What is Varicose Veins ?

Varicose veins disease has started to be seen in many people today. So what is varicose veins, why does it happen? What are the symptoms?

What is varicose veins, the extension of the superficial veins in the leg, their flat or pouch-shaped expansion, thinning and twisting, or the deterioration of the valves in the deep and connecting veins and the backward flow of blood (reflux, leakage..) is the situation.

The heart sends some blood to the tissues through the arteries to meet the body’s needs with each beat. This clean blood gives the necessary oxygen and nutrients to the cells and collects the waste materials in the environment. This blood is now dark in color and is carried back to the heart through the veins. The veins where this dirty blood is carried are divided into 3 as superficial, deep and connecting veins;

How Many Ways Are Varicose Veins Seen?

Superficial veins: They are located under the skin and can be seen with the naked eye. The most common disease in superficial veins is varicose veins.

Deep veins: They travel deep together with the adjacent arteries and cannot be seen with the naked eye. They are considered as highways that provide 90% of the leg dirty blood drainage. The most common disease in the deep vein system is occlusion and Valve Insufficiency, also known as internal varicose veins.

Connecting veins; They are the vessels between the deep vein system and the skin, subcutaneous and superficial vascular system.

Here is the answer to the question of what is varicose veins, the elongation of these superficial veins in the leg, expansion in the form of a flat or sac, thinning and twisting, or the deterioration of the valves in the deep and connecting veins and the backflow of blood (reflux, leakage..).

Varicose veins is not as simple as it seems, it is much more complex than it seems. Even if there is a capillary varicose, if a superficial varicose appears on a leg, there is a reason behind it. Generally, the underlying causes are insufficiency in superficial, deep and connecting vessels.

It should be noted that the absence of visible varicose veins does not mean that there is no venous insufficiency.

Color Doppler ultrasonography is based on the principle of imaging the veins carrying dirty blood with ultrasonic sound waves. In this way, especially the inguinal and all the veins located below the groin can be evaluated.

Clots in the veins, obstructions, leakages in the blood flow and valve insufficiency, venous structures under the skin, connecting vessels can be easily determined. Since only inpatient examinations will give incomplete results, the report may not be sufficient.

The diagnosis of varicose veins should be made by the physician who will carry out the treatment with color Doppler ultrasonography, and mapping should be done while performing the treatment and the measurements should be recorded correctly. When control ultrasonography is required, the results should be compared with the previous ultrasonography and the effects of varicose veins should be evaluated.

What Causes Varicose?

There is no definite consensus about why varicose veins develop, but the existence of some facilitating factors is accepted. Physiopathologically, the two main factors in the formation of varicose veins are valvular insufficiency and venous hypertension.

To push blood upward from the feet, veins rely on muscles and an intricate network of one-way valves to keep blood flowing toward the heart and lungs rather than backwards. If the muscles and venous valves weaken or fail, the vein becomes insufficient and blood begins to collect in the vein instead of returning to the heart. Valves can weaken for a variety of reasons, but regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle have been shown to reduce instances of venous insufficiency. Anyone can develop spider veins, especially women who have had a pregnancy; however, men and women of all ages can be affected.