Counterculture 36: Varicose veins
"Have you got a problem with your legs, Amanda?" Anna asks.
"I'm not sure. It's just that I'm beginning to notice blue veins appearing here, and here," Amanda replies, pointing to her calves and thighs. "At first I thought they might be varicose veins, but I don't think they can be because they're under my skin and varicose veins really stand out and are all lumpy and bumpy, aren't they? But these are starting to spread and become more obvious."
"Do they hurt at all or itch?"
"No, these little veins don't, but can you see these blue veins on the side of my thighs?" Amanda says, lifting up her skirt. "They sometimes hurt when I press them."
Anna takes a look and then says: "I'm no expert, Amanda, but I think it could be the start of varicose veins. It often runs in families. Do any of your relatives have them?"
"Oh yes, my mum and my aunt do."
"And both you and I also have two of the most common of what they call ‘pre-disposing factors'."
"What do you think I should do about it, then?" Amanda continues. "Go to my GP? Or, do we have anything in the shop that might stop them getting worse?"
Questions
1.Are Amanda's blue veins a sign of varicose veins?
2. What causes varicose veins?
3. How common are varicose veins?
4. What are the two pre-disposing factors Anna mentions?
5. What is the outlook generally for people with varicose veins?
6. Is there anything in the pharmacy that might help Amanda?
Answers
1. Not necessarily, they could be thread veins – small clusters of blue or red veins that appear on the legs, and can also appear on the face. They are harmless and, unlike varicose veins, do not bulge underneath the surface of the skin. But the painful veins in Amanda's thighs might indicate varicose veins.
2. Veins, the blood vessels that transport used blood back to
the heart, contain tiny one-way valves to stop blood flowing back. If these weaken or fail, blood can flow back and collect in them. This effect is increased in leg veins due to the effect of gravity when standing or walking, making them enlarged and swollen.
3. It affects up to three in 10 adults, with women likely to be affected about twice as often as men.
4. Having been pregnant and being on your feet for long periods.
5. For most people they do not present a serious health problem. They should not affect the circulation or cause any long-term health problems and most varicose veins do not require any treatment.
6. Support stockings, but Amanda should see her GP first. There are no over the counter medicines. Horse chestnut extract has been shown to reduce the leg pain and swelling with varicose veins. It is available in OTC herbal preparations.
