Vein disease not always obvious

Question: At the health fair, a technician did a test on my legs and said I have a vein problem. I was shocked. How can this be true?

Answer: Millions of people have varicose vein problems. Many of these cases remain undiagnosed or under diagnosed.

It is true that the only method for detecting vein problems in some cases is with duplex ultrasound testing. The obvious cases will, of course, have bulging veins, swelling and lower-leg discoloration, but these findings are just surface manifestations of a more serious condition that is unseen.

Sometimes the symptoms of vein problems are so subtle and insidious that the disease may go unnoticed for many years. In fact, the purple discoloration of the lower legs around the ankles is not seen unless the disease has been ongoing for 10 or more years.

These external signs indicate the underlying vein problem known as venous insufficiency. Later, one may notice chronic pain and discomfort, leg heaviness, swelling and leg cramping. In addition to the comfort and cosmetic factors, venous insufficiency may also increase the risk factors that contribute to blood clots and ulcerations of the lower legs. This is especially true of patients with diabetes and/or who are overweight.