Get To Know Your Venous System

When you hear about the venous system, it refers to the network of veins that work to deliver blood that lacks oxygen back to your heart. Several conditions will impact your venous system, and some of the biggest culprits include:

• DVT or deep vein thrombosis: This is when a blood clot starts to form somewhere in the vein, though it often shows up in the leg. There is the potential for the clot to head to the lungs, which would cause a pulmonary embolism.
• Chronic venous insufficiency: This is when blood will collect in some of the veins of the legs because the one-way valves are not working well. It is similar to varicose veins and can cause additional symptoms.
• Varicose veins: This occurs when you see the superficial veins near the skin start to swell. The swelling occurs when one-way valves start to break down or the walls of the veins are not strong and blood flows backward.
• Superficial thrombophlebitis: This is when superficial veins get inflamed, often in the leg. It can develop a blood clot.

How Do I Know There is a Problem?

There are several symptoms that you can look for to determine if you suffer from a venous condition. Often these symptoms will appear in the legs and include a burning or itching sensation, veins that when you touch them are warm, pain and tenderness, and swelling and inflammation.

If these show up and do not seem to get better after a few days, talk to your vascular doctor. They can perform venography of the veins to see whether there is a problem and where that problem is located.

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