Venous insufficiency Mate hokinga toto ia auraki

Normally, valves in your leg veins keep blood flowing back up to your heart. If you have venous insufficiency, your valves are damaged and your blood flows backwards and collects in your veins. Venous insufficiency is sometimes called chronic venous incompetence or chronic venous disease.

Weak or damaged valves can be caused by:

• ageing
• genetics — it is passed down in your family
• past injuries
• past deep vein thrombosis (DVT) — this can leave scar tissue in your veins and is a common cause of venous insufficiency.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

Symptoms of venous insufficiency include:

• dull pain in your legs that gets worse when standing
• cramping, aching or heavy feeling in your legs
• itchy skin and other symptoms of varicose eczema
• swelling in lower legs.

Varicose eczema

Varicose eczema, also called venous eczema, is the term used to describe the changes to your skin caused by venous insufficiency.

Symptoms of varicose eczema include:

• pain
• itching, red and dry skin
• scaly, crusty or weeping skin
• changes in skin colour and texture — it can turn brown and get thicker
• swelling.

Venous insufficiency increases your risk of other blood vessel and skin conditions including:

• venous leg ulcers
• cellulitis
• varicose veins
• thrombophlebitis
• deep vein thrombosis (DVT) .

Your healthcare provider can usually diagnose venous insufficiency by talking to you and examining your legs. You are unlikely to need any special tests.

The treatment for venous insufficiency depends upon your age and how bad your symptoms are. Treatment options include:

• lifestyle changes to increase your physical activity
• wearing compression stockings to help the blood flow in your legs and reduce the swelling.

Compression stockings

If you have venous leg ulcers, you will also need treatment to heal these. 

If your venous insufficiency is very bad, your healthcare provider may refer you to a vascular surgeon (a surgical doctor who specialises in blood vessels) to consider surgical treatments.

Treating varicose eczema

If your venous insufficiency has caused varicose eczema, your skin can be treated with moisturisers, medication and physical activity to reduce the swelling. You should also take care to avoid injuring your skin.

Moisturisers and medication include:

• moisturising creams (emollients) to stop your skin getting dry and to use as a soap substitute
• steroid creams to treat your eczema and help relieve symptoms
• antibiotics if you have a skin infection.

To reduce the swelling, you need to:

• keep active
• avoid standing for long periods
• raise your legs when sitting or lying.

Your healthcare provider may also advise you to wear compression stockings.