Varicose Vein: Who's at Risk?
Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that often appear in the
legs. Varicose veins may result from faulty vein valves that fail to
prevent the blood from flowing backwards. Every vein in the body has a
valve that directs the flow of deoxygenated blood to the heart. When
the valve weakens the circulation of the blood slows, causing blood to
pool up in the vein. As a result, the vein bulges and appears bluish in
color.
It's normal to be concerned when your superficial veins, the ones near
the skin's surface, protrude because they are the most visible.
However, deeper veins in the legs may also bulge and turn into
varicose veins. When this happens you're at a higher risk of
developing venous thrombosis (blood clot). If a blood clot develops
you will experience swelling in your leg, which is one of the symptoms
of varicose veins.
Although, why some people may get varicose veins while others never is
not entirely known. However, there are some factors that may increase your risk of
developing varicose veins. These factors include:
- Standing or sitting for long periods of time. If you sit or stand
for long period of time the circulation in your legs becomes poor because you fail to use your leg muscles. When muscles contract they help push the blood back to the heart.
- Obesity. Extra weight adds on pressure to your veins.
- Age. The natural process of aging may cause the valves in the veins to weaken and tear. This weakening and tearing may lead to varicose veins.
- Gender. Women have an increased risk to developing varicose veins and spider veins than men. Changes in the oestrogen levels in the blood play a factor in the development of varicose veins. Oestrogen levels fluctuate during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause. Some studies also found that use of birth controls and hormone replacement pills increase the risk of varicose veins.
- Genetics. Heredity plays an important factor in the development of varicose veins. If you have a family history of varicose veins, you may be more susceptible to developing them.
