Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and swollen with blood. Veins have valves along their inner surface. The purpose of these valves is to keep blood moving toward the heart and not to flow backward toward the feet or pool in the veins of the legs. If blood does pool in the veins, they become enlarged and can be painful. After some time, the enlarged veins become visible; there may be pain in the legs and ankle swelling. In extreme cases, the skin around the ankle may become brown and skin ulcers develop.

An estimated one person in 10 has varicose veins. Most are women ages 30 to 60 who were born with defective valves. Other conditions that can weaken vein valves are obesity, poor posture, prolonged standing or sitting and pregnancy, all of which place additional pressure on veins and restrict blood flow.

What to Do

See your doctor if you have leg pains or a sense of tiredness in you lower legs; if you frequently experience muscle cramps; if your veins are enlarged; if your ankles are swollen; if your ankles are discolored; or if skin ulcers develop on your legs or above your ankles.

Self-care Steps for Varicose Veins

Varicose veins will not disappear without medical or surgical intervention. You can, however, reduce pain and discomfort with these suggestions:

• Avoid standing in one place. Without exercise, blood in the affected veins will pool, pressure will increase, and water can accumulate in the foot, ankle and lower calf, increasing pain.

• Stay active. When you walk, your calf muscles contract. This increases the body's ability to pump blood up to the heart and reduces pressure on your veins. Activity also helps the soft tissues absorb fluids, reducing pain.

• Wear support stockings and laced shoes, both of which minimize fluid retention in soft tissues.

• Don't sleep sitting up.

• When sitting, move your ankles up and down to keep your blood moving or elevate your legs.

• Take special care while traveling. Don't sit in one place without moving your legs. Move your ankles frequently. Get up, walk around and stretch at least every 45 to 60 minutes.

• Don't sit too close to a fire. Inactivity plus the heat that dilates veins can increase fluid retention and discomfort.

• Bathe at night. Heated water early in the day will cause the veins to swell and promote fluid retention, which causes additional pain.

• For those without heart problems, sleep with your feet above your heart. This will make the most of gravitational drainage.

• Elevate your legs above your heart three to four times a day for five to 10 minutes. This is especially helpful if you're pregnant.

• Avoid eating salty foods to reduce the tendency for water retention.