Why Chronic Venous Insufficiency Is a Major Risk Factor for Varicose Veins

 The human circulation system is nothing short of a marvel. Did you know that your heart pumps five to six quarts of blood in your body through 60,000 miles of blood vessels, covering an impressive 12,000 miles each day?

Like any highway system, many things can interrupt or slow the flow, and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a common one. Among the most common side effects of CVI are varicose veins. 

Because our practice is devoted to treating varicose veins, Dr. Satjit Bhusri and the team here at The Upper East Side Vein Institute want to share some important information about CVI and why it’s one of the biggest drivers of varicose veins.

Chronic venous insufficiency — when valves fail

We’ve already presented some impressive circulation stats and, as you might imagine, there’s a lot that needs to happen for your blood to keep to this impressive schedule.

One of the more difficult tasks is getting blood out of your legs and back up to your heart for more oxygen since it has to fight distance and gravity along the way.

To help with this effort, the veins in your lower legs are equipped with tiny, one-way valves that close as blood passes through. This action helps your blood to keep moving upward and toward your heart.

Should these valves fail — by weakening and not closing all the way — blood can pool and collect in the superficial veins. When this happens, it creates pressure inside the vein as it engorges with blood, which sends it to the surface of your skin. And that is how a varicose vein is born.

This valve condition is called CVI, and it affects up to 35% of the population in the US, which ties into the fact that varicose veins affect up to 30% of people.

Who gets CVI

Many factors can lead to CVI, and some of the more common are:

• Age — valves can weaken as you get older
• Carrying extra weight, which places more pressure on the valves
• Pregnancy
• Damage to your legs
• Lack of exercise

Family history can also play a role — you can inherit a tendency for CVI from your family tree.

CVI side effects — varicose veins and more

We’ve explained how CVI leads to varicose veins and why it’s the leading risk factor for these veins. As the condition advances, you may also encounter:

• Pain in your legs, like a dull ache
• Swelling in your lower legs
• Itchiness in your legs
• Restless leg syndrome
• Venous ulcers — slow healing wounds 
• Leg cramps

So, if you’ve developed varicose veins and are experiencing any of these other symptoms, the odds are you might be dealing with CVI.

To find out for sure, and to get your varicose veins treated, it’s a good idea to call our New York City office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at 212-752-3464 for an evaluation. You can also schedule an appointment online by clicking here.