Did you know of 45 million Americans will develop vein symptoms at one point in their life? When left untreated vein disease will get worse with time. While vein disease affects each person differently, it is best to get your veins examined sooner, rather than later by a specialist.

There are 5 Major Stages of Vein Disease

Stage 1: Spider Veins

You may notice purple or blue tiny web-like veins near the surface of the skin on your legs. Although most are cosmetic issues, spider veins can be a sign of early chronic venous insufficiency. This can cause symptoms such as leg swelling, restlessness, tingling, numbness, burning, itching, tenderness or redness.

Stage 2: Varicose Veins

The next stage are larger twisty, ropy-like veins that bulge from under the surface of the skin. Symptoms include heaviness, itching, pain, and inflammation. If left untreated you may notice more of them start to appear. This is often when people notice their vein disease.

Stage 3: Leg Swelling

A common sign of chronic venous insufficiency is leg swelling. Your ankles and legs swell from pooling blood in your lower legs causing pain and heaviness in your legs. This swelling could become severe enough to limit your mobility and impact your quality of life.

Stage 4: Skin Discoloration

The next stage of vein disease is skin discoloration around your calves and ankles. Due to the chronic swelling skin can become dark brown or purple in color or skin can become thin dry or hardened. An itchy red rash may also appear, called venous stasis dermatitis. Venous insufficiency is the main cause for the skin problems, therefore, lotions and creams will not usually be effective. It is important to seek treatment from a vein specialist.

Stage 5: Venous Ulcers

When swollen legs and skin discoloration go untreated ulcers form due to inadequate blood flow in the veins that would normally provide nutrients to the skin to help it heal. The skill will heal either very slowly or not at all. Since venous leg ulcers are open wounds they can attract bacteria causing further pain and increasing odds of infection. This can make it extremely painful to move around. If you're seeing ulcers or sores on your legs please call us to set up an appointment with our vein specialist.

Signs of Vein Disease

If you have any of the symptoms below you could be in the early stages of vein disease:

Swelling
Muscle fatigue
Leg Cramps
Itching
Aching
Heaviness
Throbbing
Restless Legs

Get Help for Your Vein Disease

No matter the stage of vein disease you are in, Physicians Vein Clinics can help. We have 10 convenient locations in South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota. All vein treatments are done in the clinic and are non-invasive, so you can return back to normal activities. Contact us today to get your legs feeling back to normal!

The Stages of Vein Disease