What are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are dilated veins characterized by preventing blood from flowing back to the heart. Although this disease can occur anywhere in the body, it mainly affects the veins of the legs.
Varicose veins are caused by a malfunction of the venous valves which, if not properly closed, make blood pool in the veins, which swell and provoke a hemorrhage. Over time, this leads to a stagnation that has a direct impact on the appearance of varicose veins on the legs.
Approximately one in ten people suffers from varicose veins, especially women due to the consequences of pregnancy and hormonal fluctuations.
Varicose veins can be classified in 4 grades:
Grade 1: Although it may vary from one individual to another considering factors such as orthostatism (standing position), degree 1 varicose veins are generally considered to be an aesthetical problem, even though in some cases it may cause heaviness and tiredness on the legs.
Grade 2: These varicose veins are more visible and swollen than the ones above. They cause upsets (a high percentage of patients present symptoms), thus becoming a health problem. They can sometimes cause varicorrhage (bleeding of a vein), skin dystrophies and hypodermitis.
Grade 3: These varicose veins present a higher dilatation and tortuousness (many patients refer to them as “cables” in their legs). Changes in the pigmentation of the skin can be experienced. It can turn brownish-gray – because of the hemosiderine – as well as hard, flaky, dry and wrinkled. People suffering from these varicose veins experience more intense pains and inflammatory reactions of the skin, therefore resulting in skin dystrophies. Surgery is necessary to treat this degree of varicose veins.
Grade 4: It is the final consequence of degree 3 varicose veins, with the common complications of the disease such as painful ulcerations specially located in the internal perimaleolar region, trophic changes on the skin and pulmonary embolism (the most serious complication derived from this disease but also the least frequent one). Pulmonary embolism – which is many times followed by a heart attack – can cost the life of the one suffering from it, since it causes the obstruction of a pulmonary artery by a blood clot proceeding from one of these degree 3 varicose veins that moved and got to the deep venous circulation and from there to the pulmonary arteries.
