Are Varicose Veins Dangerous to My Health?

Most people believe varicose veins are nothing more than a cosmetic problem. But those bulging, twisted veins are more than unattractive. They’re symptoms of an underlying venous disease that can cause serious problems.

You can still develop leg problems and a serious wound even if your varicose veins don’t cause symptoms like leg pain, itching, and burning.

With offices serving NWI in Hobart, LaPorte, Munster, Valparaiso, and Merrillville, Indiana, our vein specialists at the Centers for Pain Control and Vein Care can quickly and painlessly evaluate your leg veins. Then, we’ll recommend the best treatment for eliminating the veins and restoring healthy circulation (and better-looking legs).

Why varicose veins can cause health problems

Varicose veins disrupt blood flow through your legs. The veins in your legs depend on muscle contractions when you move to push blood up the legs. Valves inside the veins make sure blood flows in one direction: up towards your heart.

When the valves weaken and stop working, some blood keeps flowing to your heart. However, some blood also goes backward, flowing down your leg.

The refluxing blood gets trapped by the next healthy valve and builds up in the vein. This condition, chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), is the underlying disease that causes varicose veins.

Chronic venous insufficiency complications

Chronic venous insufficiency is responsible for three health problems:

1. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

DVT occurs when a blood clot develops in the veins in the center of your leg. (By comparison, varicose veins affect the superficial veins close to your skin.)

Chronic venous insufficiency significantly increases your risk of DVT because it slows blood flow. The sluggish movement lets blood thicken and leads to clots.

Seek help immediately if you have DVT symptoms like leg swelling, pain, or cramping (often in the calf), or your skin feels warm or turns red or purple. DVT can threaten your life if the clot breaks free and travels to your lungs.

2. Stasis dermatitis

Chronic venous insufficiency raises pressure in the lower leg veins. The high venous pressure pushes fluids out of the veins. As the fluids spread into the surrounding tissues, they cause inflammation, redness, and dry, scaly skin.

Without treatment, stasis dermatitis may progress to cause hyperpigmentation and lipodermatosclerosis. Hyperpigmentation means the skin in your lower leg turns a reddish or violet-brown color.

Lipodermatosclerosis occurs when the fat layer under your skin becomes inflamed. As a result, the skin thickens and hardens.

These three conditions are warning signs that you have a high risk of developing the next condition: a venous stasis ulcer. Prompt treatment can prevent that from occurring.

3. Venous stasis ulcers

Ulcers are open wounds that develop in the lower leg, often around the ankle. Venous ulcers begin when fluids from the veins break down your skin. 

Venous wounds are shallow, red, and typically have an irregular border. The ulcer may also ooze or bleed. Though the wound may not be painful, the skin around the edges may become inflamed and cause discomfort.

Always seek immediate medical care at the first sign of an ulcer. These wounds don’t heal on their own, and they keep enlarging. Without intensive wound care, the expanding ulcer can cause dangerous skin and bone infections.

Learn about your varicose vein treatment options

Varicose vein treatments eliminate the unsightly veins along with the damaged valves. Your body reroutes blood to nearby veins, restoring healthy circulation and preventing lower leg complications.

Call Centers for Pain Control and Vein Care or complete the online form today to request an appointment to learn about your treatment options.