Causes

Do you suffer from bulging vein problems? In healthy veins, small valves maintain the blood flow in an upward direction back to your heart from the legs. Sometimes the valves become diseased or damaged, allowing a little blood to flow backward and to stagnate or pool in the veins, resulting in a swollen and occasionally painful vein that can usually be seen bulging out in the legs.

 

The causes of varicose/spider veins as well as venous insufficiency largely depend on heredity, but age, significant time spent standing (like occupations such as teaching) and your activity levels can affect your vein health as well. Women too are about two times more likely to suffer from varicose veins than men.

Hormonal factors including puberty, pregnancy, menopause, the use of birth control pills, estrogen, and progesterone affect the disease. Other predisposing factors include obesity and leg injury.

Watch for varicose veins on your calves, behind the knees or on the inside of the legs. More rare locations include the pelvis, esophagus, uterus, vagina and rectum.