Varicose veins are enlarged, swollen, and twisting veins, often appearing blue or dark
purple.
They happen when faulty valves in the veins allow blood to flow in the wrong direction
or to pool.
So in this video, im going to share with you what varicose veins are, what causes them,
3 ways to treat them, and 5 ways to prevent them, so stay tuned till the end.
Hi guys, yaseen arsalan, media pharmacist here on youtube, this week's video is on varicose
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And without further ado, lets talk about varicose veins.
Approximately 1 in 4 adults in the United States is affected by varicose veins.
They are large, swollen, and twisted veins that often appear and can be felt on the legs
and feet.
They happen when the valves in the veins do not work properly, so the blood doesnt really
flow effectively.
You see, Your veins bring blood back to your heart through one-way valves and elastic walls.
Over time, the valves weaken and the walls lose their elasticity.
Blood starts to backflow and pools until it stretches out the veins for good.
This typically happens in the calves or the inner legs as these regions are more vulnerable.
Because leg veins are furthest from the heart, the blood has a longer way to travel and works
upward against gravity under constant pressure of body weight.
The blood ends up leaking back into the lower part of the vein rather than going toward
the heart in one direction.
And this is what ends up causing varicose veins.
They typically arent dangerous, and the common complication you might experience is the open
wound or ulcer which happens 3-6% of the time.
You should have your doctor look at them if the open wounds do not heal within 2 weeks,
if there is any major swelling issues, redness that doesnt go away or bleeding.
A Deep vein thrombosis or (DVT) is a serious condition with blood clots occur in the deep
veins.
This doesnt usually happen with varicose veins, Because varicose veins affect the veins close
to the surface of the skin.
However, with severe varicose veins, there is a small chance of developing blood clots
in the deep veins, so please have your doctor look at them, just to make sure.
Its important to distinguish between varicose veins and what you hear quite often referred
to as spider veins.
Spider veins are similar to varicose veins.
The difference is that they’re smaller and more superficial.
While varicose veins are thick and blue, spider veins look stringy and reddish and can show
up on the face, chest, or legs.
Your doctor will want to look at your varicose veins to rule out any other underlying conditions.
Tests such as ultrasounds or venograms help ensure that another disorder like a blood
clot or a blockage isn’t causing the pain and swelling in your legs.
After your doctor has ruled this out, the following 3 treatments can help.
Number 1: Improve your circulation.
This includes getting enough exercise throughout the week to maintain good health, which is
150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a
week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity.
Exercise also helps to lower a person’s blood pressure, which is another contributing
factor to varicose veins.
Other ways to improve your blood circulation is: losing enough weight to maintain a healthy
weight range that is suited for you, massage- as this can help to keep the blood moving
through the veins, just make sure not to press firmly against the veins, and lastly keeping
the legs elevated at the same height as the heart or above can help to improve circulation
as this reduces the pressure in the leg veins.
Do this for 3 or 4 times a day for about 15 minutes at a time.
Number 2: Is the use of compression stockings.
A study from 2018 found that people who used knee-high compression stockings with a pressure
of 18 to 21 mmHg for one week, reported a reduction in the pain and aching associated
with varicose veins.
But if your varicose veins are mild, you can start with 8-15 mmgHg,and The benefit to them
is that elastic stockings squeeze the veins and prevent blood from pooling and can be
effective if they are worn every day.
And Number 3: Medical Procedures.
The 4 major ones being, sclerotherapy, which is most common for varicose veins and spider
veins, in which a salt or chemical solution is injected into the vein.
They scar the lining of the vein and no longer carry blood.
And, other veins end up taking over.
Thermal ablation: which uses Lasers or radiofrequency energy to either destroy the vein or shut
down the vein.
Then there is vein stripping: which removes the vein altogether, and then lastly: microphlebectomy:
in which Special tools are inserted through small cuts or (incisions) which then remove
the varicose veins.
Talk to your doctor to see what the most effective treatment plan or procedure will be for you,
as they can take a look at your veins and decide from there.
Now that weve covered treatment, lets look at 5 ways to preventing them.
Number 1: Reducing your salt intake.
The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that Americans consume less than
2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day as part of a healthy eating pattern.
Salty or sodium-rich foods can cause the body to retain water, so cutting down on salty
food can minimize water retention and the appearance of enlarged veins.
Number 2: Wear non restrictive clothing.
Wearing tight-fitting clothes can restrict blood flow.
Wearing loose-fitging clothes that do not restrict the blood supply to the lower body,
will help with circulation.
Also, Wearing flat shoes instead of high heels may also help with varicose veins in the legs.
Number 3: Avoid crossing your legs while sitting, this increases the pressure on the veins and
can make them appear larger.
Number 4: Im going to stress the importance of exercise again.
Strong muscles help expedite pumping blood out of the legs back to the heart.
And lastly number 5: Hormone treatments such as birth control pills, may increase your
risk of varicose veins.
This is because female hormones tend to relax vein walls.
So if this is an issue, look for alternative methods of birth control that can equally
suffice.
Over time, vein valves will naturally tend to get weaker, causing varicose veins to get
worse.
SO You can’t do much about your age, gender, or family history.
But following a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, staying properly hydrated, and keeping
your blood pressure healthy are all aspects within your control that can help you better
manage varicose veins.
So dont feel hopeless.
I hope that this video was informative and helpful to you.
I may have not covered all your questions, so feel free to comment down below what you
thought and let me know if you did enjoy the video.
Thank you so much for staying tuned all the way to the end, I hope this was of value and
as always, see you on the next one.