What are veins and why are they important?

There are two main types of blood vessel in the body, arteries and veins. Arteries move blood away from the heart and veins return the same blood, minus much of the oxygen and nutrients to the heart. Arteries use pressure generated by the heart to push blood along. Veins on the other hand are lower pressure systems and have thinner walls. Where possible, they rely on gravity to return blood to the heart. In the legs this can cause a problem in the veins closest to the skin as pressure in the vessels can build up and valves which help prevent flow backwards can fail. This leads to venous reflux and varicose veins.



What are the causes of varicose veins?

Many people have an hereditary weakness in the vein walls, both men and women. Often a number of members of the family may have varicose vein problems. Standing for long periods can be another factor, again a problem for both men and women. Pregnancy is a major factor in many women. This can be due to a number of factors such as increased circulation, elevated pressure in the pelvic region late in pregnancy, creating backpressure in leg veins and the hormone oestrogen, which can cause blood vessels to form as well as weakening the walls of blood vessels. Being overweight can cause varicose veins and make them worse. Also, trauma to vessels can lead to varicose veins.