Untreated Vein Disease
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T TREAT MY VEIN DISEASE?
Many people who don’t treat their vein disease will experience continued symptoms of pain, fatigue and swelling of the legs or ankles.
More advanced medical problems can include hyper pigmentation, venous leg ulcers, spontaneous bleeding, superficial thrombus phlebitis, and a potentially life-threatening condition called deep vein thrombosis. If you’re unsure of the severity of your vein disease, you should come in today at the Alpha Vein Clinic Las Vegas so we can determine the severity of your condition and whether treatment is necessary!
VEIN DISEASE:
Blood that pools in the veins is depleted of oxygen and nutrients. The veins also do not tolerate high pressure well and begin to allow red blood cells and fluid to leak into the tissues of the leg, which causes painful swelling. The red blood cells in the tissues cause chronic inflammation and the skin becomes dark and discolored. The medical term for the dark discoloration is hyper pigmentation. When the skin and the fat under the skin are inflamed for years, the tissues become woody and firm.
A condition that may occur over time, when there is chronic venous insufficiency, is in fact a venous leg ulcer. The ulcers due to varicose veins are painful and difficult to heal. Sometimes the ulcers cannot be healed until the backward blood flow in the veins is corrected.
OTHER CONSEQUENCES:
Another possible consequence of untreated vein disease is spontaneous bleeding from the varicose veins. As the skin over the veins becomes thin, eventually the vein can be exposed to the outside world and be easily injured by clothing, bedding, etc. The blood loss can be significant and is painless.
Superficial thrombus phlebitis (ST) is an inflammation of a vein just below the surface of the skin. The cause of inflammation is not an infection. Rather, inflammation is due to decreased blood flow through the vein, damage to the vein and blood clotting. The features of (ST) include redness to the skin and a firm, tender, warm vein. Localized leg pain and swelling may occur as well.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), unlike (ST), can be associated with significant and serious medical problems. (DVT) is often first noticed as a “pulling” sensation in the calf of the lower leg, and it can be quite painful. Symptoms also include associated warmth, redness and swelling. The swelling often extends to above the knee.
Risk factors for vein disease include:
- Age
- Family history of this condition
- Female gender (related to levels of the hormone progesterone)
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Sitting or standing for long periods
Symptoms:
- Dull aching, heaviness, or cramping in legs
- Itching and tingling
- Pain that gets worse when standing
- Pain that gets better when legs are raised
- Swelling of the legs
- Irritated or cracked skin if you scratch it
- Red or swollen, crusty and weepy skin (stasis dermatitis)
- Varicose veins on the surface
- Thickening and hardening of the skin on the legs and ankles
- Wound or ulcer that is slow to heal on the legs or ankles
If any of this sounds familiar or you are having symptoms, it is very necessary for you to be seen so you can find out if treatment is something you need. Here at the Alpha Vein Clinic Las Vegas we specialize in vein treatment in all different forms for all different conditions. Call us today to schedule your appointment at
702- 430-7661. Our dedicated staff is here to answer any questions you may have before scheduling your appointment. Come in today and let us make your vein pain and worries a thing of the past!
Alpha Vein Clinic
3150 N. Tenaya Way Ste. 400
Las Vegas, NV, 89128
(702) 233 6661
Dr. Sassan Kaveh