WHAT ARE VARICOSE VEINS?
Firstly, veins are blood vessels that return deoxygenated blood from the outer parts of the body back to the heart and lungs. When veins become abnormally thick, full of twists or enlarged, they are called Varicose veins.
Varicose veins can form anywhere in the body but they are most often located in the legs and it occurs when the valves in the veins do not work properly, so the blood does not flow effectively. In the U.S. alone, about 19% of men and 36% women have varicose veins. Veins in the leg are either superficial or deep. The superficial veins and their branches are close to the skin. These veins typically become varicose.

QUICK FACTS ON VARICOSE VEINS
- Pregnant women are more susceptible to varicose veins.

- Symptoms can include aching legs, swollen ankles and spider veins.

- People who are overweight have an increased risk of varicose veins.


CAUSES OF VARICOSE VEINS
Many theories exist for why varicose veins occur in veins but the consensus is that defective/damage valves within the veins are to blame. They keep blood in the vein moving towards the heart.
Why the valves stop working is up for debate, some experts think inherited problems cause some people to have too few valves or valves that do not function properly.
Some people maybe born with abnormalities of the vein wall. The resulting weakness may predispose the valves to separate and become leaky, the result is that when a person with poorly function valves stands up the blood flow actually reverses and flows down the superficial veins when it should be flowing up towards the heart. When the muscles surrounding the deep veins contract, emptying the deeper veins a build-up of pressure occurs. This causes even more blood to go the wrong way from the deep to the superficial veins through faulty valves in the perforated veins. This increases pressure in the superficial veins and causes varicosities.

RISK FACTORS OF VARICOSE VEINS
- Pregnancy.
- Obesity or disintended belly.
- Straining; chronic constipation, urinary retention from an enlarge prostate, chronic cough etc.
- Prior surgery or trauma to the leg.


SYMPTOMS OF VARICOSE VEINS
Varicose veins are relatively easy to identify and can be a cosmetic nuisance for many people. They provide or bulge from under the skin and feel ropey. The legs often ache, feel heavy and itchy, symptoms can intensify after a long day of standing on ones feet.
Varicose veins can be more prominent or first appear during menstruation or pregnancy and may be more bothersome during these times.

Varicose veins are prone to developing superficial thrombaphlebitis, which is a blood clot along with inflammation of a segment of vein.

Blood clot in the superficial veins are very easy to detect and troublesome but are usually harmless.
you may feel an area of tenderness and pain in the varicose vein, along with redness and swelling. The area may also feel hard or firm sometimes such areas can represent infection within the vein, so it is a good idea to visit your health care provider if you should develop any of these symptoms.


TREATMENT OF VARICOSE VEIN
Self-care at home
Treatments are available for varicose veins many of them are simple things you can start right now

1. Elevate your legs as much as possible if you can take half-hour breaks during the day to rest,do it.

2. Wear compression stockings/such as (Ted Host or Jobst stockings). The key is to put them on in the morning before if you start walking around and before your veins become more swollen.

3. if you are overweight, try to lose weight. A healthy diet high in fibre and low in fat.

4. Avoid alcohol, which can cause the veins in your legs to dilate.

5. Avoid wearing tight clothing such as girdles or belts.

6. Do not cross your legs when sitting.

7. If you are driving on a trip or working at a desk all day, try to get up and walk around every hour or so to allow the muscles to pump the blood out of the veins.

Medical treatment
1. Sclerotherapy involves injecting a chemical inside the vein that obliterates it. The treatment is only helpful for the spider veins and very small veins.
Complications associated with this technique includes;

-Allergic reactions to the chemical used.

-Stinging or burning at the various injection sites.

-Inflammation and permanent discolouration of the skin.

2. Use of Lasers: Lasers are frequently used in the treatment of smaller spider veins. It can cause changes in the colour or texture of the skin.
Multiple treatments are often required since this mode of therapy is relatively new, only time and experience will tell if it is as effective as older techniques.

source link=https://www.gregoryhealthworld.com/2018/07/varicose-veins-and-its-causes.html