Frequently Asked Questions

In venous disease, the underlying problem appears to be damage to the valves.

Gravity dictates that blood is pulled downwards. To counteract this, the body has developed a way to prevent blood from remaining in the lower limbs, through circulation and the presence of valves within the leg veins which open in only one direction: upwards.

These valves allow the blood to pass in only one direction and stop the blood going all the way down. The contraction of the calf muscle sends the blood even higher until it eventually reaches the heart.

Varicose veins occur when the valves stop working and cannot stop the blood from rushing back down. The blood in these veins pools in the legs which leads to higher pressure in the branches near the skin. These branches bulge and varicose veins occur.

Varicose veins occur in both men and women. A definitive cause is not known, however, a strong family history suggests that some people inherit veins that are more likely to deteriorate. In women, oestrogen may play a role as the onset of puberty, pregnancy and taking oral contraceptives can give rise to vein abnormalities. In pregnancy, the enlarged uterus can restrict blood flow from the legs and promote the development of varicose veins. Aging is also a major contributor to gradual progressive valve weakness. Spider veins and varicose veins are also associated with obesity. Occupations involving prolonged standing tend to increase the likelihood of developing symptomatic veins.

We can’t say for sure, but there are measures which can be taken to potentially help the issue:

• Wearing specialised venous support stockings may prevent some dilated blood vessels from developing in some people
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Regular exercise
• Maintaining a healthy diet

The needles used are very small and fine and most patients will only experience minor discomfort. Individual injections can cause a slight burning sensation, similar to an insect bite, for a few seconds

Veins that have been treated effectively will not return. With UGS, varicose veins can be effectively treated without the need for surgery, but for some, varicose veins are a reoccurring problem because the underlying causes cannot be changed. As this is largely a genetic condition, presently normal veins may develop incompetence and enlarge over time, leading to secondary varicose veins.