Who develops varicose veins?
About 3 in 10 adults develop the thick 'trunk' type of varicose veins at some time in their life. The thinner reticular or telangiectasia type varicose veins are more common, but may not be as obvious as the larger, 'knobbly' varicose veins. Most people with varicose veins do not have an underlying disease and they occur for no apparant reason. However, the chance of them developing is increased with:
- Pregnancy. This is partly due to the baby causing extra pressure on the veins, and partly because hormones you make during pregnancy tend to relax vein walls. The more babies you have, the more the risk of permanent varicose veins developing.
- Age. They are more common with increasing age.
- Being overweight which appears to increase the chance for women but not men.
- Standing lots. Jobs which involve lots of standing are often said to cause varicose veins. However, there is little scientific evidence to support this theory - so it may not be true.
Sometimes an underlying disease may cause varicose veins. For example, they may develop in superficial leg veins if you have had a previous blood clot (thrombosis) in a deep leg vein.
What are the symptoms of varicose veins?
Apart from being unsightly, most people with varicose veins have no symptoms. Larger trunk varicose veins sometimes ache or feel 'heavy' at the end of the day. Sometimes the skin over the veins may itch.
Are there any complications of varicose veins?
Most people with varicose veins do not develop complications. Complications develop in a small number of cases. If complication d o develop it is typically several years after the varicose veins first appear. However, it is impossible to predict who will develop complications. The visible size of the varicose veins is not related to whether complications will develop.
Possible complications include: inflammation of the vein (phlebitis); swelling of the feet; discolouration of the skin over the prominent veins; eczema of the lower leg; skin ulcers.
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