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Varicose veins

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Varicosity; Varicosis

Symptoms:

• Pain in the legs : fullness, heaviness, aching
• Visible, enlarged veins
• Mild swelling of ankles
• Skin at the ankle discolored brown
• Skin ulcers near the ankle

Signs and tests:

The diagnosis is based primarily on the characteristic appearance of the legs when the patient is standing or is seated with the legs dangling. At times a physician may order a duplex ultrasound exam of extremity to see blood flow and characterize the vessels, and to rule out other disorders of the legs. Rarely, an angiography of the legs may be performed to rule out other disorders.

• Review Date: 1/22/2007
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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