Varicose Vein Complications
Several complications can occur because of varicose veins. This condition will cause the blood to stop flowing like it should. While these complications do not occur with every patient, some patients will develop some kind of complication after a few years of the appearance of varicose veins.
A few of the complications that can occur from varicose veins can be found listed below:
- Bleeding – The varicose veins that are closest to the skin’s surface can sometimes begin to bleed of they are bumped or scratched and this bleeding might be hard to stop. If this happens to you lay flat, leg raised in the air and pressure applied to the abrasion. If the bleeding does not stop you should contact your doctor immediately.
- Thrombophlebitis – This occurs when the veins become swollen or inflamed by a blood clot that has formed. When this happens inside a varicose vein you will experience pain, redness and a warm feeling around the area that is affected. You should contact your doctor if this occurs.
Thrombophlebitis can occur in one of the superficial veins which are located right under the skin’s surface. This is referred to as a superficial thrombophlebitis. To treat thrombophlebitis you can use compression stockings or hose. These can be worn all day and will help the flow of blood throughout your legs. Your doctor might also prescribe paracetamol for any pain you might be experiencing.
- Chronic venous insufficiency – This occurs when the flow of blood in your veins isn’t working correctly. It throws off exchanges of oxygen, waste items, and nutrients between your skin and your blood. If this is disturbed over a long period of time it is referred to as chronic venous insufficiency. Because of this condition additional issues can develop:
- Varicose eczema – This condition will cause your skin to be flaky, crusty and red with blisters sometimes developing also.
- Lipodermatosclerosis – This condition will cause your skin to become hard and taut with some discoloration like reddish or brownish colored. Generally this is a condition that will be found in the area of the calf.
- Venous ulcers – This condition occurs because there is an increase in pressure in the lower leg veins which will allow liquid to leak out from your vein and gather underneath the skin. Because of the fluid the skin will swell, become thicker and collapse which forms an ulcer. This generally occurs in the area of the ankle.
It is important that you contact your doctor immediately if you suffer from any of the symptoms listed above. You can work together to come up with a plan that will help treat the varicose veins, therefore, reducing your risk of complications that come with them. Most of the conditions can be treated by your doctor; however, if you do not seek immediate treatment the condition can worsen causing other complications for you.