Varicose Vein Treatment

Unsightly varicose veins not only look bad, but they can make you feel bad — causing pain, fatigue, itching and ankle swelling.

Fortunately, Virginia Commonwealth University Vein Care offers several effective, minimally invasive solutions to this problem, giving you the option to find the treatment that best suits your needs.

About Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are dilated, tortuous and prominent superficial veins. They occur over time, and in combination with age, family history, prolonged standing, added weight, pregnancy, trauma or the normal aging process, when the veins lose their elasticity and the valves fail to close.

This causes reflux of blood down the legs, otherwise known as venous insufficiency. These veins are prone to clots or hemorrhage, and allow blood to pool and the vein walls to bulge and twist into varicose veins. This process affects half of people over the age of 50 and 15 to 25 percent of all adults. It also is not uncommon in young persons.

Varicose Vein Complications and Symptoms

Varicose veins can be unsightly and painful, but also have the potential to lead to more serious medical problems, including leg swelling, skin discoloration or ulceration, fatigue, or heaviness in the leg.

People without visible varicose veins can still have symptoms that may arise from deeper veins.