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Varicose Veins: Symptoms, Causes and Advanced Treatment

“Varicose veins are the enlarged, twisted and dilated veins visible below your skin in your lower extremities.” Do you have bluish veins on the back of your legs? Think of it like stretched-out pantyhose. Usually, they’re snug, but when you force your legs in, they become baggy and widened. Varicose veins are similar—veins have a small diameter, but when blood pools in your lower extremities, they stretch out and enlarge. It occurs when the valves of your veins become weak, and blood backs up in your veins. If you seek a non-invasive solution, ANF Therapy^®️ can be the best option for varicose veins. It doesn’t just target the veins but aims to boost the blood circulation of the whole body. This therapy addresses pain and inflammation from its root cause instead of treating just symptoms.

What are varicose veins?

Varicose veins look baggy, swollen, and torturous. Normally, they are not very visible on your legs. However, when blood pools in them, these veins become enlarged and become visible beneath the skin in your lower extremities. Varicose veins usually cause cosmetic disfigurement but can also be itchy and painful.

There are several valves in your veins. These valves are meant to prevent the backflow of blood. Normally, veins carry blood towards the heart and circulate in one direction. However, with varicose veins, the valves of the affected vein become incompetent. Incompetent valves result in blood pooling, which enlarges your vein and dilates.

What is the difference between varicose veins and spider veins?

Spider and varicose veins are both types of venous disease but differ in presentation. Spider veins appear as red or blue spider webs or branches of a tree. They can be found anywhere in your body and are painless.

In contrast, the varicose veins are large and dilated, most commonly found in your lower legs. These veins appear bluish or purple. Moreover, these veins are sometimes itchy and painful.

Stages of varicose veins:

The venous disease occurs when the veins in the lower extremities stop working correctly due to valve insufficiency. Venous disease progresses slowly; therefore, early diagnosis and treatment help to back off complications. However, the stages of varicose veins are:

Stage 0:

In this stage, the veins are healthy and working properly with no signs of varicose, oedema or articular veins.

Stage 1:

In stage 1, small blue, purple, or red veins are beneath the skin. These veins are painless.

Stage 2:

There are twisted, dilated worm-like veins beneath your skin due to damage to valves. This causes blood to pool in the veins, resulting in varicose veins.

Stage 3:

In this stage, the varicose veins become more prominent, with oedema in the legs and ankles.

Stage 4:

Skin changes occur in this stage, including discolouration, itching, and eczema around the veins.

There is further hardening and thickening of skin surrounding varicose veins.

Stage 5:

Skin becomes harder, thicker, and more shiny, surrounding varicose veins.

Stage 6:

It is the end stage of varicose veins in which you have painful ulcers and an open wound on your skin.

Who is most likely to get varicose veins?

Varicose veins can develop in anyone. However, certain factors increase the chance of varicose veins. These are:

Age
Obesity
Pregnant women
Positive family history
Genetics
Female gender
Constipation
Tobacco use
Long-standing
Wearing tight clothes
Use of pills
Chronic inflammation

How many people are affected by varicose veins?

Varicose veins are prevalent, affecting about 30% of the population. They are more prevalent in older adults and are more commonly found in women than men.

What are the symptoms of varicose veins?

The most visible sign of varicose veins is enlarged, dilated blue-purple veins beneath your skin. Moreover, the symptoms of varicose veins are:

Tortuous and bugging vein
The feeling of heaviness in the legs
Swollen legs
Pain
Itching and burning-like sensation
Excessive fatigue
Skin colour changes
Exercise intolerance
Varicose ulcers
Leg cramps
Restless leg syndrome

What causes varicose veins?

Varicose veins occur when the pressure inside your veins increases. Your body has two venous systems: superficial veins and deep veins interconnected through perforator veins.

1-Deep veins:

Deep veins are located deep into your muscle and are exposed to higher venous pressure. Blood can pool up in the deep vein, and the muscles pumping the blood can become weak.

2-Superficial veins:

Superficial veins are exposed to lower venous pressure. Therefore, when the superficial veins are exposed to higher venous pressure, they become widened and twisted. This increased venous pressure often results from venous insufficiency caused by abnormal valves within the veins. Valves usually prevent the backflow of blood, ensuring it flows in one direction. When these valves become faulty, usually due to an obstruction in venous blood flow, it leads to the development of varicose veins.

Treatment of varicose veins with ANF Therapy^®️?

ANF Therapy^®️ is an innovative approach to managing different health problems, including varicose veins. This therapy works on the principle of neuro-frequency modulation. It uses ANF Devices that are charged with certain frequencies, aiming to strengthen weakened neurological frequencies of the body. The normalisation of these frequencies activates the body’s natural process. Your ANF Therapist will diagnose varicose by taking your history and doing your physical examination.

History:

Your ANF Therapist will take a detailed history of the patients that includes the following:

Presenting complaints
What is the location of varicose veins?
Do you feel pain in your legs?
Occupational history
History of Tobacco or Smoking
Any previous medical illness

Physical examination:

Your ANF Therapist will thoroughly examine both upper and lower limbs to assess blood circulation. This examination includes two key steps:

Inspection:

Your ANF Therapists will visually inspect your legs, looking for signs of swelling, oedema, the location of varicose veins, and any ulcers or wounds.

Palpation:

Your ANF Therapist will then palpate or feel the affected areas to assess the tenderness and diameter of the varicose veins. They will also palpate your nerves to differentiate between normal and inflamed nerves. This comprehensive examination helps your ANF Therapists determine the extent of the venous disease and create an appropriate treatment plan.

Application of ANF Devices:

Dr. Mikel H-G Hoff explains that ANF Devices are applied to the affected areas of your body to reduce inflammation effectively. These devices include:

Anti-inflammatory Devices:

Positive and negative anti-inflammatory devices target inflammation to reduce swelling and alleviate pain.

Nitric Oxide Devices and blood flow Devices:

These devices are designed to improve overall blood flow, facilitating better circulation throughout the body.

Other Devices:

Your ANF Therapist will also apply antioxidant devices like carnosine (ACA) and glutathione (AGL) and energy devices to strengthen the biochemical functions of your body and initiate a natural healing response.

Expected outcome:

According to Dr. Mikel H-G Hoff, the founder of ANF Therapy^®️, most patients feel an improvement in their symptoms after a few minutes of applying ANF Devices. A complete treatment of varicose veins may take 1-6 weeks, depending upon the severity of the disease.

Follow-up:

Regular follow-ups are essential to treat varicose veins by using ANF Devices. Your ANF Therapist will guide you on the number of follow-up sessions and treatment duration. You will need to change ANF Devices after 72 hours. Your therapist will create a personalised treatment plan for you and educate you on changes and training exercises.

Start your journey with ANF Therapy^®️:

ANF Therapy^®️ offers an innovative tool for managing varicose veins non-surgically. By utilising wearable ANF Devices that emit neurological frequencies, ANF Therapy^®️ aims to modulate inflammatory responses, promote healing, and support overall well-being related to health. This non-pharmacological therapy provides a safe and effective approach that improves disease outcomes by targeting the root cause. If you’re suffering from varicose veins, consult an ANF Practitioner or find an ANF Therapist at www.findanf.com to start your treatment with ANF Therapy^®️ today!

If you’re a healthcare practitioner aiming to enhance your clinical skills with ANF Therapy^®️, learn more about the ANF Clinical education program by visiting www.anfacademy.com.

How can I prevent varicose veins?

You can not prevent varicose veins. However, you can decrease your risk of developing varicose veins by following:

Stay active
Do exercise daily
Maintain body weight
Leg elevation
Avoid long-standing and take breaks
Quite tobacco and smoking
Avoid wearing tight clothes
Prevent constipation
Avoid the use of pills

What are the complications of varicose veins?

In the early stages, varicose veins do not cause complications. However, when it remains unaddressed for an extended period of time, it causes several health issues, including:

Venous ulcer
Deep venous thrombosis
Thrombophlebitis
Venous eczema
Venous ulcers

FAQs:

What do varicose veins feel like?

Varicose veins can cause a dull ache or pain in the legs, a feeling of heaviness, throbbing or burning sensations, and swelling in the lower legs and ankles, especially after prolonged standing or sitting. You might also experience itchy skin, muscle cramps, restlessness, and occasional tingling or numbness around the affected veins.

How can I reduce varicose veins on my legs?

You can reduce varicose veins on your legs by following these measures:

Exercise regularly
Use compression stocking
Keep your legs elevated
Avoid standing for a longer time

Can I drink hot water with varicose veins?

No, you can not drink excessive hot water with varicose veins because hot water causes dilation of veins, which results in excessive blood pooling.

Is massage good for varicose veins?

Yes, according to Dr. Mikel H-G Hoff, massage is good for varicose veins because it facilitates blood circulation and helps reduce swelling and oedema.

Do varicose veins hurt?

In the early stages, varicose veins do not hurt. However, if they remain untreated, they can be painful and form ulcers in late stage. Using ANF Therapy^®️ in the early stages may prevent its progression.

Can ANF Therapy^®️ treat varicose veins?

Yes, ANF Therapy^®️ effectively treats varicose veins by targeting the underlying issues associated with this condition. The therapy aims to significantly reduce inflammation in the affected veins and alleviate swelling and discomfort. Furthermore, ANF Therapy^®️ is designed to enhance blood circulation, prevent blood from pooling in the veins and promote vein health.

About ANF Therapy^®️

ANF Therapy^®️ uses circular ANF Devices, which are applied directly on the skin after palpation and assessment by a trained ANF Therapist following the ANF Therapy^®️ Method, Patented Model no. U202030252, ES1259974.

The ANF Therapy^®️ purpose is the alleviation of injury and pain within minutes.

Our aim is that the patient experiences a reduction of pain and swelling, an increase in range of motion, and an improvement in quality of life related to health. Non-transdermal, non-invasive device, NO needles or chemicals are used.

Do you need help with your health issues? Have you been experiencing symptoms of Varicose Veins?

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Blogs

Varicose Veins: Symptoms, Causes and Advanced Treatment

What are varicose veins?

What is the difference between varicose veins and spider veins?

In contrast, the varicose veins are large and dilated, most commonly found in your lower legs. These veins appear bluish or purple. Moreover, these veins are sometimes itchy and painful.