Venous disease

Venous disease, simply stated, is a condition brought on by the failure of one or more veins to function normally. Normal veins carry blood from the body's tissues back to the heart. When you walk or exercise, your leg muscles squeeze the veins, thereby helping to move the blood up the leg. When you sit or stand, blood is prevented from flowing backwards by one-way valves located inside the veins.

Normal Valves           Incompetent Valve

Congestion can lead to minor aching and discomfort, swollen legs, and the development of spider and varicose veins.

varicose vein legThe word "varicose" means "dilated and twisted". This is a good description of how abnormal veins in the leg look. Varicose veins rarely leads to a serious health problem. However, it is important to know the facts.

Varicose Vein Facts

1. About 15% of the adult population has varicose veins, with many more women affected than men.

2. Most abnormalities are caused by an inherited (genetically transmitted) weakness in the vein wall, although anyone can develop varicose veins.

3. Varicose veins don't develop overnight and can sometimes take many years to become a problem.

4. Varicose veins can also develop who have had a specific injury to the leg or problems with blood clots in their veins.

5. Having varicose veins does NOT mean that there is anything wrong with other parts of the circulatory system.