Varicose veins and venous reflux disease are probably more widespread than you would imagine – 15 to 25 percent of adults suffer from the condition. That’s about 30 million people in the U.S. alone who experience symptomatic venous reflux disease and experience its painful symptoms.
It’s understandable that many people choose to combat the condition due to cosmetic reasons, after all, unsightly veins can lower confidence, especially during summer months when legs are out. On the flip side though, some people are forced to undergo varicose vein treatment and varicose vein removal because the pain and discomfort becomes too much to deal with.
Before getting into treatment options, it’s important to understand the source of the issue. Essentially, venous reflux disease is what causes varicose veins. It happens when vein valves become damaged or diseased, resulting in vein valve failure which leads to reflux or a backward flow in the veins and a pooling of blood causes pressure in the leg veins to increase. The increased pressure can cause surface veins to become dilated, or varicose, which creates the noticeable marks we tend to see.
The prevalence of varicose veins is actually correlated to age and gender. According to research in the book Varicose Veins: A guide to prevention and treatment, 72% of women and 42% of men will experience varicose veins by the time they are in their 60s.
Other factors that up the risk of having varicose veins are a family history of the condition, obesity and having a profession that requires a great deal of time spent standing. For women, pregnancy – especially multiple pregnancies – can accelerate the appearance and presence of the veins. While there are obviously some ways to prevent the damaged vein valves, sometimes it’s purely genetics and unavoidable.
Again, while noticeable varicose veins can lead to embarrassment and feeling self-conscious, the increased pressure in the veins can also lead to other more serious symptoms. Discomfort such as pain, throbbing, aching, swelling, fatigue and heaviness can begin in the morning and worsen as the day goes on. Many people will find that they’ll have to ice or elevate their legs at the end of the day in order to relieve these symptoms.
In more extreme cases, the skin in the legs can become damaged, resulting in dark pigmentation and scarring. One percent of adults over 60 also experience incur chronic problems like skin ulcers.
Thankfully though, there are several minimally invasive options for treatment for varicose veins, including sclerotherapy, phlebectomy, the Venefit procedure and the Excel V Laser system. Shore Vascular & Vein Center, which serves New Jersey’s Atlantic County, Cape May County and Ocean County, is well adept in the treatment of varicose veins and venous reflux disease.
Whether you want your legs to be smooth for beach season and shorts weather or are tired of dealing with the pain and discomfort of living with varicose veins, Dr. Jeffrey Gosin and his staff can help relieve your symptoms quickly and painlessly. To find out more information on treatments give them a call at (609) 927-VEIN (8346).
