Patient Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the difference between spider veins and varicose veins?
A. Spider veins are small red, blue or purple blood vessels on the surface of the skin. Varicose veins are abnormal veins that have become swollen, enlarged and ropey. Varicose veins are usually a result of defective valves inside the vein. This condition is known as venous insufficiency.
Together, spider veins and bulging varicose veins comprise the most common circulatory problem of the lower extremities. It is estimated that spider veins and varicose veins affect 80 million people in the U. S.
Q. What exactly is venous insufficiency?
A. Venous insufficiency is the abnormal backward flow of blood through the leg veins. Normally as we walk, our calf muscles contract pushing blood up our legs. Inside these leg veins are one-way valves that do not allow the blood to come back down. When these valves malfunction, gravity pulls the blood backward down the vein. The backward flow of blood generates high pressure inside the vein causing the vein walls to stretch until the vein bulges and becomes varicose.
Q. Are varicose veins merely a cosmetic problem?
A. People significantly affected by varicose vein disease can have varying degrees of discomfort including pain, aching, throbbing, and leg heaviness. Unfortunately, people often wait to seek treatment and are at increased risk of developing additional complications including swelling, skin changes, phlebitis and ulceration.
Q. What are the risk factors for developing vein disease?
A. Heredity or a genetic weakness of the vein wall valves and circulating hormones that relax vein wall smooth muscle are the most common causes of varicose veins disease. Women have high levels of such a hormone (progesterone).
Pregnancy, obesity, hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptive pills as well as occupations that require prolonged standing or sitting are additional causes of varicose veins. Since females usually have multiple risk factors for development of varicose veins, about 75% of the people with varicose veins are women.
Q. Can varicose veins or vein disease be prevented?
A. Unfortunately, there is not certain way to prevent varicose veins, if a person has inherited a tendency to develop them. However, the use of medical grade graduated compression stockings, regular walking or other exercise regimens, weight management, and avoidance of tight, restrictive clothing all may help discourage the formation of dilated blood vessels or reduce the severity of the problem.
Q. What is Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)?
A. Deep Vein Thrombosis is a serious medical condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein. Left untreated, the clot can break loose and travel to the lungs. When this happens, this is known as a pulmonary embolism. Nine out of ten chases of pulmonary embolism are caused by blood clots that formed in the legs and traveled to the lungs. The American Hear Association estimates that 1 out of every 1000 Americans develop DVT each year. Of that number, more than 600,000 people in the US have a pulmonary embolism each year and 1 in 100 die from it.
Symptoms of DVT may include one-sided calf of leg pain, swelling, redness, discoloration and increased visibility of the leg’s surface veins. But sometimes there are no symptoms at all. This is why DVT is often referred to as the silent killer.
Q. What is a vascular specialist and why use one for vein procedures?
A. Good surgical results are a function of training and experience. Vascular specialists are intensively trained to diagnose and treat every type of vein disease—not just the less complicated ones that are easily treatable. When you come to the Vein Institute of NJ, you can be confident that our vascular specialists have broad experience making these diagnoses and helping you to choose the best procedure for your personal needs. And, because our vascular specialists focus their practice on vein diseases only, you can feel confident you’re your doctor has performed your chosen procedure successfully—literally hundreds of times.
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