Varicose veins are a common condition in which the veins in your legs become enlarged. This condition can lead to painful inflammation, itching, and throbbing sensations. If left untreated, it can also lead to other serious health problems such as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. That’s why at Reno Sparks MedSpa in Reno, NV, we offer the best in non-surgical varicose and spider vein treatments to help you get your beautiful legs back.
What Happens if Varicose Veins Are Left Untreated?
Understand What They Are
Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that often look blue or dark purple. They can be found anywhere in your body but most commonly appear on the legs. These veins usually develop due to pressure from too much standing or sitting for long periods. However, many other factors may contribute to their development, including genetics and hormonal changes during pregnancy.
What Happens if Left Untreated?
If these veins are left untreated, they can lead to serious health problems, including:
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
This is the formation of a blood clot in one or more deep veins, usually in your leg. If this blood clot dislodges and travels through your bloodstream to another part of the body, it can cause serious health problems such as stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism (PE), and even death.
Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot travels from the deep veins in your leg and lodges itself into one or more of your pulmonary arteries that lead to your lungs. This can cause extreme shortness of breath, chest pain, and even death if not treated immediately.
Increased Swelling and Inflammation
If these veins are left untreated, the increased pressure in your legs can lead to a decrease in blood flow. This causes an increase in fluid retention, causing continued swelling and inflammation.
Permanent Skin Changes
This vein disorder causes the blood flow to become increasingly slowed down. This causes a decrease of oxygen to your skin that leads to permanent changes such as brown or blue discoloration and thick scars. Rashes can also develop due to continued exposure to moisture developing in these veins. Thickening of the skin is also common when the veins are repeatedly injured by exposure to pressure.
Ulcer Formation
Skin ulcers are open sores that develop on your lower legs or feet and are caused by a lack of blood flow to the affected areas. The decrease in oxygen in the tissues causes the skin cells to die off and form an open sore where bacteria can enter, causing further infection.
Treatment
At Reno Sparks MedSpa, we offer the best non-surgical varicose and spider vein treatments to help remove these veins without surgery or invasive procedures. These treatments include laser, sclerotherapy, and compression sleeves.
Laser Treatment
Laser treatment uses specific wavelengths of light to heat the blood vessels gradually, which causes them to close off. This technique is painless and offers lasting results. The treatment process is done in several sessions, each lasting about 15 to 30 minutes. You can expect to see your varicose veins disappear within a few weeks of the first treatment session.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is another safe and effective treatment option. It involves injecting a solution directly into the problematic veins. This causes irritation and inflammation of these blood vessels, ultimately making them shrink down in size. This treatment is done in our office and is typically completed within 15 to 30 minutes per session.
Compression Sleeves
This treatment is recommended if the problematic veins are located on the lower legs. Compression sleeves work by applying pressure to these blood vessels, which helps push them back up against your leg muscles where they belong. These elasticated garments help prevent blood from pooling in the affected areas and significantly reduce your risk of developing more severe conditions.
Causes
Varicose veins are common when valves in your leg, pelvis, and groin area do not function properly. The most common cause of this problem is aging as well as genetics. However, there can be other factors such as obesity or pregnancy.
Age
As we age, the valves in our legs can weaken, causing blood to flow backward. This condition is extremely common as people get into their 40s and 50s because of a reduced elasticity in the leg muscles that control these valves.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, the volume of blood in a woman’s body increases significantly. This can lead to increased pressure on veins that are located near the pelvic region. The increased pressure causes these valves to fail, and blood begins pooling up in the legs or feet.
Obesity
This vein disorder is also common for overweight people. That’s because they put additional stress on leg muscles due to their weight. It’s important to maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly to help prevent this condition from developing.
Genetics
This condition may also be genetic. If a member of your family has this condition or even spider veins, you are likely to develop the disorder as well.
Prevention
There are several things you can do to reduce your risk of developing these veins, including:
Exercise Regularly
Staying active helps strengthen leg muscles, which enhances the way they function. This helps the valves in the legs to pump blood back up toward the heart and lungs for complete circulation.
Wear Compression Stockings When Standing for Long Periods
These garments help prevent blood from flowing backward by applying pressure on veins located below the knee region. The stockings improve blood circulation and reduce the swelling often associated with this condition.
Avoid Standing or Sitting for a Long Period
People who spend most of their day sitting, especially in the same position, are at a higher risk for developing this condition. Try to avoid remaining in one place for too long and take frequent breaks by getting up and walking around.
Avoid High Heels
It is best to avoid wearing high heels if you have this vein disorder as your legs are likely to swell when standing for an extended period. That’s because when you wear heels, you put added pressure on the veins that control blood flow around the lower body region, which can cause the valves to fail.
Elevate Your Legs
Elevating your legs above your heart level can help reduce swelling and improve blood flow. You may use pillows, stools, and other similar items to elevate the legs for temporary relief from symptoms such as pain, heaviness in the legs, and burning sensation around the affected skin.
Symptoms
Varicose veins may not show any symptoms at first, but you might start to notice veins that appear bulging or dark over time. Other possible symptoms include:
Pain
You may not feel any pain or discomfort when this disorder is still in the early stages. However, as the condition becomes more severe, people often begin experiencing pain, which could be sharp or throbbing in nature. This pain typically worsens with physical activity, such as walking for longer distances.
Swollen Legs
People with this condition will often develop swollen legs because their veins cannot properly pump blood back toward the heart and lungs. The swelling typically occurs in the lower leg area. Still, swelling could spread throughout other parts of your body, such as ankles, feet, and even thighs, if left untreated over a prolonged period.
Skin Discoloration
Skin discoloration appears when there is an accumulation of blood underneath the skin near affected areas. The discoloration is often the result of blood trapped in the veins, causing the skin to swell and stretch. The skin color can vary from reddish to blue to purplish to gray-brown, depending on how long blood has been trapped in these veins.
Skin Dryness and Itching
When the skin does not receive enough oxygen, it can become dry and develop cracks. This leads to itching sensations that may be unbearable at times.
Edema
Edema is a condition where you experience swollen legs due to excess fluid accumulating around tissues under your skin surface area. This condition makes it extremely difficult to walk around comfortably.
Get Treated Today!
Varicose veins are often painful and uncomfortable for those who experience them. If left untreated, they can lead to severe complications, such as blood clots, which can be fatal in some cases. Call us at Reno Sparks MedSpa in Reno, NV, to schedule a consultation and learn more about the treatments we offer to help fix this common problem.
Powered by Crystal Clear Digital Marketing Reviews
