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What are varicose veins?

What causes varicose veins?

What are the symptoms of varicose veins?

How can doctors tell if I have varicose veins?

How can doctors treat varicose veins?

Venous Disorders

Chronic Venous Insufficiency and Postphlebitic Syndrome

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Varicose Veins

Ebola and Marburg virus infections are extremely serious and frequently fatal. Like other viruses in the class known as filoviruses, Ebola and Marburg infections cause extensive bleeding. Which of the following statements about Ebola and Marburg infections is NOT correct?

Bodily fluids from people who have died of these diseases can transmit infection.
People are not contagious until after symptoms have developed.
These infections are usually spread via mosquito bites.
These infections usually infect animals rather than people.

Varicose Veins

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Last full review/revision Jul 2021| Content last modified Jul 2021

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Varicose Veins

Blood Vessels

Varicose veins are veins just under your skin that become very large, twisted, and bulging. They're usually on your legs.

Varicose veins may hurt, itch, or ache
Varicose veins are more common in women and often start during pregnancy
Treatments can sometimes get rid of varicose veins, but new varicose veins often form

Doctors don’t know exactly what causes varicose veins, but they happen when the walls of your veins are weak. The veins stretch out, twist, and get wider.

Varicose veins may run in your family.

Varicose veins may get worse when you:

Gain weight or become obese
Stand a lot
Get older

Varicose veins show up as snakelike bulges just under your skin.

The veins may cause you:

Pain
A tired feeling in your legs
Itching in your legs or ankles

You may be bothered by the way your varicose veins look.

If you have varicose veins, you may also have spider veins Spider Veins Spider veins are small, enlarged veins that are visible under the skin. (See also Overview of the Venous System.) Spider veins (also called telangiectasia) are small veins that become enlarged... read more .

Doctors can usually see varicose veins when you’re standing. If your doctors are worried about other problems with your veins, doctors may do an ultrasound.

Varicose veins can’t be cured, but treatment can lessen your symptoms. Treatments can include:

Wearing support stockings (special socks that go up to your knees and press on your legs to prevent veins from stretching and hurting)
Putting your feet up, such as by lying down or using a footstool
Injections into the veins (sclerotherapy)—doctors inject medicine into the varicose veins to seal them up
Laser therapy
Surgery (vein stripping)—the doctor may do surgery to remove the varicose veins if your symptoms and varicose veins are severe

Varicose veins that happen during pregnancy usually go away by themselves 2 to 3 weeks after the baby is born.

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Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

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High Blood Pressure

Venous Disorders

Chronic Venous Insufficiency and Postphlebitic Syndrome

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Varicose Veins

Portal Vein Thrombosis

Spider Veins

Ebola and Marburg virus infections are extremely serious and frequently fatal. Like other viruses in the class known as filoviruses, Ebola and Marburg infections cause extensive bleeding. Which of the following statements about Ebola and Marburg infections is NOT correct?

Bodily fluids from people who have died of these diseases can transmit infection.
People are not contagious until after symptoms have developed.
These infections are usually spread via mosquito bites.
These infections usually infect animals rather than people.

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