veins are responsible for transporting blood from the body back to the heart where it is loaded with

oxygen in the lungs before being distributed to the rest of the body again. veins on the legs have the
toughest job because they must push the blood against the force of gravity and the pressure of body
weight in an upstream motion. to assist in this task, veins have one-way valves the prevent the blood
from flowing backward. when there are problems with the valves, it causes blood to stay in the leg and
cause the vein to swell.

there are two kinds of enlarged veins: varicose veins and spider veins. varicose veins are dark blue or
purplish in colour and they bulge above the skin`s surface. spider veins are much smaller and they look
like red or blue spider webs which lie close to the surface of the skin. forty-five-year-old Sarah
developed varicose veins on her thighs many years ago, after giving birth to her third child. Initially, she
ignored it, thinking that it was nothing more than an aesthetic hindrance. Shortly after, Sarah
experienced cramps, especially at night and both legs were constantly aching, tired and swollen. She
also felt conscious of its appearance whenever she wore a skirt to work.

Varicose veins are common among the general population-35% of women and 20% of men over 20
years old are diagnosed with this condition. Factors that increase the risk of developing varicose veins
include prolonged sitting or standing, multiple pregnancies, family history of varicose veins, obesity and
wearing