What Is Vein Disease?
Vein disease is a condition that can affect the veins in the legs. It can cause leg pain, varicose veins, swollen legs, or open sores. Varicose veins are swollen and twisted veins.
Vein disease happens when the veins in the legs do not work the right way. Normally, the veins in the legs carry blood from the legs back to the heart. The veins have tiny valves inside them to help keep blood moving in only one direction (toward the heart). The valves open to let blood flow to the heart, and close to keep it from flowing back down the leg. Vein disease can happen when the valves are damaged or do not work well. This causes blood to collect in the legs. Blood is especially likely to collect in the legs when a person sits or stands for a long time without walking.
What Conditions Can Cause Vein Disease? – Vein Disease Can Be Caused By:
- A blood clot in a leg vein
- Leg injury
- Being pregnant more than once – This causes a change in hormone levels that can weaken vein walls.
- Weight gain
- Vein disease also commonly runs in families.
What are the symptoms of vein disease? –Â People with vein disease can have symptoms that include:
- Leg pain, or the leg feeling tired or heavy
- Swollen veins – “Spider veins” are small leg veins that are swollen
- “Varicose veins” are larger leg veins that are swollen and twisted
- Swelling in the lower legs or ankles – People can have swelling at the end of the day or all the time.
- Skin colour changes – The skin can turn red or red-brown. Skin colour changes often happen first around the ankle.
- Itchiness or eczema in the lower leg with dry clay skin
- Open sores, also called “venous ulcers” – These are usually at the ankle and can be painful and ooze.
Is there a test for vein disease? –Â Yes. Our sonographers will do an exam to look at your legs. This test is called a duplex ultrasound. An ultrasound can check how well the valves in the legs work. It can also see if any of the veins in the legs are blocked.
EXAMINATION DURATION: Approximately 30 minutes