What causes varicose veins?

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), many factors can raise your risk for varicose veins, including family history, age, gender, pregnancy, overweight or obesity, and lack of movement. People's jobs may also contribute to risk - especially those who sit or stand for long periods of time.

Family history ("Family Veins")

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about half of all people who have varicose veins have a family history of them.

Age

Getting older may raise your risk for varicose veins. The normal wear and tear of aging may cause the valves in your veins to weaken and not work well.

Gender

Women tend to get varicose veins more often than men, according to the NIH. Hormonal changes that occur during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause (or with the use of birth control pills) may raise a woman's risk for varicose veins.

Pregnancy ("Mommy Veins")

During pregnancy, your body goes through monumental physical and hormonal changes. As your baby grows, the uterus puts increased pressure on your veins. Hormonal changes can also cause the walls of the veins to relax. These factors can combine to cause the one-way valve in one or more veins to stop working. So, blood that should return to the heart instead pools and stagnates. The result can be the heavy, itchy, uncomfortable feeling of varicose veins.

Your doctor can recommend many ways to keep you comfortable during pregnancy, including regular, moderate exercise, plenty of rest, support stockings and keeping your legs elevated, especially during the evening.

If you've had varicose veins with previous pregnancies or you have a family history of varicose veins, the problem may not go away on its own. Your varicose veins may even get worse and require treatment so that you can feel your best and enjoy life with your growing family. It is best to wait at least 3 months postpartum to seek treatment for venous insufficiency.

Overweight or obesity ("Heavy Veins")

Being overweight puts added pressure on the entire body - your veins included. Increased pressure can cause the veins to enlarge and damage the valves that keep blood flowing toward the heart. Often, people with weight problems are not getting regular exercise, which can lead to circulation problems and can make varicose veins worse.

Lack of Movement ("Work Veins")

If you stand on your feet all day, or sit for a long time, especially with your legs bent or crossed, may pay a price: achy, tired, heavy legs caused by varicose veins. Standing forces blood in your veins to fight gravity to return to your heart; lack of leg movement also deprives your circulatory system of the help it requires to assist in proper blood flow. These factors can lead to blood flowing backwards and pooling, leading to varicose veins.

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