EDUCATION (PATIENT INFORMATION)

Welcome to Center for Vein Wellness – your dedicated source for Veins & Vein Treatment! It is our mission to educate you, assist in diagnosis, & treat you for venous disease and other vein-related disorders.

Types of Vein Disorders »

Varicose Veins and Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Understanding Superficial Venous Reflex

The venous system is made up of a network of veins, including:

Superficial veins, which lie closest to the skin.
Deep veins, which lie in groups of muscles.
Perforating veins, which connect the superficial veins to the deep veins.

Anatomy of Your Veins »

Oxygen-depleted blood is returned back to the heart via deep veins. Healthy leg veins contain valves, one-way flaps. When the leg muscles contract, the valve opens and when the muscles relax they close. These valves keep blood flowing in the right direction and assist the return of blood back to the heart.

Chronic venous disease is a medical condition, which develops due to weakening or damage of the vein wall or valve. This keeps blood flowing out of the legs and back to the heart. This can cause blood to pool in the legs, leading to visible varicose veins.

Chronic Venous Disease »

What You Should Know About Varicose & Spider Veins

Varicose veins (link to varicose veins page when developed) are swollen, twisted, blue or purple veins seen under the skin’s surface. They result from a weakening in the blood vessel wall or from faulty valves. They can show up anywhere on the body but most often appear on the legs or pelvic area.

Spider veins (link to spider vein treatment page when developed) are small thread like veins, red or blue, look like a spider’s web or tree branch, and they tend to appear on the legs and face.

What Causes Varicose Veins

THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY VARICOSE VEINS MIGHT OCCUR, INCLUDING:

Age
Gender
Heredity
Multiple Pregnancies
Heavy lifting
Obesity
Occupations or activities that require prolonged sitting or standing
The use of certain medications that causes hormonal shifts

Learn More About Causes & Risk Factors of Varicose Veins »

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF VARICOSE VEINS & CHRONIC VENOUS DISEASE

Leg cramps
Aching pain in the legs
Burning sensation in the legs
Easily tired legs
Leg heaviness
Rash on the legs
Itching
Leg swelling
Numbness in the legs
Darkening of the skin
Skin ulcers

With time, darkening or hyper-pigmentation around the ankles becomes a classic feature of prolonged varicose veins, and eventually ulceration. Without treatment, varicose veins generally tend to get worse. Fortunately there are many treatment options available, allowing us to customize treatment to your specific needs and symptoms. Most patients experience nearly instant relief from uncomfortable symptoms after varicose vein treatment, although it may take some time for the veins themselves to disappear completely.

How We Diagnose Varicose Veins and Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Varicose veins can usually be diagnosed by a simple physical examination; however, the cause of the varicose vein requires the use of Doppler (Duplex) ultrasound.