Thirty percent — that’s the number of Americans who have varicose veins. The reason we’re kicking off this discussion with this eye-opening statistic is to set the stage when it comes to varicose veins — they’re exceedingly common.
With that accomplished, the team here at Upper East Cardiology, under the expert guidance of Dr. Satjit Bhusri, wants to delve into the whys of varicose veins — where they come from and why some people are more at risk.
We want to start by providing some technical background behind varicose veins. Under normal circumstances, the veins in your legs carry blood back up to your heart and lungs for oxygen. Since these blood vessels battle distance and gravity along the way, they need some support, which comes from tiny, one-way valves that close as blood passes through to prevent it from spilling backward.
If these valves weaken and fail to close all the way, blood can pool in the vessel, causing it to engorge and rise to the surface of your skin.
In most cases, varicose veins aren’t medically serious. They occur in the superficial veins in your legs, which are only responsible for 10% of the circulation in your lower extremities.
Now that we understand the mechanics of varicose veins, let’s look at some factors that place you at higher risk, such as:
Twice as many women develop varicose veins as compared to men, largely due to hormones, which affect blood vessel health.
As you might imagine, valves in the blood vessels in your legs can certainly weaken with age, leaving you more prone to varicose veins.
Nearly one-third of American adults have overweight, and 2 in 5 have obesity. These extra pounds can increase your chances for varicose veins, as there's more pressure on blood vessels.
Given what we’ve just learned about varicose veins being related to extra pounds and hormones, it’s little wonder that pregnancy is on our list of risk factors.
There are other risk factors, such as standing for long periods and having weak calf muscles, but the above factors are responsible for most varicose veins.
The thing about varicose veins that most people find frustrating is that, once they form, they’re not going anywhere unless you seek treatment.
The good news is that we offer a range of varicose veins treatments that are quick, easy, and effective as part of our Vein Institute. In just one or two visits, we can usually clear away most varicose veins with simple, minimally invasive vein treatments.
If you’d like to learn more about our varicose vein treatments, we invite you to contact our New York City office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. You can also call us at (212) 752-3464.
