Varicose veins

Education

Should You Worry About Varicose Veins? Watch for These Signs & Symptoms

Varicose veins often spur women to visit vein clinics that offer mostly cosmetic solutions. But when are varicose veins a medical issue that warrants a visit to your doctor or a vascular specialist?

Affecting an estimated 30 million U.S. adults, varicose veins may cause swelling, aches and pains. They may not always be considered serious, but varicose veins may lead to skin ulcers or result from a history of blood clots in veins deep inside the leg. Enlarged varicose veins and swollen legs may also signal other potentially serious health issues such as deep vein thrombosis, better known as DVT.

Venous leg ulcers are the most common complication of varicose veins. Venous ulcers, or open sores, can occur when the veins in your legs do not push blood back up to your heart as normally as they should.  If varicose veins aren't treated, they develop into open wounds about 3 to 6 percent of the time, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Other possible complications such as vein inflammations, thrombosis or bleeding are rare.

Eileen C. de Grandis, M.D., vascular surgeon and medical director of the Vein Clinic at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health.

The following problems may be signs of a complication and should be checked out by a doctor fast, according to the NIH:

  • Ulcers or open wounds in the ankle area that were not caused by an injury and have still not healed after two weeks;
  • Major swelling in the leg;
  • Reddened veins that feel warm and are painful;
  • Bleeding from or near varicose veins;
  • A rash near the varicose veins.

Bleeding of varicose veins is rare, but can be serious -- so immediate medical attention is needed. As first-aid treatment, it's important to raise the leg and apply pressure to the site of bleeding.

Enlarged varicose veins and swollen legs may also signal other potentially serious health issues such as deep vein thrombosis, better known as DVT. In the most serious cases, DVT can cause a blood clot to partially or totally break away and travel to the lungs.

Consult with your doctor about varicose veins. Your doctor may refer you to a vascular specialist. The vascular team with the Vein Clinic at Boca Raton Regional Hospital provides comprehensive treatments that are both therapeutic and cosmetic to address varicose veins and other symptoms of venous disease — unlike many independent vein clinics that advertise widely to women.

“We look at the entire circulatory system,” emphasizes Eileen C. de Grandis, M.D., vascular surgeon and medical director of the Vein Clinic at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. “We look for venous disease. We look for arterial disease. We look for lymphatic disease. We try to get you the right diagnosis for what you have, and then tailor your surgical procedures or non-surgical treatment to treating that actual problem.”

The most common symptoms of varicose veins are:

  • Color changes in the skin;
  • Bulging bluish-colored veins;
  • Sores on the legs (leg ulcers);
  • Rash;
  • Sensations in the legs, such as a heavy feeling, burning, or aching.

Over time, severe varicose veins may lead to long-term mild swelling. That can result in more serious skin and tissue problems. These include ulcers and nonhealing sores.

For more information: Explore varicose vein treatment options.

Healthcare that Cares

With internationally renowned centers of excellence, 12 hospitals, more than 28,000 employees, 4,500 physicians and 200 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties, Baptist Health is an anchor institution of the South Florida communities we serve.

Language Preference / Preferencia de idioma

I want to see the site in English

Continue In English

Quiero ver el sitio en Español

Continuar en español