Yulia Berry is an independent health researcher and author of the best selling e-books Aloe - Your Miracle Doctor and Pharmacy In Vegetables. She distributes a weekly newsletter regarding great home remedies and has written dozens of natural health articles published on hundreds of websites worldwide. Yulia Berry's new ebook 'Unlocked Secrets of Curative Garlic' to be released soon.
Those enlarged discolored veins found on the back of a person’s calves or thighs that appear swollen or twisted are known as varicose veins. These veins typically reach about three inches in diameter and can be very painful and itchy and scratching them can cause open sores to appear. Varicose veins happen more frequently in women and people over 50.
Causes of varicose veins
Researchers are still debating as to what really causes varicose veins and the existence is still somewhat of a mystery. However there are some theories out there as to why they show up...
- Excess weight: Excess weight on the body can put a lot of strain on the abdominal muscles, which in turn puts strain on the leg veins. This could cause the veins to enlarge.
- Standing: Standing for long periods of time can also put excess strain on the leg vins causing them to strain. This could also be exacerbated by excess weight.
- Weak vein valves: Veins have valves in them that keep the blood from flowing backwards as it travels up the leg. In the case of varicose veins, however, these valves can weaken which will result in the blood leaking back and pooling within the vein. This collected blood can then enlarge and stretch the vein and become varicose.
- Weak vein walls: Weakened walls can stretch the vein and cause the valve to malfunction causing varicose veins. This can happen in women who are pregnant or on their period since they produce hormones and weaken the vein walls.
- Genes: Studies have shown that people with family members who suffer from varicose veins have a much better chance of getting the condition themselves. Weak veins and vein walls may also be hereditary.
- Arterio-Venous shunts: These shunts help keep the high blood pressure of the arteries from overwhelming the veins, however they may also contribute to varicose veins since the can weaken the vein walls by helping the blood bypass the capillaries. Hormones that are created during pregnancy, puberty and menopause can cause these arterio-venous shunts.
Treatments
- Vein stripping: This is surgery that is used to treat the most severe cases of varicose veins. It is a technique that involves inserting a flexible implement through the varicose veins. The vein is then removed as the implement is taken out. This procedure is usually done under local anesthesia and involves a overnight stay in the hospital.
- Endovenous radio frequency closure: this technique is a little less invasive and the patient can go home the same day. It involves using a catheter to transmit radio frequency energy to seal up the varicose vein. This will turn the varicose vein into scar tissue cusing it to fade away in several days.
- Endovenous laser procedure: This is a lot like the above technique except that a diode laser is used.
- Scelerotherapy: This is a common treatment in which a solution such as sodium tetradecyl sulfate, hypertonic saline, or aethoxyskerol is injected into the varicose vein. This solution will then seal up the vein walls and stop the flow of blood. The varicose veins will then turn into scar tissue and fade away. This procedure is also a same day procedure allowing the patient to go about their business afterward. Follow up procedures might be needed.
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