Risk Factors
There are a number of risk factors which lead to varicose and spider veins, including:
- Heredity – If your parents and grandparents had varicose veins, you are at increased risk.
- Gender – Women are three times more likely to develop varicose veins than men.
- Age – As we age, the tissues in our vein walls lose elasticity, causing the valve system to fail.
- Pregnancy – Blood volume increases during pregnancy and hormonal changes contribute to vein enlargement.
Additional factors that may contribute to the development of venous disease:
- Occupations that require prolonged standing
- Obesity
- Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) – “leg blood clots”
- Physical trauma
Your varicose veins may need treatment if you experience:
- Pain or aching
- Burning
- Heaviness
- Tiredness
- Swelling
- Throbbing
- Tenderness around the vein
- Numbness
- Darkening of the skin
- Skin ulcers