If you notice that you start seeing small, blue or purple spidery looking veins on your lower legs, you may have varicose veins. These veins are small surface veins that have have become enlarged and that are too full of blood. This generally happens because the valves in the veins no longer work the way that they should.

The valves in your veins are one-way, and they are supposed to keep the blood flowing through them, and not let a backflow occur. However, when the valves weaken, the blood starts pooling in the veins in between valve locations. When that backflow occurs, it allows that section of vein to blow up like a balloon and to become engorged with blood. The vein, depending on how close it is to the surface, can become raised as well as painful. If you get varicose veins, there are several treatments that you can use in order to get rid of them. 

Compression

One way you can treat your varicose veins is to use compression. The way that it works is that you are providing a source of compression from the outside which is going to help push the pooling blood up to where it belongs. You provide the compression by using a product like a compression stocking. The stockings are tight, otherwise they wouldn't be able to apply the right amount of pressure on the veins. Getting these stockings is fairly easy, you can get them at most pharmacies. You may need to work with a medical supply store to order in some stockings if you have a hard time finding stockings that fit your size. 

Salt Water/Chemical Injection

One thing your doctor might do to treat your varicose veins is to inject them with salt water or a chemical solution that will actually kill off the vein. It does this by causing the vein to harden and disappear. This won't cause any problems because varicose veins are usually small surface veins. This non-invasive procedure is something that your doctor can do at their office. It will take a couple of days for the full treatment to run its course. Your doctor may advise you to stay off your legs as much as possible while that happens.

Varicose veins can be unsightly -- they can also be painful. However, you can treat them so that you don't have to continue to suffer from them. For more information on treating varicose veins, see The Sheen Vein Institute or your physician today.

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