Varicose veins are dark blue in color, twisted and bulging — like cords. They commonly appear on the calves or on the inside of the leg. Spider veins are similar to varicose veins, but they’re smaller. Spider veins are found closer to the skin’s surface and are often red or blue.

Signs and symptoms

Some people with varicose veins don’t experience any discomfort from the condition. Others have an achy or heavy feeling in your legs, and burning, throbbing, muscle cramping and swelling in your lower legs. Prolonged sitting or standing tends to make your legs feel worse.

Treatment:

There are several modalities of treatment for varicose veins:

• Sclerotherapy: In which a solution in injected into the veins that scars and closes them.
• Laser surgeries: Works by sending strong bursts of light onto the vein, which makes the vein slowly fade and disappear. No incisions or needles are used.
• Catheter-assisted procedures: In this procedure a thin tube (catheter) into an enlarged vein and heats the tip of the catheter destroying the vein and causing it to collapse and seal shut.
• Vein stripping: This procedure involves removing a long vein through small incisions.
• Ambulatory phlebectomy: In this procedure we remove smaller varicose veins through a series of tiny skin punctures.
• Endoscopic vein surgery: Used for advanced cases with ulcers, in which we remove the veins through small incisions using video endoscopy.