‘Varicose veins’ that make your legs heavy, what habits cause it?

According to the statistics of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of patients who visited the hospital with varicose veins (disease code I83) in 2022 was the highest in July. When blood vessels dilate in hot summer weather, more blood stays in the legs, pressure on the legs increases, and symptoms of varicose veins can get worse. Learn about the symptoms, treatment and prevention of varicose veins.

The main symptom is leg fatigue, not blood vessel protrusion

According to the Korean Society of Vascular Surgery and the Korean Society of Varicose Veins, ‘Public Perception of Varicose Veins Disease’, 85% of 900 general people considered ‘protrusion of leg veins’ as a representative symptom of varicose veins. However, it was found that actual patients most often complained of ‘feeling heavy or tired in the legs’. Rather, out of 124 actual patients, less than half experienced blood vessel protrusion. In addition, pain in the soles of the feet and frequent cramps while sleeping were followed.

Caused by abnormalities in the valves that prevent the backflow of blood

Vein valves help blood circulate upward in the legs. If this valve is damaged, blood in the legs cannot rise and becomes stagnant. As a result, when the pressure applied to the vein increases, the blood vessel expands. If blood circulation is not made due to the increased blood vessels, the legs are easily fatigued, swollen, and cramps. In particular, it is characteristic that the symptoms are more prominent in the evening or at night than in the morning.

Various causes such as family history, pregnancy, lifestyle, etc.

Family history or genetic factors have the greatest influence on the occurrence of varicose veins. Kangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital Vascular Surgery Professor Cho Seong-shin said, “According to several studies, about 80% of patients with varicose veins have had at least one family member treated for varicose veins or are considering treatment.” “Pregnancy is the second most important factor after family history, and in addition to increased abdominal pressure as the uterus grows, hormonal changes due to pregnancy play a major role,” he explained.

In addition, varicose veins can occur due to abdominal obesity or chronic diseases that increase abdominal pressure, a job that involves standing for more than 6 hours a day, a job that involves sitting in a chair for a long time, a history of deep vein thrombosis, and a habitual posture of sitting with legs crossed.

Can be easily examined with blood vessel ultrasound

The diagnosis of varicose veins is made by ultrasound of the veins. The correct name is Doppler ultrasonography, which can check blood flow and the degree of narrowing of blood vessels. It is the surest method that can be diagnosed relatively easily without special pretreatment such as fasting or administration of a contrast agent. Varicose veins are diagnosed when regurgitation is confirmed for more than 0.5 seconds.

Treatment by removing and occluding problem blood vessels

The fundamental treatment is to improve the circulation of veins through surgery. The classical surgical method is to incise the skin to remove the problematic blood vessel, but recently, many surgical methods have been performed to close the blood vessel by making a small hole and inserting a catheter into the blood vessel. When blood vessels are occluded, blood that is stagnant in the lower extremities is diverted to other blood vessels and symptoms are improved.

Prevention with high elasticity compression stockings and stretching

If there are risk factors for varicose veins, such as family history, pregnancy, and childbirth, it is recommended to wear high-elastic compression stockings to prevent them. It is also important to maintain an appropriate weight so as not to increase abdominal pressure. If you have to stand or sit for a long time due to the nature of your work, alternately raising and lowering your legs every 3 to 5 minutes, or stretching your ankles. It is good to avoid tight clothes or excessively high heels that hinder blood circulation.