The main function of the veins in the lower extremities is to carry blood flow from the lower extremities upward to the heart, and we divide the veins in the legs into superficial veins, deep veins and traffic veins. The superficial veins are located under the skin and are clearly visible in many people. The superficial veins carry blood to the deep veins located within the muscles, and most of the blood flow in the legs is carried back to the heart through the deep veins.
When the body is standing, more than half of the venous blood collects in the legs, and the flow of blood from the legs back to the heart needs to overcome gravity, so the movement of the legs, especially the movement of the feet and ankles, pulls the muscles of the legs to contract, compressing the veins located in the calf muscles and squeezing the blood flow back to the heart. There are also venous valves within the leg veins that act to prevent venous blood from flowing back when the calf muscles are relaxed. However, these venous valves are fragile and very susceptible to injury, and damage to the venous valves is a major cause of venous disease.
When the function of the venous system is impaired, venous blood does not flow back to the heart smoothly, venous blood flow slows down, deposits, and even reflux, the veins cannot withstand the increasing pressure, the vein walls dilate, the venous valves close incompletely, venous blood flows back, and venous pressure increases, resulting in swelling and pain and other discomfort in the legs, and when the disease progresses further, varicose veins, hyperpigmentation, liposclerosis of the skin, and even venous ulcers. It used to be called “old rotten leg”.
Symptoms of lower limb veins.
Primary varicose veins are mostly asymptomatic, but progressive development may result in.
1.Soreness, heaviness, swelling and pain in the affected limb, easy to be tired
2, superficial veins bulge, dilate, deform, and even convolute into lumps, which are more obvious when standing up.
3, swelling: mild edema may appear in the ankle and dorsum of the foot, and in severe cases, edema is also present in the lower part of the calf.
Complications.
Skin dystrophy: thinning, flaking, itching, hyperpigmentation, eczematous dermatitis and ulcer formation.
Thrombotic superficial phlebitis: painful varicose vein sites presenting with red, hard nodules and striae with pressure pain.
Venous ulcer formation in the lower leg.
Causes of varicose veins of the lower extremities.
The causes cannot be completely determined, but genetic factors play a very important role. If both parents have this disease, the prevalence of children will reach 90%. Other factors that need to be considered are.
1, age (the older you are, the more likely you are to develop the disease)
2, gender: 1/3 of women and 1/5 of men
3, obesity
4.Pregnancy (30% of women have varicose veins in their first pregnancy and 55% in their second or subsequent pregnancies)
5.Hormone therapy
6.Sitting or standing at work
7.Surgery, disease, trauma
Grading of varicose veins in the lower extremities
The CEAP classification, introduced by the American Venous Forum, is the accepted standard for chronic varicose veins and includes: clinical symptoms, etiology, anatomy, and pathophysiology.
They are classified according to clinical symptoms from mild to severe.
Grade C0: no visible or palpable signs of venous disease
Grade C1: with capillary dilation, reticular veins, and ankle flushing
Grade C2: varicose veins are present
Grade C3: edema, but no skin changes due to venous disease, such as hyperpigmentation, eczema and skin sclerosis
Grade C4: skin changes due to venous disease
Grade C5: skin changes and healed ulcers due to venous disease
Grade C6: skin changes due to venous disease and healing ulcers