Don’t Ignore Varicose Veins
Don’t you wish they’d just go away? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to wake up tomorrow and have all of your varicose veins and spider veins magically disappeared? We all know that the person who can invent a varicose-veins-begone pill will retire a rich man indeed.
We know we can’t wish away the varicose veins, but there appear to be lots of kinds of cover-up make ups that can hide them from view pretty well.
But then, out of sight, out of mind, is that really a good thing when we’re dealing with varicose veins? If all we do is conceal the affected areas, then we’re failing to treat the problem itself. Let’s examine what can happen if you fail to treat your varicose veins.
We all have different internal clocks, so the timeline differs for each of us, but the inevitability remains the same. If we fail to take action, we’ll begin to notice that the existing varicose veins will enlarge. Hardening of the arteries may occur, and this will bring with it the increased likelihood of stroke or heart attack, a dangerous risk to leave untreated.
If we fail to do anything about our varicose veins, you can just bet that the heavy, achy, and tired feeling that is already present in your legs is only going to get worse. The swelling certainly isn’t going to vanish on its own. And the tenderness to touch that you’re experiencing isn’t going to improve by wishing it away.
For women these problems can be even more pronounced as the symptoms often will grow in intensity just prior to menstruation.
When we let these situations progress unabated, varicose veins (and spider veins) can lead to further medical complications by enlarging the sites of affected veins, which causes the kind of venous insufficiency that keeps blood from returning to the heart. This venous insufficiency can lead to clots, also known as phlebitis.
Phlebitis can be extremely serious; it can occur when your blood flow slows down and your body’s clotting mechanism kicks into gear. Even a minor trauma to the body can switch on your body’s tendency to clot sitting (or slowed) blood.
Depending on the veins that are involved, phlebitis can pose the very real danger that a clot can break loose in the circulatory system and head for an area where it can cause dire consequences, such as the lungs. Once these clots reach the lungs they can play havoc with the functions of both the heart and the lungs, sometimes resulting in a fatal outcome.
Even when the clots don’t travel about, they can bring severe discomfort to the affected areas and cause a swollen throbbing that is highly painful. Untreated, the condition will continue to amplify the symptoms, probably forcing you to address the medical situation far later than you should have.
Remember, you can hide the unsightliness of varicose veins and spider veins, but you cannot hide the effect they’re having on your well-being. Talk with your doctor and find out what treatment options are available to you.
