Chronic Venous Insufficiency, Thrombophlebitis, and Varicose Veins

How to Prevent Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are unsightly and uncomfortable. They affect both men and women and appear to have a genetic predisposition.  If family members suffer from varicose veins, other family members may have weak valves and have the same experience. Varicose veins occur when the one way valves that stop blood from pooling in the feet are damaged.  When the blood leaves the heart it is pumped throughout the body by the force of the heart muscle.  When it comes to the end of the route and has delivered all of the oxygen available, it turns around and heads for home, the heart and lungs.  On the return trip there is no heart muscle to pump the blood back against gravity.  Instead, there are a series of one-way valves in the venous system that work with muscle contraction to force the blood through the legs, up to the inferior vena cava which then delivers the blood to the heart and lungs.