For the minimally invasive treatment of varicose veins

What causes varicose veins?

Varicose veins are very common – up to 30 percent of the population of the UK may suffer from the condition at some time. They can develop at almost any age, although as you get older, there is more chance that varicose veins will occur. Pregnancy can also promote varicose vein formation, partly as an effect of the hormonal changes that occur and partly because, in later pregnancy, the heavy uterus squashes the veins in the pelvis and restricts blood flow back from the legs.

Doctors think there are a number of factors that cause varicose veins. The condition is probably inherited – if your mother or father had the condition, there is an increased chance that you will develop varicose veins too.

Prolonged standing may also play a part in the development of varicose veins. People who do jobs that involve standing up all day seem to have an increased chance of developing varicose veins which can cause their legs to ache at the end of the day.

The faulty valve that causes the varicose veins is usually either in the groin, or just behind the knee joint. Sometimes there are other faulty valves in the thigh or calf. These medical names for the valves are the ‘sapheno-femoral’ junction (the groin), the ‘sapheno-popliteal’ junction (the knee), or ‘venous perforators’ (in the thigh and calf).

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