Associated symptoms

Most often, venous diseases are accompanied by the feeling of heavy legs and leg swelling. The swelling often goes down, especially at the beginning, during the night. In addition, varicose veins are immediately obvious due to their tortuous protrusion.

Varicose veins and vein weakness also cause bluish and reddish skin changes over time. Itching can also occur. Nocturnal calf cramps are also possible.

In severe stages of venous weakness, the skin becomes hardened and in the worst case, open spots appear on the legs, which hardly heal at all. Painful, palpable venous strands are characteristic of phlebitis. In the inflamed area the skin is reddened and swollen.

In thrombosis, pain in the calf is typical when pressure is applied to the calf or when the foot is bent. The pain is described as pulling. Overheating and swelling of the leg are also indicative.

A striking feature here is the comparison with the unaffected leg. If a thrombosis is suspected, a doctor should always be consulted immediately. The veins are responsible for transporting blood back to the heart.

In many venous diseases, especially venous insufficiency, the veins are no longer able to perform their task adequately. The result is an increase in pressure in the veins, which presses the blood fluid into the tissue. This and the poor drainage of fluid from the tissue leads to water retention, the edema.

Since the leg veins have to transport the blood against gravity, venous diseases and oedema occur preferentially in the legs and are favored by a lot of standing and sitting. Raising the legs, on the other hand, relieves the veins, as the blood can drain more easily. As already mentioned in the symptoms, severe pain occurs especially in the case of thrombosis.

The pain is pulling and resembles a sore muscle.Characteristically, the pain is increased in the calf due to flexion of the foot and compression of the calf. Pain on the sole of the foot can also be provoked by pressure on the sole of the foot. Furthermore, thrombosis, like other venous disorders, is accompanied by a feeling of heaviness or tension in the legs.

Varicose veins are characterized by their sack-like, enlarged appearance and their undulating course. The superficial veins of the legs are affected by these changes and are not very attractive. However, in addition to the aesthetic aspects, varicose veins are also associated with them.

Typically, the symptoms are worse in the evening and can be alleviated by walking a lot. The exact cause of the development of varicose veins is unknown.

Evening ankle edema,
Feeling of tiredness/tension/weightiness of the legs and
Nightly foot and calf cramps

The itching is caused by the skin changes and the accumulation of metabolic products. Due to the deterioration in blood transport, the oxygen supply is poorer and metabolites, which must be broken down in the liver, for example, cannot be transported out of the leg or can be transported much too slowly. This promotes inflammation of the skin, which also leads to itching.