Whenthe blood moves back from the organs to the heart, it is carried by anetwork of vessels called veins. Veins are thin-walled vesselscompared to the arteries (vessels that take blood from the heart tothe various organs). Veins contain one-way valves every few inches toprevent the blood flowing back due to gravity. It is when thesevalves become weak that the blood starts pooling in the veins. Veinsthen become dilated (widened) and twisted, and are called varicose.Any vein may become varicose, but the veins most commonly affectedare those in the legs and feet.
Anothercondition similar to varicose veins is spider veins .They are usuallysmaller, bluish and are closer to the skin's surface. They occurmostly on legs and at times can be found on the face too. They oftenlook like a spider's web or a tree branch.
Formany people, varicose veins and spider veins are diseases of cosmeticconcern only. Butfor others it can be more than just a cosmetic problem; symptomscommonly found in those suffering from varicose veins are pain,heaviness, burning, throbbing, muscle cramping and swelling in lowerlegs.Veins appear as enlarged, snake-like, blue veins and are most easilyseen under the skin while standing. Itching may be present around theenlarged veins. Skin ulcers at ankle, whenever present, indicate asever form of varicose veins.
Dueto blood pooling in the veins, varicose veins is characterized by adull sensation of pain, cramps, feeling of heaviness in the legs orfatigue after standing for a short period. It is a general beliefthat the condition does not constitute much of a medical problem,except for the ugly, depressing sight it creates. Unfortunately, thisis only true as long as the condition is treated on time. If leftuntreated for a very long period, varicose veins could lead to legulcers, formation of blood clot in deep veins, discoloration of theskin due to breakdown of blood cells or other more serious medicalconditions.
Diagnosingvaricose veins could be as simple as visual observation, however, fora more accurate diagnosis, advanced medical procedures are employed.A common diagnostic tool for varicose vein is a medical procedurecalled phlebography. It involves injecting a radio-opaque substanceinto the bloodstream. The substance is monitored across the vein sothat the abnormalities in blood flow can be noticed. X-ray orultrasound can also be used to diagnose effectively the abnormalityin venous blood flow causing varicose veins.
Dependingon the severity of the condition, there are three major treatmentoptions for varicose veins. In most cases, wearing elasticcompression stockings could be the only treatment needed. Thestockings compress the veins of the leg improving blood flow throughthe veins. This treatment is usually very effective when coupled withweight loss, in case of obesity, increased activity and avoidingprolonged periods of standing or sitting.
However,when this option is not effective, another medical procedure calledsclerotherapy is often employed. This procedure involves cutting offblood flow through the affected vein by injecting a substances knownas sclerosant. Often, the injection of this substance is done severaltimes until a complete collapse of the faulty vein is achieved.Afterwards, pressure is externally applied to the vein until itsability to transport blood is restored. The procedure has been foundto be very effective, with almost 90% improvement rate. However, theside effects include pain in the site of injection, bruises, skinsores and discoloration or appearance of brown lines along the siteof the vein.
Invery severe cases of varicose veins, surgery may be employed. Thisprocedure involves surgically removing the damaged part of the vein.However, this is a complex procedure and is therefore employed as alast resort in very severe cases.
Thougheach case of varicose veins represents itself as an individual oneand needs to be treated accordingly, natural plant medicinesstand at the top of the table for treating varicose veins.VenousBalm-Rx and VenousDrops are established to not only reverseconditions stemming from venous insufficiency, but also improve theoverall tone of the veins. These are true venous blood decongestantsand used to negate venous blood stagnation which causes varicoseveins and venous insufficiency. The astringent properties of thesetreatments provide a tightening effect to skin tissue.
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Symptoms Of Varicose Veins
So the spiders from Mars have invaded your lower legs, staring back at you. The spiders of course are those nagging little varicose veins that form very close to the surface of the skin. Spider veins are not considered a serious medical condition and can occur on the extremities like the legs, on the face and torso. Spider veins can develop for a whole host of reasons and include normal aging, breakdown of the veins wall structure, excess weight and vascular disease. Small spider veins can be unsightly and downright aggravating but there are effective treatments that can eliminate or greatly reduce the appearance of pesky spider veins.
Recent advances in medical technology have made it possible to treat spider veins using several noninvasive or minimally invasive procedures that are usually performed on an outpatient basis. Since the treatment of small varicose veins is often considered a cosmetic procedure, many insurance plans will not cover treatment. The benefits of improving ones appearance may outweigh the out-of-pocket cost of treatment.
Understanding how and why spider veins form can go along way in taking whatever preventative steps there are that may help minimize the cosmetic effects. There is a long and varied list of causes for small varicose veins. Though the list is long, some of the causes are within the control of the individual. Drug therapies that involve the use of birth control pills and post menopausal hormone replacement can contribute to spider veins.
Heredity can play a significant factor in the development of small varicosities as can the natural aging process. Surgery, trauma, obesity and a medical history of vascular disease like blood clots are also a factor. There are also occupational factors such spending long periods of time in a standing or sitting position. All of these factors can cause the vessel wall to become weak and bulge as can damage to the tiny check valves in the vein. These check valves keep blood and other fluids from moving in the wrong direction.
Changes in lifestyle like losing weight and exercising may help prevent spider veins from forming or reduce their appearance but even keeping fit is not guarantee that the trademark red and blue road map will not appear on your legs. So treating spider veins begins with a trip to physician who will try to determine the cause and may recommend an appropriate treatment or may refer you to a specialist.
Both Vita & Mitch Endick are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Vita has sinced written about articles on various topics from Medicine, Skin Care and Medicine. staff of Nature Power Company, which is a network company dedicated to promoting customers' websites and developing softwares. You can go to the following websites to learn more about our natural organic products. http://www.bcured.net http://www.naturesp. Vita's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
Mitch Endick has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home, Puppies Dogs and Education. Mitch Endick is a short article writer for the popularskin care web site Heprovides informative advice on skin care, acne prevention and cure, cosme. Mitch Endick's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.
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