Varicose veins are swollen and enlarged veins that usually occur on the legs and feet. They may be blue or dark purple, and are often lumpy, bulging or twisted in appearance.
Other symptoms include:
- aching, heavy and uncomfortable legs
- swollen feet and ankles
- burning or throbbing in your legs
- muscle cramp in your legs, particularly at night
- dry, itchy and thin skin over the affected vein
The symptoms are usually worse during warm weather or if you’ve been standing up for long periods of time. They may improve when you walk around or if you rest and raise your legs.
At the Northern Vascular Centre, we offer the full range of treatments for varicose veins. This normally means “keyhole” or endovenous treatment such as Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA), although other techniques are sometimes chosen if these are more appropriate.
According to national (NICE) guidelines, a referral to a vascular surgeon for varicose veins is recommended with the following criteria;
- refer people with bleeding varicose veins to a vascular service immediately
- refer people to a vascular service if they have any of the following
- symptomatic primary or symptomatic recurrent varicose veins
- lower‑limb skin changes, such as pigmentation or eczema, thought to be caused by chronic venous insufficiency
- superficial vein thrombosis (characterised by the appearance of hard, painful veins) and suspected venous incompetence
- a venous leg ulcer (a break in the skin below the knee that has not healed within two weeks)
- a healed venous leg ulcer
For more information, go to the NHS website www.nhs.uk/conditions/varicose-veins/treatment/
