Veins are the blood vessels which are responsible for returning oxygen-depleted blood back to the heart for re-oxygenation. These vessels have walls and valves that control the blood and keep it flowing in one direction. However, if the valves are working poorly or start to fail, the blood can pool and form a bulge in the vein. This is called venous insufficiency, and it can cause spider veins, varicose veins, and skin ulcers, especially in the legs. Venous insufficiency has many causes ... [Read More]
circulation
Why Do Spider Veins Happen?
Spider veins are aptly named: The delicate "spidery" lines that spread web-like across your skin are usually red or bluish in color, and usually on your legs. Apart from being a cosmetic concern, spider veins can be a precursor to larger varicose veins. Spider veins are common in certain people, but you might wonder who's more likely to get them, and why they occur in the first place. How Spider Veins Develop Spider veins are really small varicose veins, and they usually occur when blood ... [Read More]
Venous Insufficiency: What It Is, How It’s Treated
Veins have an important job to do. They are responsible for moving blood, of course, but they move it in a specific direction. Veins carry oxygen-poor blood from the body’s extremities and other tissue back to the heart. From there, the blood heads to the lungs where it becomes oxygenated once again, before rejoining the circulatory system and being carried throughout the body via the arteries. Venous insufficiency occurs when blood isn’t being properly pushed back to the heart and, due to ... [Read More]
