Varicose veins are more than simply a cosmetic issue: they are a serious health condition that, left untended, can lead to even more serious health issues. The good news is modern varicose vein treatments are not only extremely effective at resolving the problem, they are also fast and do not require lengthy recovery time. Varicose vein treatments are among the safest and most convenient medical procedures available.
Timely varicose vein treatment is the key to ensuring small problems are not allowed to become larger. Here are some of the consequences of not receiving timely treatment for varicose veins:
Blood Clots
Severe varicose veins can cause blood clots to develop and since the veins of the leg are involved, these blood clots can be large in size. The real danger comes if these blood clots migrate to more critical areas of the body and cause a significant blockage: this is uncommon in cases of varicose veins, but still presents a significant danger.
Venous Ulcers
Skin at the location of a varicose vein can become sensitive and degraded enough to cause skin rupture and bleeding. Discomfort can be severe and venous ulcers can develop secondary infections that can critically impair overall health.
Debilitating Pain
Severe varicose veins, unsurprisingly, can also cause severe pain, enough pain to negatively impact quality of life. Even simple physical tasks can be difficult and the inability to stay active can cascade into a variety of lifestyle-related health complications, including obesity, high blood pressure and depression.
Lipodermatosclerosis
This condition is a thickening of the skin and tissues surrounding the varicose vein and typically leads to venous ulcers. The tissue thickening by itself causes discomfort and potential immobilisation of affected joints, while the resulting skin ulcers create additional health problems (see above).
Atrophe Blanche
Another precursor to venous ulcers, atrophe blanche are small lesions that appear in the affected area. This dead tissue can create scarring, pain and difficulty with movement.
