What are phlebitis and venous insufficiency?
When the blood in the varicose and spider veins stagnates in the legs it causes a pooling of that blood known as venous congestion. Venous congestion is most evident when the legs are below the heart and least evident when they are at the heart level, for example when lying in bed. The inability to adequately move the blood that is below the heart upward towards the heart is known as venous insufficiency. This stagnant blood in the veins causes many of the symptoms that patients with veins complain of, such as swelling (edema), tired and heavy legs, throbbing in the legs, drawing pains and pain to touch. This is often relieved when the leg is elevated. Venous insufficiency can become chronic which is a more serious problem in that it increases the risk of ulceration (breaks in the skin) in the legs and phlebitis (blood clots). With chronically high pressure on the veins, blood cells are thought to be forced out of the veins and capillaries and deposited into the surrounding tissue. The
