Help me with my Varicous Veins

They can be not only be a ghastly thing to look at but they can also hurt especially at the end of the day.

So what are Varicose Veins and what we can do to reduce their severity?

Lets first look at veins. Veins are blood vessels that return deoxygenated blood from the outer parts of the body back to the heart and lungs. When veins become abnormally thick, full of twists or even enlarged, they are called varicose veins.

The thickened, twisting or dilated parts of the vein are called varicosities.
Varicose veins can form anywhere in the body, but they are most often located in the legs.
In the United States, about 19% of men and 36% of women have varicose veins.
Varicose veins tend to be inherited and become more prominent as the person ages.

Varicose Vein Causes

Valves prevent backward flow of blood within the vein. They keep blood in the vein moving toward the heart. Why the stop working is disputed.

Some experts think inherited problems cause some of us to have too few valves or do not function correctly.
Some people may be born with abnormalities of the vein wall.
The result is that when a person with poorly functioning valves stands up, the blood flow actually reverses and flows down the superficial veins, when it should be flowing up, toward the heart.
When the muscles surrounding the deep veins contract, emptying the deeper veins,a build-up of pressure occurs.
This causes even more blood to go the wrong way from the deep to the superficial veins through faulty valves in the perforator veins.
This increases pressure in the superficial veins and causes varicosities.

Many factors can aggravate the veins and they are:

Pregnancy. During this time extra pressure on the veins in the legs is noted by the weight of the growing uterus and the relaxation effects of the hormones estrogen and progesterone on the vein walls contribute to the development of varicose veins during pregnancy.
Prolonged standing
Obesity.
Prior surgery or trauma to the legs as this would interrupt the normal blood flow paths.
Age, the older you get, the more prone you are to them.

Varicose Vein Symptoms

They stick out from under the skin and feel ropey.
The legs often hurt and feel heavy and itchy.
Symptoms can worsen after a long day of standing on.
Feel?pain when standing or even have cramps in the legs at night.

Home Tips

Elevate your legs as much as possible and raise your legs up above the level of your heart to get the greatest benefit.
Wear compression stockings. Bu remember to wear tem in the morning before you start walking around and before your veins become more swollen. If you try them and experience worsening pain, especially after you have been walking, remove them and see your health care professional.
If you are overweight, try to lose weight. A healthy diet high in fibre and low in fat and salt can help.
Avoid alcohol, which can cause the veins to dilate.
See your health care provider if you have problems such as chronic constipation, urinary retention, or chronic cough. Relieving conditions that are causing you to strain may help with the varicose veins.
Avoid wearing tight clothing such as girdles or belts.
Do not cross your legs when sitting.
Walking is good exercise. It can help the muscles force the blood out of the deeper vein system.
If you are driving on a trip or working at a desk all day, try to get up and walk around every hour