What causes varicose veins?

Question

I have one varicose vein on my left leg-its been there for years and I was wondering what causes them. My chloresterol levels are low and I'm not overweight-in fact I used to be an athlete. My doctor just waffles when I ask him.My blood pressure is the same as when I was 20-120 over 80

Answer 1

Gravity.

Answer 2

there is no definite cause and apart from the look they will have no effect on performance.I have had them since I was very young and I keep myself fit and cycle a lot every day. They just stop me from wearing shorts.

Answer 3

When the valves in the veins which push the blood back against gravity break, causing blood to move insufficiently and resulting in an apparent swelling of the veins.

Answer 4

The reason varicose veins develop is not fully understood. One of the basic problems is damage to the valves. This means that blood can't travel up the veins as easily, and is more likely to pool.

It is possible that people inherit a tendency for weak valves. Alternatively, the vein walls may become weak, which causes bulging of the vein and so damage to the valves.

There is a greater risk of getting varicose veins during pregnancy, and if you are very overweight because this increases the pressure in your abdomen and so in your veins. Many other factors have been blamed for varicose veins, such as standing for long periods, crossing your legs while sitting, smoking and poor diet. However, there isn't strong scientific evidence to support these theories

Answer 5

The valves which assist the veins, which mostly  flow against gravity, get weakened so blood pools in the vein leading to a varicose vein.

These veins should open and close, let blood through, stop it returning.  

Answer 6

varicose veins are basically swollen veins that usually occur in the legs.

First we must know the normal functioning of the circulatory system. Arteries bring oxygen rich blood from the heart to the entire body. Then veins bring unoxyegenated blood back up to the heart. Under normal conditions, the actions of your leg muscles causing movement help circulate the blood through the veins and back toward the heart. But with varicose veins, the walls of the veins in the legs are weakened. Usually, these veins are superficial, or near the skin's surface where they protrude and are more easily visible. You also have tiny valves inside the veins, just as you have valves inside your heart. With varicose veins, the valves inside the veins are damaged and do not function properly. Gravity can then cause the blood to "pool" in the vein, which means the blood stays in the veins, becoming stagnant there and making them bulge out. Varicose veins can also occur in deeper veins under the skin.



Varicose veins like these can lead to venous thrombosis, which is the medical term for a blood clot. When this occurs, circulation becomes poor. They may lead to swollen ankles, feet and legs, scaly, itchy skin, darkening of the skin, changes in temperature in the legs and feet and may even cause sores and ulcers on the skin to develop. These are called venous stasis ulcers. Blood clots in the legs can be dangerous. Symptoms of venous thrombosis, or blood clots in the legs include, but are not limited to swelling, redness and tenderness along a vein.

The longer a person stands without moving, the more the blood pools in the veins. As more blood pools in the veins, the walls of the veins stretch. Symptoms of varicose veins are the appearance of bluish, soft, and sometimes tender lumps and bulging veins under the surface of the skin. These can be painful at times, but not always. Very tiny veins of the legs can also dilate. These are called spider veins because of the spider web pattern they form. They are actually not related to real varicose veins at all.

It is suspected that varicose veins run in families. Simply looking at the legs for deep veins can make a diagnosis, a Venogram can be taken, which is an x-ray of the blood vessels. Doppler ultrasound may also be used to study the blood flow. This is less invasive than the venogram because for the venogram an i.v. must be started to inject dye and with the ultrasound it is simply like any other ultrasound, no needles are necessary.

Answer 7

being pregnant ..over overweight sitting on floor/settee with legs under bum ...

Answer 8

masturbation