Varicose veins cause permanent swelling & heaviness in feet. Skin of leg develops black or blue colored patches. In thigh & leg, under the skin develop snake or earthworm like blue colored veins, resulting into distortion of shape of leg & foot.
A person suffering from varicose vein, develop pain in foot & leg while walking or on prolonged standing. If varicose veins are not treated effectively, leg skin will develop eczema & an ulcer that never heals. These ulcers caused by varicose veins are called varicose ulcers. Sometimes there occurs massive bleeding from varicose ulcer. Ultimately, person is forced to lead a disabled life.
Dr. K. K. Pandey is a Senior Consultant in Cardiothoracic, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, with nearly 30 years of surgical experience. He has previously worked at Batra Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi and the Bakulev Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery in Moscow. Dr. Pandey specializes in thoracic, lung and chest tumour surgery, varicose veins, vascular bypass procedures and diabetic foot management, using both open and minimally invasive techniques. A surgeon, writer and health educator, he regularly writes columns and books to make complex medical topics easy for the general public, believing that medical knowledge must reach every common person.