When you or your doctor realizes that you may have already gotten or are developing enlarged varicosities in the legs, there is often a question about whether or not to have them treated. Leg veins are different from other medical conditions such as diabetes or broken bones which are almost surely going to be treated. They are certainly not of the same medical urgency and as vein specialist, Dr. Lee G. Shulman M.D. often likes to say ‘It’s great when patients do their own research and learn about vein treatments, before coming in to see us’.
There is generally a very strong possibility that left untreated the ropey enlarged leg veins will only worsen with time. Often the worse they are- the worse they get. The more enlarged they are the more pressure there is on the adjacent areas of the vain which makes them all the more likely to become varicose as well. It truly is often a snowball type effect- the bigger they get, the more rapidly they will continue to enlarge.
For patients who suffer from symptoms from their veins, as they enlarge often the pain, swelling, aches, throbbing and night cramps, will only worsen. Other people can have large veins and no symptoms at all. Medical science can’t completely say why someone will experience severe discomfort while another person will not.
If left untreated a person can easily function for a long time. However, the worse the veins become, in addition to ‘snowballing’, the more likely you are so suffer from other medical problems. As the veins worsen you can often see a dark hardened area on the inside of the ankle. This is cosmetically bothersome but it also greatly increases the chances for leg ulcerations with its bloody or fluid discharges, and risks of infection. There is also more blood stagnant in the overly enlarged veins which predisposes you to development of blood clots called phlebitis. As veins in the legs grow they often also become more superficial and have less skin overlying them. This increases the chances of bleeding episodes from the leg veins, which patients are often traumatized by.
In summary, big varicose veins in the legs are surely a cosmetic situation but they can easily also become a medical problem if left untreated. If you think you have leg varicose veins and desire a free consultation with the vain specialists at the Shulman Vain And Laser Centers Of Long Island And NYC, please feel free to call our offices to arrange a consultation so we can personally review your legs and answer any questions you might have.
By Shulman Vein And Laser Centers Of NYC and Long Island N.Y.