Hidden Varicose Veins
What are hidden varicose veins?
The term “hidden varicose veins” refers to explain venous reflux in legs without any visible varicose veins.
The commonest cause of varicose veins is the valves failing in leg veins. When the patient stands up, the valves let the blood fall back down the leg. As the blood should flow up the vein, this is the wrong way. Hence, we call this “venous reflux.”
A valve that stops working is “incompetent.” When all the valves in a vein fail, then the vein is “incompetent.”
However, sometimes the valves only fail in one or more of the saphenous veins, which is situated in a little compartment with its own connective tissue called Saphenous fascia, which lies beneath the skin surface. It is not possible to see these veins on the surface.
If the blood does not reflux into any of the veins in surface lying just under the skin, there will be no varicose veins to see. This happens in about 50% of people with vein disease.
Clearly, the varicose veins on the surface are not the problem. The real problem is which veins are allowing blood to reflux into them. This is why a venous duplex ultrasound scan identifies the underlying cause. It is only by treating the underlying cause that good long-term results can be obtained.
If blood refluxes down the saphenous vein, it will hit the ankle, causing inflammation. This will cause skin damage if left untreated for long enough. Initially, this is ankle oedema (swelling of the ankle). This can then progress to venous eczema or brown skin changes (haemosiderin pigmentation). Finally, if the reflux is not treated, it is possible to develop venous leg ulcers.
Why everyone needs to know about "hidden varicose veins"
We now know that about 15 to 20% of adults have varicose veins. However, another 15 to 20% of adults have hidden varicose veins. This shows us that venous reflux disease is much more common than we thought. More importantly, everyone with any symptoms or signs of venous disease must have a venous duplex ultrasound scan performed by an appropriate specialist.
The symptoms and signs of “hidden varicose veins” are the same as those for varicose veins, except that no varicose veins are visible.
Symptoms and Signs of Hidden Varicose veins:
- Aching legs on standing
- Tired legs on standing
- Heavy legs on standing
- Tender legs on standing
- Thread veins or spider veins
- Swollen ankles
- Venous eczema (red stains) around ankles
- Haemosiderin (brown stains) around ankles
- Venous leg ulcers
- Superficial thrombophlebitis (commonly called “phlebitis”)
Don’t let vein issues affect your life.
Book a call with us
Treatments for Hidden Varicose Veins
Venaseal Glue Treatment
- Can be performed in the office/outpatient environment
- Is relatively painless?
- Very little bruising of the leg
- Minimal local anaesthetic required.
- Return to work within 24 hours.
Radiofrequency Vein Ablation
- Gold standard treatment of varicose veins (along with endovenous laser ablation)
- Keyhole treatment
- Relatively painless and return to work within 24 hours
- Useful in treating primary varicose veins
Closure Treatment
- Same day procedure
- Fast recovery – resuming normal activities within 1-2 days
- Minimal or no scarring
EndoVenous Laser Ablation
- Keyhole treatment
- All varicose vein sizes can be treated.
- Relatively painless with return to work within 24 hours
- Useful in treating primary and secondary varicose veins
Ultrasound – Guided Foam Sclerotherapy
- Keyhole treatment
- Useful in treating recurrent varicose veins
- Outpatient/office based treatment
- Compliments: laser and radio frequency treatment of varicose veins
- Relatively cheap
Vein Check-up
- At the Vein and Foot Clinic, we offer an early detection service for the potential risk of developing thread veins, varicose veins, pelvic varicose veins, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Conditions We Treat
- Varicose veins
- Superficial Venous Thrombosis Phlebitis
- Thread / spider veins
- Swollen leg
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- May turners syndrome
- Varicose veins in pregnancy
- Varicose veins in obese patients
- Restless leg syndrome
- Varicose veins of the testicles
- Recurrent Varicose Veins
- Hidden Varicose Veins
- Hemosiderin Brown Stains
- Lipo dermatosclerosis (LDS)
- Venous Eczema
- Leg Ulcers
- Vaginal and Vulval Varicose Veins
- Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS)
