Spider veins are those small blue, red or purplish looking vessels that are close to the surface of the skin and often cause individuals embarrassment and some discomfort. More women than men are at risk for the development of spider veins.

Risk factors include obesity, pregnancy, hormonal changes and standing or sitting for long periods of time. Individuals who have a genetic history, in other words have family members who also suffer from spider veins or varicose veins will have a higher risk for developing the same the problem.

While you may be more interested in how to treat the condition than in how it occured, by learning how they develop, you are able to decrease the likelihood that you will develop more.

The gold standard for treating spider veins is a procedure called sclerotherapy. This is a process in which a 23% saline solution, with lidocaine and heparin are injected into the vein using a very small needle. The saline solution causes the blood to clot and the veins to collapse. Within two to six weeks the body has reabsorbed the veins and they are no longer visible either on ultrasound or to the naked eye. Continue reading →

Hemorrhoids are another form of varicose veins that occurs inside, or protruding outside, of the rectum. Varicose veins develop when the one-way valves in the veins are damaged and allow the blood to pool. This pooling causes the veins to become distended, causing itchiness, pain, discomfort and bleeding. This condition also doesn’t allow the body to remove toxins and waste products from the cellular structure effectively. (1)

In the case of hemorrhoids, the pressure builds when you strain to have a bowel movement, sit on the toilet for long periods of time, sit in the office for long periods of time or strain to lift heavy objects. As with varicose veins in the legs, there is also a genetic predisposition to the development of these varicose veins in the rectum. Those who know that family members suffer from this condition should take special precautions to prevent the development of hemorrhoids.

There are three different types of hemorrhoids depending upon the location of the inflamed and swollen vein. There are internal hemorrhoids which involve the veins inside the rectum and are not as painful as those which extrude. They may bleed painlessly. A prolapsed hemorrhoid can stretch until they bulge outside the anus. It can go back inside the rectum on its own or you can gently push it back inside. An external hemorrhoid involves the veins that are outside the anus and are often itchy, painful and sometimes will crack and bleed. Continue reading →