What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Varicose
Veins?
Common signs and symptoms of varicose veins
include:
- Enlarged veins that are visible on your skin
- Mild swelling of your ankles and feet
- Painful, achy, or "heavy" legs
- Throbbing or cramping in your legs
- Itchy legs, especially in the lower leg and ankle
(sometimes incorrectly diagnosed as dry skin)
- Discoloration of your skin surrounding the
varicose veins
Complications
Only a small percentage of people have complications
from varicose veins. Complications may include dermatitis and
thrombophlebitis.
Dermatitis
Dermatitis is an itchy rash that can occur on the
lower leg or ankle of a person with varicose veins in the legs. It can
sometimes cause bleeding or a skin ulcer to develop if scratched or
irritated.
Thrombophlebitis
This is a blood clot (thrombus) that occurs in a
vein. There are two types of thrombophlebitis:
- Superficial thrombophlebitis is a blood clot that
occurs in a superficial vein and usually causes only minor problems that are
limited to the area of the affected vein. Clots in varicose veins are usually
of this type. Infections, chemical irritation, or other conditions that cause
irritation and inflammation of the veins also can lead to superficial
thrombophlebitis.
- Deep
vein thrombosis is a blood clot that develops in veins deeper in the body.
It can be life threatening if the clot breaks off and travels to the lungs,
which is called
pulmonary
embolism. This type of thrombophlebitis does not occur in varicose
veins.
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