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Do Varicose Veins Hurt?

websitebuilder • Jan 22, 2023

Signs and Symptoms of Vein Disease

Varicose veins on the back of the leg
Varicose Veins are bulging, twisted veins that form when the valves within our blood vessels fail to work. Many times they appear dark purple or blue in color. 

They commonly occur in the legs, but can be found in other parts of the body.

Do They Cause Pain?

For some, varicose veins will cause a lot of pain, while others may experience very little discomfort. It's important to know the symptoms because if untreated, varicose veins can cause more serious health concerns.
Common painful symptoms of varicose veins include:
  • Pain in the legs
  • Heaviness and fatigue of the legs
  • Cramping in the legs
  • Burning
  • Tingling sensations
There are less painful symptoms of varicose veins, such as:
  • Itching in the legs or ankles
  • Swelling of the legs or ankle area
  • Skin discoloration near the affected veins
  • Throbbing sensations

Ways To Help Painful Varicose Veins:

Elevate- Many patients find relief from painful symptoms by elevating their legs periodically throughout the day. This allows the blood to naturally flow back out of the legs and ease the pain.
Move- It's also important to avoid staying in one position for too long. If you sit at a desk at work, we recommend getting up at least every hour if possible. This will help with circulation in your legs and help you feel generally refreshed.
Avoid high heels- If at all possible, remove high heels from your daily wardrobe. They inhibit calf muscle movement which is valuable for creating circulation. For formal situations, we recommend a comfy "flat" style shoe. Brands like Cole Haan, Clarks, and Tom's provide good looking shoes for anyone who needs to look good but still promote healthy calf movement.
Loose clothing- While compression socks can be great for varicose veins, tight fitting clothes around the waist, or thighs will hold back proper blood flow throughout the lower extremities. This can help ease some of the swelling and pain from vein disorders.

Be On The Lookout For Gradual Development Of Symptoms

One common thing that we hear is "I have visible varicose veins, but they don't bother me or cause any symptoms." Almost every time we begin to ask about cramping, restless legs, or fatigue, they begin to recognize that they're actually dealing with various symptoms but just never connected them with their varicose veins.


One of our patients who had his left leg treated at the young age of 31 told us "I didn't know my legs hurt until after treatment. I just figured the aching and numbness was part of aging. But after treatment, those problems went away. And my varicose veins were barely noticeable!"


It's difficult to recognize the correlation between varicose veins and symptoms that slowly develop of the course of a few years. We recommend being proactive and using our symptom list to see if you may have a vein issue.

Should I See A Vein Specialist?

If you suspect that you may have varicose veins due to having one or more symptom, and at-home remedies have not helped, we recommend contacting a local vein specialist in your area.

For those living in Alaska, the vein specialists at Alaska Vein Care offer free screenings to anyone who wants to have their legs evaluated. It usually takes about 10 minutes and is a no-obligation visit.

Schedule Your Visit

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