Understanding the Varicose Veins Disease (Essay Sample)

Varicose Veins:
Name:
Institutional Affiliation:
VARICOSE VEINS DISEASE
Definition and Origin
The term varicose is a Latin word which refers to the act of ‘getting fully dilated.’ Varicose veins, therefore, is simply a health complication associated with the full and extreme dilation of veins, especially those that carry blood from the legs to the heart. While Varicose veins is a health complication most common to the legs, it can as well occur elsewhere in the body. Varicose veins is facilitated by the high pressure of blood in the legs due to gravitational force (Vascular Disease Foundation, 2012).
Causes of Varicose Veins
Varicose veins occur as a result of valvular failure in which the valves preventing backward flow of blood fail to function their duties effectively. All veins contain valves at designated distances/points to allow only forward flow of blood and prevent blood from flowing backwards. When the valves fail, they typically allow backward flow of blood. This causes a high-pressure build-up in the superficial veins, causing them to bulge out. Bulging, increased pressure, and sluggish circulation of blood gives rise to blood clots within the veins (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2017).
There are a number of reasons why vein valves may fail to function as required. First, the weakness of vein valves may make them unable to withstand the high pressure of blood, hence curving outside to allow backward flow of blood. Since the highest pressure of blood is experienced in the legs, valves in the leg veins typically fall due to their inability to withstand this high pressure (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2017). This should partially explain why varicose veins is mostly common in the legs. Other than valve weakness, the total absence of vein valves, which is an inherited trait, is a known cause of valve failure, and hence, varicose veins (Vascular Disease Foundation, 2012).
Signs and Symptoms of Varicose Veins
Varicose veins is an easily recognizable health complication, though it can easily be confused with deep venous thrombosis. Varicose veins has a number of signs and symptoms that make it easily recognizable. First, the most common symptom is aching in the legs, which turn out to be heavy during at night and during relaxation moments after some physical exercise. Secondly, there is a visibility of spider veins in the legs affected by the complication. The veins occur as a result of bulging (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2017). Furthermore, there is normally a yellow-brown coloration around the skin of the affected legs. In making of sudden moves such as standing up after a heavy long period of relaxation, the victim may experience deep muscle crumps in the legs (Vascular Disease Foundation, 2012). Due to waste products accumulating in the legs, the victim may also experience dryness and itchiness of the affected regions. This condition is known as eczema.