Symptoms of Venous Insufficiency

The most obvious sign of venous leakage or “insufficiency” is bulging, unsightly, and often tender or painful varicose veins. However, not all patients with venous insufficiency, even if severe, will develop varicose veins, or they may only have one or two mildly or moderately bulging veins. Or, perhaps only small clusters of surface veins will develop. Additional signs and symptoms of venous leakage include:

• Aching or heavy feeling in the affected leg. (A burning sensation may also be present, often in the calf region.)
• Leg swelling
• Night cramping or restless feeling in the affected leg

When venous leakage becomes severe, a situation known as “venous hypertension” may develop. As blood engorges the leaking veins, there is inflammation and diminished nutrient exchange in the skin. Again, venous hypertension may occur even when bulging varicose veins are little noticeable. Signs of developing venous hypertension include:

• Darkening of the skin, often patchy in appearance, due to blood seeping into tissues outside of the veins and resulting in inflammatory changes
• Scaly appearance of the skin known as dermatitis or eczema
• Woody, fibrotic hardening of the skin in the lower calf region
• In the most severe cases, ulceration of the skin will occur, possibly with associated bleeding or infection. This ulceration typically occurs along the shin or calf and may be very difficult to treat, often taking many months to heal and then recurring just a few weeks later.

• Normal Venous System
• Diagnosis of Venous Disease
• Deep Vein Thrombosis & Superficial Phlebitis
• Consequences of DVT
• Treatment Options for Deep Vein Thrombosis
• Venous Insufficiency, Varicose
• Veins & Spider Veins
• Symptoms of Venous Insufficiency
• Treatment Options for Venous Insufficiency & Varicose Veins
• After Your Procedure