Varicose veins (also known as Venous Reflux Disease) are swollen and/or weakened leg veins. They occur when valves inside the veins break and blood is unable to circulate properly. This is a common condition that affects both men (25%) and women (40%). Varicose veins can look like twisted, bulging, rope-like cords or even small spider veins. They can occur anywhere from the groin to the ankle. Varicose veins are not just a cosmetic problem; they can also lead to life-changing problems such as:1-4

  • Pain, aching or cramping in the legs
  • Heaviness or tiredness
  • Burning or tingling sensations
  • Swelling, throbbing or inflammation
  • Blood clots
  • Ankle sores or skin ulcers
  • Bleeding

What Do Varicose Veins Look &
Feel Like?

Varicose veins usually look bulging and rope-like. They can lead to aching, tired, and swollen legs. They can also cause muscle cramps and restlessness in the legs.5

How Does This Happen?

Healthy leg veins have valves that allow blood to move in one direction from the lower leg to the heart. These valves open when blood is flowing toward the heart and then quickly close to stop any backward flow. When veins weaken and become swollen, their valves cannot close properly, which leads to what is called “venous reflux”. Because of these leaky valves, blood pools and collects in the veins when it should be going to the heart. This happens most often in the veins closest to the skin (superficial veins). 5

  1. The Vein Book /editor, John J. Bergan. Chapter 2: Venous Embryology and Anatomy Geza Mozes and Peter Gloviczki
  2. The Vein Book /editor, John J. Bergan. Chapter 3: Epidemiology of Chronic Peripheral Venous Disease; Michael H. Criqui, Julie O. Denenberg, Robert D. Langer, Robert M. Kaplan, Arnost Fronek
  3. The Vein Book /editor, John J. Bergan. Chapter 9: Pathophysiology of Chronic Venous Insufficiency, Peter J. Pappas, Brajesh K. Lal, Frank T. Padberg. Jr., Robert W. Zickler, Walter N. Duran
  4. “Chronic Venous Insufficiency.” Vascular Web. Society For Vascular Surgery, Jan. 2011. Web. 17 Aug. 2011 http://www.vascularweb.org/vascularhealth/Pages/chronic-venous-insufficiency.aspx.
  5. “Chronic Venous Insufficiency.” Disease And Conditions. Cleveland Clinic, 2009. Web. 19 Aug. 2011. http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/venous_insufficiency/ hvi_chronic_venous_insufficiency.aspx?utm_campaign=CS+-+Heart+-+BR+.