Complications of Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are not always harmless, as they can lead to several different serious conditions. And, if it gets to these kinds of complications, the name for it is Complicated Venous Disease. Most of the time, it is thrombophlebitis, eczema of the veins, leg ulcers or bleeding, and the problem does not go away easily. Although it is quite common for varicose veins to worsen, they will not necessarily lead to CVDs.

In a healthy person, the blood flow is fluent and directed by the valves. When the flow is interrupted by something, such as an accident or a surgery, the blood flow is controlled by the body, in order to prevent any fatality, through coagulation. This process is the way your body tries to protect itself, in case of any harm. However, coagulation might cause damage, if it does not work properly.

The different types of CVD

Usually, venous thrombosis occurs when the vein walls or the valves which conduct the flow are damaged. This condition may be found in the deeper veins, as well as in the ones that are near the surface. A clot, which is a coagulation of the blood inside a vein, is especially dangerous when it is formed in long veins, such as the ones in the legs. What is more, a clot formed in the superficial veins can move towards the deeper vessels, or the other way around, by dividing the clot into smaller pieces, each called an embolus. These pieces can travel throughout the body, towards vital organs, such as the lungs, leading to what is known as Pulmonary Embolism, which can threaten your life. The thrombosis that occurs in the deep veins is extremely risky and is caused by varicose veins in the lower parts of the legs. The deep venous thrombosis can lead, in a few years, to a complication called post-phlebitic syndrome, which involves a swollen, hard and dark colored skin, ulcers and eczema, because of the damage that the thrombosis has caused to the veins. Venous Thrombosis is more likely to occur in individuals over 40, people who have had surgery or trauma, who have been immobilized, who have gone through thrombosis before or who have had a heart or lung condition.

Another complication is dermatitis ocre, which means that the skin around the leg has a darker color and appears to be rusty, due to iron from the hemoglobin. Similar to this is the eczema, when the leg is itchy and the skin peels off.

More serious complications include ulcers, which are wounds along the leg, and bleeding, which occurs when the veins are too large and break the skin that covers them. Pain is associated with most of these complications, occurring especially after the person sits or stands for a long time throughout the day. The more varicose veins the person has, the worse are the symptoms, which can also include itchiness and swollen ankles.

Although some people do not experience any complications, even after many years of having varicose veins, treating them is necessary, as complications might occur later in time, being more difficult to treat.