The following symptoms and complaints may indicate chronic venous insufficiency (CVI):
- Edema (swelling) of the legs (68%).
- Feeling of heavy legs (tired legs), especially after long periods of sitting and standing [no certain relationship to severity of disease].
- Painful legs, especially after long periods of sitting and standing.
- Atrophic skin lesions
Associated symptoms
- Atrophy blanche (capillaritis alba) – small white areas of mostly coarse, scarred consistency, which occur preferentially in the area of the lower leg or upper ankle.
- Hyperpigmentation (increased pigmentation) of the skin
- Lipodermatosclerosis (dermatoliposclerosis) – increase in connective tissue and reduction of the subcutaneous fat layer, especially in the area of the ankle.
- Purpura jaune d’ocre – by hemosiderin deposition / iron deposition arising orange-brown pigmentation in the ankle / lower leg area.
- Congestive dermatitis – chronic form of eczema usually localized on both sides of the distal lower legs (eczematization: frequently itchy congestive eczema).
- Cyanotic skin – purple to bluish discoloration of the skin.
Complaints such as pain and swelling improve while lying down and at night.
See classification for Widmer’s staging of CVI.
