The venous system is one of the most fragile, yet vital parts of human body. Healthy veins and arteries are essential to carry your blood toward and away from your heart. Without properly working blood vessels, your body is unable to function.

Yet, there are estimates that one in three Americans over the age of 45 has some kind of vein disease, making problems with veins one of the most common chronic conditions in the United States.

Your early symptoms of a venous disease can be serious although they appear to be minor – you get heavy and achy legs after standing for a long time, your calves get swollen, occasional cramps that come and go in the middle of the night, the usual stuff you barely pay attention to. Unfortunately, our hectic lives give us very little time and chance to take proper care of our veins, and once the minor symptoms occur, they tend to get worse over time.

What common vein diseases am I at risk of?

While most typical venous diseases are not life-threatening at the beginning, they are bound to worsen if untreated:

Varicose veins

Rope-like, swollen veins, mainly affecting your legs, feet or thighs, are usually related to non-functioning vein valves and venous insufficiency. The blood pools in your legs, disrupting the natural circulation toward the heart, and thus, results in the enlargement of varicose veins. According to estimates, 20 – 25 million Americans have varicose veins, and women are more affected than men.

Spider veins

Although considered just a cosmetic issue by many, these spiderweb-looking veins on your legs are typically the very first symptom of a mild venous insufficiency. Intensified by such factors as heredity, pregnancy, aging and sun damage, spider veins can sooner or later develop into varicose veins, especially on your legs. Estimates say that more than 75% of females over the age of 18 have spider veins.

There are a huge variety of factors that increase your likelihood of developing a venous disease: family history, age, gender, obesity, and pregnancies. What’s important for you is to imagine the progression of a vein disease as a chain reaction, where every piece of the chain, if untreated, makes the following much worse.

The smartest thing for you to do is to seek medical consultation and treat your venous condition as soon as the first symptoms occur. There are a number of modern advanced treatments, as well as medical professionals and specialist groups that will bring healthy veins back to you!