Small Varicose Veins In Your Calves? Here's What You Should Know About Them

Health & Medical Blog

If you have small varicose veins in your calves and can't get rid of them with exercise, you might have given up and accepted your fate. You shouldn't give up on your quest to be varicose vein free. There are non-surgical treatments that can remove or prevent varicose veins, including sclerotherapy, weight management, and other methods.

Varicose veins describe veins that become twisted and filled with blood. The veins can be very small or extremely large and bulky. Because veins are bluish in color, you can easily see them through the surfaces of your skin. Varicose veins usually show up in your legs but can develop anywhere that contains veins. Learning how varicose veins develop may help you overcome them.

Why Do You Have Varicose Veins?

Veins transport blood to your heart. Sometimes, the valves that open and close to allow blood through your veins collapse or deteriorate. The blood pools inside the veins, which causes them to knot or twist up. The symptoms you experience can range from mild itching to throbbing and aching.

Some individuals experience bleeding from their damaged veins. If you develop open sores on your skin, particularly on the ankles, you may have vascular disease. This is a very serious disease that requires medical intervention as soon as possible. 

The vascular condition generally affects pregnant, obese, and older individuals. However, you can also develop varicose veins if you smoke, stand on your feet for a living, or have a family history of vascular disease. The varicose veins in your calves may also be caused by poor circulation, diabetes, or another condition that weakens blood vessels.

It's important that you receive prompt treatment for your varicose veins, even if they're small now. The veins can potentially enlarge and worsen.

How Do You Treat Your Twisted Veins?

The first step to treating your varicose veins is to identify the problem that caused them. If you fall into one or more of the categories above, tell a varicose vein specialist right away. The specialist may refer you to doctor who can treat your underlying cause before they begin treatment to remove the veins. 

Sclerotherapy is one treatment used to remove small varicose veins in the body. The treatment doesn't require a specialist to cut into your body. Instead, the specialist injects a solution into the bad veins to scar and collapse them. Your body absorbs the collapsed veins, which allows them to disappear over time. 

After treatment, be sure to manage your weight to help reduce stress on your legs, calves, and ankles. If you have diabetes or another health problem, speak to a nutritionist about managing your diet. Also, wear shoes that support your feet when you stand. You want to alleviate as much pressure from your lower body as possible. 

For more information about varicose veins, contact a varicose veins specialist like those at The Sheen Vein Institute.

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