Are Varicose Veins Always Painful?

Varicose veins: You might recognize the signs, such as leg swelling, itching, heaviness, cramping, and skin discolorations. Just like any medical condition, your unique set of symptoms and their intensity are intricately tied to your health history, making your experience with varicose veins truly personal.

According to Healthline, there’s no actual evidence that the appearance of varicose veins is linked to the amount of discomfort experienced. However, taking the time to understand the many factors that may contribute to leg irritation after a diagnosis can help you take steps to minimize your varicose vein pain as you discuss your care options with a compassionate and board-certified Center for Vein Restoration (CVR) physician.

Here’s what you need to know about some of the components that determine the type and amount of irritation caused by varicose veins.

Varicose Vein Pain: Contributing Factors

The individual symptoms of varicose veins will likely vary in both frequency and severity, depending on your health history. Certain symptoms may only arise when other conditions are already present. Here are a few factors that may contribute to the severity of your varicose vein symptoms:

• Warm Weather: Heat can worsen cramping and bulging of varicose veins in the legs.

• Time of Day: Leg pain often increases at night as a result of tissue inflammation that occurs because of daytime activities. This could also be a sign of restless leg syndrome or a more serious condition such as a blood clot — read more about this phenomenon here.

• Smoke Exposure: It may sound surprising, but if you’re a smoker — or you’re frequently around secondhand smoke — your blood may thicken and impede circulation due to the chemicals in tobacco products, which may impact varicose vein symptoms and overall venous health.

• Choice of Clothing: While medical-grade compression stockings are a therapeutic option thoughtfully designed to provide temporary relief from varicose vein symptoms, other types of tight clothing can have the opposite effect and make existing symptoms even more uncomfortable. According to the Mayo Clinic, the same is true for high heels — tight clothing and high heels reduce circulation. If you’re looking for a comfortable option that provides a level of pressure, talk with a board-certified CVR physician about the best compression stockings for your situation.

…Did you notice a pattern? Each condition that worsens varicose vein pain hinders the body’s circulation in some way. That means the way to achieve relief and reverse this effect is by improving it! More on this in a bit.

Varicose Veins: When Complications Occur

We’ve discussed several of the conditions that can worsen the symptoms of your existing varicose veins. Some varicose veins are invisible because of their location. Still, whether your varicose veins are near the surface of the skin or internal, they can come with the risk of further complications in addition to showing traditional symptoms of swelling, pain, itchiness, and skin discoloration.

How? It’s rare but happens — varicose veins can burst, typically in the leg. When this occurs, you’ll be able to tell if you notice the following signs:

• A sharp and sudden pain in the area near the ruptured vein

• Bleeding from the impacted vein

• Thinning or ulcerated skin over the vein

• Swelling and bruising near the affected area

While not all varicose veins cause pain, a ruptured varicose vein almost always causes some level of discomfort, ranging from a minor ache to a sharp, stabbing pain. You’ll likely know immediately if a varicose vein bursts; and if so, it’s critical to explore your vascular treatment options with your expert vein care physician.

In the meantime, apply pressure to the affected area. When a superficial vein ruptures, it breaks the skin and causes blood loss—sometimes more than you may expect—and applying pressure helps to stop the bleeding quickly.

However, your skin will typically stay intact when a deep varicose vein ruptures. This means the vein will bleed directly into the tissue that surrounds it. These cases may be more difficult to recognize right away. Still, most patients report symptoms such as a burning sensation or sudden dizziness in addition to the symptoms listed above.

Can You Get Rid of Varicose Veins?

By now, you’re probably wondering whether you can simply remove your varicose veins and get rid of their uncomfortable symptoms altogether. You’re certainly not alone — according to the Society for Vascular Surgery, they affect up to 35 percent of people in America. Fortunately, several varicose vein treatment options are non-invasive and affordable:

• Varithena is a small injection that collapses the affected veins and redirects blood flow.

• Complex varicose veins are sometimes treated with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, which is another type of injection that causes the body to absorb the vein.

• Laser ablation uses heat to close the vein before it becomes reabsorbed by the body, causing blood flow to reroute to healthier veins.
• VenaSeal is sometimes recommended as an alternative to laser and radiofrequency processes. An FDA-approved treatment, it targets most types of varicose veins without using heat or requiring any form of anesthesia.

• Self-care and lifestyle changes can also help improve circulation and prevent varicose vein pain. Exercising regularly, keeping your legs elevated, and adding foods rich in fiber to your diet are all simple ways to keep you comfortable as you explore your next steps.

Ultimately, understanding what you can do at home to temporarily manage your varicose vein pain by improving blood flow — and knowing when symptoms are more likely to flare up — can be helpful when navigating your treatment options.

Understanding Varicose Vein Pain: Key Takeaways

• Varicose veins are a sign of chronic venous insufficiency, a progressive disorder with symptoms ranging from mild to disabling. Even with treatment, certain symptoms may return and worsen.

• You may have some control over your varicose vein pain, such as deciding which self-care options you seek.

• Other factors of varicose vein pain are entirely out of your control, such as the specific location of your varicose veins, the time of day, and even the weather.

• Consulting a board-certified CVR vein physician can help equip you with the tools you need to make an informed decision about your treatment and pain management options, pushing you one step closer to achieving the relief and well-being you deserve.

We’ve talked about the factors that contribute to varicose vein pain, complications such as rupturing, potential treatment methods, and simple ways to improve your comfort level through self-care. Ready to learn more? Call our hotline today to schedule an appointment and explore your treatment options at 240-512-4945. You can also schedule ONLINE.