Vein Disease

Venous insufficiency occurs when valves in the veins are damaged, causing blood flow to remain in the veins instead of moving toward the heart. This can cause swelling, pressure, skin discoloration and leg ulcers.

The goal of treatment is to improve the flow of blood. Treatment usually includes:

• compression stockings
• elevating the legs
• treating ulcers

Surgery is rarely used for this condition, but may be an option if there is excessive pain, skin ulcers or hardening of the skin.

Resources

More information on deep vein thrombosis can be found online at the Society for Vascular Medicine and Biology. More information on vein disease is available at the Vascular Disease Foundation.