Varicose veins are a type of damaged vein that becomes visible through the skin and can also be hidden beneath the skin. The most common cause of varicose veins is incompetent valves inside veins. When the valves in the leg veins don’t work well, the blood they carry can no longer efficiently flow back up the body. This backward blood flow causes pooling in the lower leg. If not treated, visible varicose veins and other symptoms may occur over time.
Symptoms can include pain, heaviness, fatigue, swelling, restless legs, as well as burning and itching sensations, and ultimately ulcerations. It is important to realize that symptoms may occur with or without visible, large ropy veins.
Varicose veins are extremely common, and we see both men and women for varicose vein treatment in the Columbus area.