How do I know if I have Varicose Veins?
Well if you understood the previous page, you will know that this can be quite a bit more difficult than it seems in some people.
Simple varicose veins can be seen on the surface. However, hidden or underlying varicose veins are harder to find without a special test called a Duplex Ultrasound. In fact, in many people, we cannot be sure that they do have underlying varicose veins without performing this test.
Therefore, any doctor or nurse can tell you that you DO have varicose veins - but they CANNOT TELL YOU THAT YOU DON'T HAVE VARICOSE VEINS unless you have had a Duplex Ultrasound performed by an expert.
What varicose veins look like:
- bulging veins in the leg or around the groin or vulva / vagina or scrotum
- the bulges disappear or reduce when lying down
- sometimes varicose veins are green or green/blue colour - very often there is not colour seen through the skin
Clues to having 'Hidden' varicose veins - or venous reflux disease:
- aching legs after standing
- itching of the skin of the legs - especially around the lower legs or ankles or over bulging veins
- discolouration of the skin of the lower legs - usually pink, red or brown
- 'flairs' of small veins in the skin around the ankles especially on the inner side of the ankle
- swelling of one or both lower legs or ankles - worse after standing and better after sleeping with legs up in bed
- 'thrombophlebitis' or 'phlebitis' - hard tender lumps suddenly appearing in one or occasionally both legs
- Leg ulcers
- Thread veins
