Varicose veins form when a vein’s small, one-way valve become weak. If the valve isn’t working as it should, blood will be able to flow backward where it collects in the vein. As a result, the vein becomes swollen and enlarged.
Several factors increase the chances that you’ll get varicose veins in your lifetime. These bulging, unsightly veins, most often occurring in the legs, are more frequent among people who have to stand for a living. Teachers, nurses and hair stylists fall into this group. Hormones generated during pregnancy are also a known culprit for this vein condition, and so are birth control pills, hormone replacement therapies and even chronic health conditions like constipation. Women and older folks are also more likely to have varicose veins. That said, many people who have these risk factors never develop the condition.
It’s long been accepted that varicose veins run in families, but has anyone ever proved it? It turns out that there hasn’t been that much research done into the genetics of varicose veins, especially not studies where medical professionals examine both their patient and the patient’s family. However, one French study found that if both parents had varicose veins, then their children had a 90 percent chance of developing the condition over their lifetime.
Other studies also support the conclusion that varicose veins are hereditary. Researchers in Japan showed that 42 percent of women with varicose veins had a family history of the condition, compared to only 14 percent of women with no signs of varicose veins.
In the United Kingdom, researchers found a family history of varicose veins in 85 percent of subjects who were suffering from the condition. The study authors state that people with varicose veins are more than 21 times more likely to have a family history compared to others.
Obesity is another risk factor for the development of varicose veins. Obesity is inherited in 40 to 70 percent of cases, so that can be a way that varicose veins are indirectly inherited.Varicose veins form when a vein’s small, one-way valve become weak. If the valve isn’t working as it should, blood will be able to flow backward where it collects in the vein. As a result, the vein becomes swollen and enlarged.
Several factors increase the chances that you’ll get varicose veins in your lifetime. These bulging, unsightly veins, most often occurring in the legs, are more frequent among people who have to stand for a living. Teachers, nurses and hair stylists fall into this group. Hormones generated during pregnancy are also a known culprit for this vein condition, and so are birth control pills, hormone replacement therapies and even chronic health conditions like constipation. Women and older folks are also more likely to have varicose veins. That said, many people who have these risk factors never develop the condition.
It’s long been accepted that varicose veins run in families, but has anyone ever proved it? It turns out that there hasn’t been that much research done into the genetics of varicose veins, especially not studies where medical professionals examine both their patient and the patient’s family. However, one French study found that if both parents had varicose veins, then their children had a 90 percent chance of developing the condition over their lifetime.
Other studies also support the conclusion that varicose veins are hereditary. Researchers in Japan showed that 42 percent of women with varicose veins had a family history of the condition, compared to only 14 percent of women with no signs of varicose veins.
In the United Kingdom, researchers found a family history of varicose veins in 85 percent of subjects who were suffering from the condition. The study authors state that people with varicose veins are more than 21 times more likely to have a family history compared to others.
Obesity is another risk factor for the development of varicose veins. Obesity is inherited in 40 to 70 percent of cases, so that can be a way that varicose veins are indirectly inherited.
There are steps you can take to help prevent varicose veins, regardless of your risk factors. These include:
- Getting regular exercise to increase leg strength and circulation.
- Maintaining a healthy weight to avoid putting too much pressure on your legs.
- Not standing or sitting for long stretches of time.
- Eating a high-fiber diet to decrease the chances of constipation.
If you’re suffering from varicose veins, it makes sense to speak with a vein specialist. There are several ways to treat varicose veins to relieve discomfort and improve the appearance of your legs. Just because varicose veins are hereditary doesn’t mean that you have to live with them.