes.
• Cellulitis: Cellulitis is a serious skin infection of the soft tissue skin.
• Venous stasis dermatitis: Another skin ailment from unhealthy veins where the skin can become leathery and reddish-brown in color. In some cases, clear or yellow fluid leaks out through the skin.
• Dermatitis: Dermatitis is an inflamed, itchy rash that can occur from varicose veins that is most often found on the leg or ankle.
• Peripheral artery disease (PAD): With PAD, the veins can’t provide adequate blood flow to the limbs. This condition is often widespread throughout the body and can also affect the heart and brain.

If you are experiencing any symptoms from your varicose veins or simply want to have them checked out by a professional, call us at the Varicosity Vein Center. Varicosity Vein Center’s level of expertise, combined physician experience, and highly specialized staff of vein specialists, create the most comprehensive and personalized care for your varicose veins and arteries in Alabama. Do not hesitate to take the health of your veins in your own hands by requesting an appointment today!