Possible Causes of Varicose Veins

Varicose veins might have you feeling self-conscious this summer, but you’re not alone. Did you know that this disorder affects about 20 percent of Americans? While you may feel embarrassed by the appearance of varicose veins, they can also cause leg fatigue, swelling, pain, and heaviness. 

The experts at Vascular Associates of San Diego take varicose veins seriously, using many state-of-the-art treatment methods such as VNUS Closure® radiofrequency treatment, VencloseTM, VenaSealTM, and VarithenaTM. In La Mesa, California, serving all of San Diego County, our specialists put an end to your varicose vein problems and treat underlying causes quickly. 

What are varicose veins?

Varicose veins develop when your veins stop functioning properly.  When your veins stop doing their job correctly, blood can’t flow backward through one-way valves in veins. As a result, the blood begins to collect within your veins instead of traveling to your heart. 

Once the blood pools in a vein, the vein becomes enlarged. These veins then appear on your body as swollen, raised veins that have a blueish-purple or red appearance. They can often be painful, as well. 

Varicose veins are often found in the legs because those veins are the furthest from your heart, and gravity makes it so that blood has a harder time flowing up from there.

What causes varicose veins?

Women are more likely to experience this disorder, and you may be genetically more susceptible to varicose veins because they’re often inherited. 

Increased pressure in your veins can cause vascular damage. The following factors can cause increased pressure:

• Obesity
• Age over 50
• Being female
• Pregnancy
• Menopause
• Standing for long periods
• Family history of varicose veins
• Being inactive
• Leg injury
• Smoking
• Taking oral contraceptive pills or hormone replacement

How are varicose veins treated?

When you visit Vascular Associates in San Diego, our doctors create a personalized treatment plan for the best results. Your treatment may include any of the following methods.

Radiofrequency ablation

The Venclose and VNUS treatments heat the vein from within by using short radiofrequency energy impulses. Venous walls wither and close due to collagen contraction. The blood is then carried to a healthy vein close by.

VenaSeal

You can seal varicose veins with VenaSeal by having your doctor inject a medical adhesive through a small catheter. Direct pressure is then applied to seal the diseased vein. Blood is redirected from one vein to another nearby healthy vein. 

Varithena

Foam sclerotherapy, known as Varithena, involves injecting foam into varicose vein walls. Sclerosant foam causes veins to close by irritating their linings. Like with other treatments, the blood travels to nearby veins after the varicose vein closes.

With our outpatient treatment options, you’ll have minimal discomfort, pain, or downtime when undergoing these procedures. 

If you want to get rid of embarrassing varicose veins without undergoing major surgery, call our associates today. We offer cutting-edge treatments to get you feeling your best as fast as possible. Find out more by calling or scheduling an appointment with us today.