Vein Disease
※ The treatment results may vary from person to person. Please consult the doctor before treatment.
Introduction //
WHAT IS A VEIN ?
A vein is a kind of vessel through which the blood can flow back to your heart. For example, the green vessels under the skin of your hands or feet are veins.
There are many valves in the peripheral veins to prevent blood from going down due to gravity. With the intact valves, the venous blood can flow in the same direction, back to the right atrium. There is no pulsation on the vein.
WHAT ARE VARICOSE VEINS ?
Varicose veins are tortuous and engorged veins due to destruction of the venous wall from chronic high venous pressure.
The high venous pressure usually results from reflux of the blood flow owing to the incompetency of the venous valves.
Other causes of high venous pressure include venous obstruction, heart failure, obesity, or simply standing for a long time.
When the calf muscles contract (M), the blood flow in both superficial (S) and deep (D) veins is pushed upward.
In patients with varicose veins, the venous valves can not close properly when calf muscles relax. It causes reflux of the blood flow and hence accumulation of excessive blood in the vein, leading to venous hypertension.
CAUSES OF VARICOSE VEINS
There are many causes of varicose veins, including standing or sitting for a long time, pregnancy, hereditary factors, overweight, female hormone, aging process, deep vein thrombosis, arteriovenous malformation, venous inflammation or infection, very strenous exercise, etc.
SYMPTOMS OF VARICOSE VEINS
Varicose veins not only influece the cosmetic appearance but also produce many symptoms due to blood stasis and venous hypertension.
Common symptoms include local pain, swollen sensation, soreness or aching of calf, heaviness sensation, tingling, calf or foot cramps. Severe forms of varicose veins usually have complications, such as calf skin darkening, blood clots in the veins, poorly healing wounds, perforation, bleeding, skin inflammation or infection, etc.