07/24/2025
PHYSICAL, VASCULAR, LYMPHATIC, LIFESTYLE, DIGESTIVE, DIETARY HEALTH, -
Varicose veins affect over 40 million Americans and are often mistaken for a cosmetic issue, even though they signal deeper problems in circulation that worsen silently over time.
These enlarged, twisted veins usually appear on the legs. They form when blood begins to flow backward and collect in the veins, increasing pressure and causing the vessel walls to stretch and swell.
Risk increases with age, hormonal shifts, pregnancy, prolonged standing or sitting, obesity, sedentary behavior, connective tissue disorders, and a family history of vein problems or clotting disorders.
Treatment options for varicose veins include the use of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to reduce swelling and support healing, and inclined bed therapy to restore circulation overnight.
Prevention focuses on daily walking, regular leg elevation, proper footwear, weight control, hydration, and avoiding prolonged sitting, standing, or restrictive clothing that places unnecessary pressure on the lower body.
About 40 million Americans live with varicose veins,1 yet most don't think much about them until they start to hurt. These enlarged veins are often dismissed as a cosmetic problem — unwelcome in appearance but not taken seriously. That mindset keeps many people from paying attention early on, even when subtle symptoms start interfering with their daily life.
However, varicose veins are more than a surface issue. They reflect real changes in your circulation that, if overlooked, will lead to more persistent and serious health problems. Knowing what causes varicose veins and what they're telling you about your overall vascular health allows for timely interventions and makes it easier to take care of your body long-term.
Understanding Varicose Veins — Causes, Risk Factors, and Diagnosis
Any vein close to the skin's surface can become varicosed, meaning enlarged and twisted, but the veins in the legs are affected most often. These varicose veins tend to appear bluish or purple, raised above the skin, and may feel warm or tender to the touch. They often become more pronounced after long periods of standing or sitting.2
Although they may look similar to spider veins, varicose veins are deeper, larger, and more disruptive to healthy blood flow. Their presence reflects your body's inability to move blood upward against the force of gravity.
•Healthy circulation depends on one-way valves in the veins — Beneath the surface, healthy veins rely on a network of one-way valves to return blood to the heart. These valves work in sync with muscle contractions in the lower body to keep blood moving upward, against gravity.3
With each step, your calf muscles compress nearby veins, helping blood overcome the long vertical distance back to the chest. This mechanism depends on vessel integrity and the coordination of many small components that maintain pressure and direction. When the system functions well, blood flows steadily and without interruption.4
•Varicose veins begin to form when these one-way valves no longer close completely — When the valves weaken or fail, blood slips backward and settles in the lower section of the vein. This accumulation increases local pressure, gradually distending the vessel and further impairing valve function.
Over time, the walls of the vein lose their elasticity and begin to bulge outward, creating a visible enlargement. Gravity amplifies this effect, especially in your legs, where the vertical distance from the heart is longest and the circulatory demand is greatest.5
•Several factors influence the likelihood of this process — Your risk of developing varicose veins increases with age, as the wear and tear on vein walls and valves builds gradually over time. If you're a woman, hormonal shifts, especially during pregnancy or menopause, further relax the vein walls and make you more susceptible.
During pregnancy, circulating blood volume increases, hormone levels shift, and the expanding uterus compresses the pelvic veins, all of which elevate the pressure in leg veins. Genetics also play a strong role, along with obesity and sedentary behavior, which increase venous burden and reduce the efficiency of the muscle pump.
If your work keeps you on your feet for long stretches or seated for hours without movement, your veins face added stress. You're also more vulnerable if you've had deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a leg injury, or a condition that affects connective tissue strength and flexibility.6,7,8
•How are varicose veins diagnosed? — A clinician will evaluate your legs while you're standing, looking for visible swelling, bulging, or color changes. If venous reflux is suspected, a duplex ultrasound will be ordered to assess the direction and speed of blood flow, valve function, and signs of obstruction.
This test also helps differentiate between superficial veins and the deeper veins embedded within the muscles. Identifying where dysfunction originates allows for more precise treatment and helps rule out other vascular or lymphatic conditions.9,10
•Complications emerge as the condition advances — While many people live with varicose veins for years with minimal discomfort, it could turn into more serious problems if left unaddressed. One of its complications is superficial vein thrombosis, where a section of the vein becomes hardened, red, and painful due to clotting.
In some cases, these clots may extend into deeper veins, raising the risk of DVT, which carries the risk for a life-threatening embolism if a clot dislodges and travels to the lungs. As venous pressure continues to build, the skin around the ankles might become discolored, fragile, or inflamed, setting the stage for ulcers.
Chronic swelling, known as edema, places additional stress on the surrounding tissues, and fragile veins rupture with minimal trauma, causing spontaneous bleeding.11
Symptoms of Varicose Veins You Need to Watch Out For.
The progression of varicose veins tends to be slow and subtle, so their early signs are often missed or dismissed, especially when the skin remains intact and the surrounding tissue appears normal. Paying attention to the following symptoms is key not just for relief but also to prevent more serious complications from taking hold:12,13,14
•A sense of heaviness often develops toward the end of the day — If you spend long hours standing or sitting, you'll start to notice a dull ache in your legs that eases with rest but gradually returns more often. The area will feel tight or swollen, and walking upstairs or standing still for too long makes the discomfort more noticeable.
•Pain may shift from dull to throbbing or cramping — You'll feel a throbbing sensation near the enlarged veins, sometimes accompanied by sharp or pulsing aches. The discomfort takes the form of a deep, cramping feeling that spreads through your calves or behind your knees.
You'll also notice itching, tingling, or a burning sensation along the affected veins. These symptoms often intensify in the evening, making it harder to relax or get restful sleep.
•Swelling in the lower legs becomes more common and persistent — This is because your calves and ankles start to hold onto fluid that doesn't go away quickly. By late afternoon, your shoes will feel tight, and your socks will leave deep marks around your ankles. In some areas, the skin over the swelling will look taut or slightly shiny, and you'll begin to see subtle changes in color around the clusters of visible veins.
•Skin changes near affected veins signal advancing dysfunction — As your veins stay under pressure, the skin around them becomes increasingly vulnerable. Discoloration will begin to develop, often taking on a rusty or brown hue just above your ankle.
The skin in this area will feel thinner and more fragile. The texture will become dry or leathery, and you'll notice more frequent itching. These changes show that the surrounding tissue is no longer getting enough oxygen or nutrients, an effect of impaired blood flow and poor venous return.
•Slow healing and venous ulcers may develop in later stages — If you leave the underlying dysfunction unaddressed, even small injuries in the affected area will take longer to heal. Minor scratches will linger and turn into shallow, stubborn wounds.
Over time, you'll develop venous ulcers, often near the ankles, that resist healing and become prone to infection. These ulcers will continue to return unless the pressure in your veins is reduced, and they will require ongoing care to prevent further skin breakdown and tissue damage.
•Persistent symptoms signal the onset of chronic venous insufficiency — Chronic venous insufficiency is the term used when your symptoms become persistent and continue to worsen. At this stage, your veins will no longer be able to maintain healthy circulation. The discomfort will spread beyond individual veins and affect your entire lower leg, leading to fatigue, limited mobility, and difficulty staying on your feet for extended periods.
If these symptoms begin to appear, don't ignore them or assume they'll resolve on their own. The longer the underlying pressure builds, the harder it becomes to reverse the damage.
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Strategies to Address Varicose Veins
Managing varicose veins requires more than cosmetic correction — it involves addressing the underlying pressure, restoring circulation, and protecting surrounding tissue from long-term damage. The following strategies are commonly used in conventional care for varicose veins:
•Compression therapy is the standard first-line approach — Medical-grade compression stockings apply graduated pressure to the lower legs, which helps support the vein walls and encourages blood to flow upward toward the heart.
This approach does not reverse the condition, but it often reduces discomfort and swelling. When compression isn't enough, medical providers recommend procedures that close or remove dysfunctional veins to reroute blood through healthier ones.
•Minimally invasive procedures are used to collapse or remove damaged veins — The most commonly used techniques include sclerotherapy, where a chemical agent is injected to scar the vein shut, and endovenous thermal ablation, which uses heat from lasers or radiofrequency to collapse the affected vessel.
In some cases, mechanochemical ablation combines mechanical disruption with a sclerosing agent to enhance effectiveness. For larger or more stubborn veins, surgical options such as ambulatory phlebectomy or vein ligation may be used to physically extract or tie off the damaged vein.
For those seeking alternatives beyond mechanical or surgical correction, several noninvasive therapies are available to help you support your vascular tone more holistically:
•Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) offers a broad-spectrum alternative for vascular support — DMSO is a naturally occurring substance with potent anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and circulation-enhancing effects. When applied topically, it penetrates deep into the tissues. In people with varicose veins, this often translates into reduced visibility of enlarged veins, diminished pain or itching, and lessened pressure in the lower legs.15,16
•DMSO plays a significant role in healing venous ulcers and skin damage caused by poor circulation — In clinical studies and long-term case reports, it has shown an ability to promote rapid tissue repair, support granulation, reduce swelling, and prevent infection.17,18
Among diabetic patients with chronic foot ulcers, daily DMSO application helped restore tissue integrity in cases that had resisted conventional care.19 Its effectiveness appears to extend not only to wound healing but also to reducing the hyperpigmentation, thickening, and fragility often seen in longstanding venous insufficiency.20,21
•Users report improvements in vein tone, skin integrity, and local circulation — As a venotropic compound, DMSO improves the tone and responsiveness of veins, helping to normalize blood return over time. It also appears to reduce capillary bleeding and post-inflammatory discoloration.22 Take a deeper look at how DMSO supports skin repair and vascular health in "How DMSO Revolutionizes Skin Care and Dermatology."
•Inclined bed therapy uses body positioning to enhance venous return — It offers a structural, systemic method for improving venous return without any invasive measures. By raising the head of the bed by 6 inches (5 degrees), your body lies at a gentle angle that uses gravity to assist the movement of blood and lymph as you sleep.
This method originated from the observation that plants circulate fluids using density and gravitational gradients, and that similar forces may support human circulation as well. In one experiment, varicose veins disappeared after four weeks of sleeping on a 6-inch incline, which is a sign that "a positive change in circulation" had been achieved.23
To explore this method in greater depth, watch the video below and read "The Surprising Benefits of Inclined Bed Therapy" for a full breakdown of how it works to support circulation.
How to Lower Your Risk of Varicose Veins.
You can't change your genetics or the natural aging process, but you do have control over how much daily stress your veins are forced to handle. Supporting healthy blood flow is one of the most effective ways to prevent varicose veins from developing or worsening. That means finding ways to reduce the pressure in your lower legs throughout the day. I recommend adopting these strategies:24
1.Move regularly — If you sit or stand for long stretches at work, make a point to change positions often. Flex your ankles, shift your weight from leg to leg, or take brief walks to keep the blood in your calves moving upward. When you're seated, avoid crossing your legs or holding your knees tightly together for long periods, since this limits circulation and increases pressure in your lower limbs.
2.Raise your legs during the day — This helps relieve venous pressure by letting gravity assist circulation rather than working against it. Whenever possible, rest with your legs elevated above the level of your heart. This gives your veins a break and helps reduce swelling, especially after activity. Using pillows or a wedge cushion while lying down or reclining can make this a regular part of your daily routine.
3.Choose your shoes wisely — High heels reduce the ability of your calf muscles to contract fully, weakening the natural pumping action that moves blood upward. Choose shoes with lower heels and enough support to let your calves engage properly. Tight clothing around the waist, thighs, or calves also interferes with venous return, especially if worn for long hours.
4.Manage your weight — This reduces unnecessary strain on your lower body. Even a modest loss of excess weight will ease the burden on your venous system and improve overall circulation. Daily walking, swimming, or cycling keeps the blood moving and strengthens the muscle groups that support vein function. You don't need intense workouts — what matters is consistency and rhythm, especially in the legs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Varicose Veins
Q: What are varicose veins and why do they develop?
A: Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted veins that usually appear in the legs. They form when the one-way valves in your veins begin to fail, allowing blood to flow backward and pool. This buildup increases pressure, stretches the vein walls, and causes the veins to bulge outward. Over time, this signals an underlying problem with circulation, not just a surface issue.
Q: What do varicose veins look and feel like?
A: You'll usually notice them as bulging, bluish or purple veins raised above the skin's surface. They may feel warm or tender to the touch, and symptoms like aching, swelling, or heaviness often intensify after standing or sitting for long periods. As the condition progresses, you may also experience throbbing, itching, or skin discoloration.
Q: Are varicose veins dangerous?
A: Yes, especially if left untreated. Over time, they lead to superficial vein thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, venous ulcers, skin breakdown, and chronic swelling. These complications may begin subtly but grow more serious without early intervention.
Q: How does DMSO help with varicose veins?
A: DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) helps ease inflammation, improve circulation and promote healing in damaged tissue. It's especially helpful for reducing pain, shrinking visible veins, and speeding recovery from ulcers or skin changes caused by poor circulation.
Q: How do I use inclined bed therapy for varicose veins?
A: Raise the head of your bed by 6 inches to create a gentle downward slope from head to toe. This sleeping position improves fluid drainage, reduces nighttime swelling, and supports better circulation in the legs.
It might feel counterintuitive at first, since you'd expect elevating your feet to be the goal, but tilting the entire body allows gravity to assist blood and lymphatic flow more continuously. Many people report visible improvements within weeks of consistent use.
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2025/07/24/varicose-veins-more-than-cosmetic-concern.aspx?fbclid=IwY2xjawLvYDZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHmkV1bRrYQ5h97bUVivXbdNAzyJrmEVRtKa5UPEInkuBs77UQjVOHoHYCHFP_aem_mgL37UeBe_At4uOkbl6jgw
Roughly 40 million Americans have varicose veins. While often seen as cosmetic, they may signal deeper cardiovascular concerns.
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