Varicose Veins: When to Seek Help?

If you have varicose veins, or experience any of the symptoms of varicose veins you should visit your local doctor or health care provider. Your health care professional can provide you with medical treatment options or easy self-care treatments to alleviate the aches and pains caused by varicose veins.

How do you know when you should visit your doctor? If you're experiencing any of the following signs it's time to set an appointment with your doctor. These signs include:

• Discoloration or inflammation of the skin

• Unexplained aches or swelling in the leg

Swelling may be a sign of a blood clot in the deeper veins. Varicose veins generally do not cause swelling alone and are relatively harmless veins. However, from time to time varicose veins can raise some minor problems. For instance:

If the skin over the vein is stretched or irritated, a minor bruise or nick to the skin, for example, while shaving may cause the vein to bleed. If this happens, you may need elevate your leg and apply pressure to it, for a couple minutes, to stop the bleeding. If the bleeding does not stop, you should visit your local doctor or hospital.

If you experience chest pain or difficulty breathing, it could mean a clot has formed in the blood vessels leading to the heart or lungs. If this happens, you should immediately seek medical attention at the nearest hospital.

However, if you have varicose veins, it doesn’t mean you’ll develop a blood clot or that blood clots always cause varicose vein. Although, in rare cases, a blood clot in a vein can increase pressure in the vein by restricting blood flow. This restriction will cause the blood to flow backwards through the weakened valves, and as a result form a varicose vein – an enlarged, discolored vein. This is why you should see your doctor or health care provider if you suffer from intense pain in the leg or if you notice that your leg is swelling – particularly, if you don’t have any risk factors that cause varicose veins such as pregnancy