Why Do the Thick Veins in My Legs Hurt?
If you have bulging varicose veins, you probably don’t like how they look. But there’s another thing to dislike about thick veins- the symptoms. Varicose veins are usually caused by Chronic Venous Insufficiency, which can cause pain, cramping, swelling, itching, heaviness, restlessness, and fatigue. If you’re wondering, “Why do my veins hurt,” it’s because varicose veins are stretched to the point of discomfort, due to a malfunction in the veins.
In Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), veins have weak walls or damaged valves, so blood flows backward and accumulates in the vein. This causes the blood vessel to swell and contort, which produces uncomfortable symptoms. Left untreated, CVI can cause venous stasis dermatitis, venous ulcerations, hyperpigmentation, and profuse bleeding. Some varicose veins contain a blood clot, which can also cause pain. If your thick veins hurt, book an appointment with a vein doctor promptly to avoid serious complications.
Why Do My Colorful, Prominent Veins Hurt?
What if your veins have prominent colors but they aren’t thick or protuberant? These might be spider veins. They develop in spider-like clusters, and they’re often caused by the same malfunction that causes varicose veins. Rather than being enlarged like varicose veins, spider veins are tiny offshoots from an engorged vein. When spider veins are in the legs, they’re usually caused by CVI. So, they can hurt, cramp, or sting, just like varicose veins.
Why Do My Hand and Arm Veins Hurt?
Hand and arm veins can hurt because of CVI too. Arm and leg veins rely on vein valves to close once blood flows through to keep blood moving toward the heart. When valves fail, blood regresses through the vein and elevates blood pressure, which produces varicose and spider veins. Just like leg veins, arm veins can develop a blood clot, so see a vein doctor at the first sign of pain. In addition, hands and wrists can hurt from other conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis. Our New York vein doctors are part of VIP Medical Group, which also treats pain conditions. Visit our vein specialists for a thorough analysis of painful hand and arm veins.
How Do I Relieve Pain in My Leg Veins?
If you’re wondering, “Why do my veins hurt,” you’re probably also wondering how to stop the pain. Since prominent veins in the legs are indicative of CVI, the first step is to see a vein doctor. Our Harvard-trained vein specialists use ultrasound technology to view all of your venous pathways and determine the pain’s origin. This way, we can treat the cause, not just the surface damage. We use minimally invasive vein treatments that take 15 to 30 minutes. They don’t involve surgery, general anesthesia, or hospitalization. You can even return to work after treatment. Here are some of the quick and gentle ways we treat CVI and veins.
- Sclerotherapy
- Radiofrequency Ablation
- Mechanochemical Ablation
- Vein Adhesives
- Endovenous Laser Ablation
If you don’t treat CVI, the symptoms won’t relent, and more vein damage could develop. If your veins don’t need treatment, we’ll advise you on appropriate lifestyle adjustments like exercise, weight loss, elevating your legs while resting, and avoiding long periods of sitting or standing still. But steps like these don’t treat CVI. They’ll only minimize symptoms in certain patients.
How Do I Treat Pain in the Veins in Hands and Arms?
If the veins in your hands and arms hurt, see a vein doctor right away. Pain can radiate down the arms from other areas. You need to ensure that you don’t have CVI, a blood clot, nerve damage, or a spinal cord issue. After your vein consultation, you’ll either receive a gentle vein treatment like sclerotherapy, or you’ll learn what else is causing your pain. If you have a painful condition like arthritis, you can see the top NY pain doctors at our affiliated pain clinic.
Do Varicose Veins on Black Skin Require Specific Treatment?
Some patients with Black skin are concerned about skin discoloration from vein treatment. This is a rare complication from surface laser treatments, but those aren’t what our vein doctors use for varicose veins. Topical lasers are used by some dermatological clinics. But our doctors have tools like sclerosants and laser devices that are positioned on the vein, not the skin.
With an unqualified treatment provider, skin discoloration is possible on all skin colors. Always choose a board certified vein doctor. These physicians know that treating large veins through the skin won’t work, and it will damage the skin. Our team uses endovenous methods, where we insert a catheter into the vein and thread a fiber through it. The fiber is activated with heat after the surrounding area is injected with an anesthetic. The tissue around the vein and the skin above the vein aren’t affected by the heat.
Are Twisted Veins Medical Emergencies When They’re in Legs?
Some twisted veins in the legs are asymptomatic. Others are problematic. And some are life-threatening emergencies. A blood clot in a deep vein, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT), can break loose and cause a pulmonary embolism. A varicose vein can cause uncontrolled bleeding when scraped. And a venous ulcer can cause a widespread infection. Here are the signs that indicate these emergencies.
- Bleeding you can’t control (possibly life-threatening)
- Fever with an oozing or red-streaked ulceration (possible infection)
- Chest pain or shortness of breath (possible pulmonary embolism)
- A sudden red, warm, raised area (possible DVT)
When Are Veins of Hand and Arm Veins Medical Emergencies?
Veins of the hand and arm can produce similar complications to leg veins. If you have profuse bleeding, fever with an irritated ulceration, chest pain, shortness of breath, or an area that becomes warm, raised, and red, go to the hospital. Likewise, seek emergency medical attention if you can’t feel your arms or hands or lose the ability to grasp things. Untreated nerve damage can become irreversible.
How Urgent Is Treatment of Basilic Vein Thrombosis or DVT?
The body has deep veins and superficial veins, and connecting veins that join them. A blood clot in a deep vein is called a thrombosis. Irritation in a superficial vein is called phlebitis. When a superficial vein is irritated by a clot in a deep vein, it’s called thrombophlebitis. So, when you notice irritation in a surface vein, it often means there’s a problem in a deeper vein. Basilic vein thrombosis is a clot in a deep arm vein. Deep vein thrombosis is a clot in a deep leg vein. Clots that break loose from deep veins can travel and block vital arteries. They require urgent attention.
Is There Any Way to Prevent These Hurt Lines?
Once you have painful veins, you understand why some patients call them “hurt lines.” You also want to know how to prevent more hurt lines. The best preventative measure is to visit a vein doctor for a vein mapping ultrasound test. This identifies damaged valves, blood clots, and blood flow issues.
If you treat issues in deep veins, you can prevent damaged veins at the surface of the skin. After your vein assessment, the vein specialist will also offer suggestions to improve your circulation, whether that’s a vein treatment or lifestyle adjustments. To relieve arm, hand, or leg pain caused by damaged blood vessels, visit our award-winning vein doctors in New York. We treat CVI and the painful symptoms it causes with quick, outpatient procedures.
