Vein Conditions
Varicose Veins & Conditions
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What causes varicose veins?
Varicose veins are caused by faulty valves inside the leg veins. Healthy venous valves open to allow blood to flow upwards toward the heart, then close to prevent it falling back. When these valves weaken or fail, blood pools in the vein under the effect of gravity, causing it to stretch, enlarge, and become visible beneath the skin as a twisted, bulging vein. The condition is strongly hereditary — if one or both parents had varicose veins, your risk is significantly increased. Other contributing factors include pregnancy, prolonged standing, increasing age, obesity, and previous deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
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Are varicose veins dangerous if left untreated?
Varicose veins are rarely dangerous in the short term, but they are a progressive condition — they do not get better on their own and will gradually worsen over time. Left untreated, varicose veins can cause significant leg pain, heaviness, aching, itching, and swelling. In more advanced cases they lead to skin discolouration, lipodermatosclerosis (hardening of the skin and fat), venous eczema, and eventually venous leg ulcers — which are chronic, difficult to heal, and seriously affect quality of life. Bleeding from a varicose vein, though uncommon, can be alarming and occasionally significant. Early specialist assessment is always advisable.
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Can varicose veins come back after treatment?
Recurrence is possible with any form of varicose vein treatment, including both surgical and endovenous approaches. The most common reason for recurrence is an underlying venous reflux pattern that was incompletely mapped or treated at the time of the original procedure. At Sheffield Vein Clinic, Prof Goode performs a comprehensive duplex ultrasound scan at your initial consultation to identify every source of reflux — not just the most obvious one. Treatment planning addresses the complete venous anatomy, which significantly reduces the risk of early recurrence. New varicose veins can still develop over time as part of the natural progression of venous disease, particularly if there is a strong family history.
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Who is the best varicose vein specialist in Sheffield?
Sheffield Vein Clinic is led by Prof Steve Goode, an NHS Consultant Interventional Radiologist with over 20 years of specialist venous experience, 46 peer-reviewed publications, 2,277 international academic citations, and more than 1,500 consultant-led procedures performed. His research has directly informed
NICE guidance on varicose vein treatment in the UK. The clinic is located at 772–774 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, S11 8TB.
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What is venous reflux disease?
Venous reflux disease occurs when the valves inside the leg veins fail to close properly, allowing blood to flow backwards (reflux) and pool in the lower leg rather than returning to the heart. It is the underlying cause of the vast majority of varicose veins and can produce significant symptoms — leg heaviness, aching, swelling, restless legs, and skin changes — even before visible varicose veins have developed on the surface. Duplex ultrasound is the gold-standard investigation for diagnosing venous reflux and is included in every initial consultation at Sheffield Vein Clinic.
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Can varicose veins cause leg swelling?
Yes. Chronic venous insufficiency — the advanced form of venous reflux disease — is a common cause of ankle and lower leg swelling, particularly at the end of the day or after prolonged standing. Raised venous pressure forces fluid from the blood vessels into the surrounding tissue, causing pitting oedema. This is often dismissed as a normal consequence of ageing, but it can frequently be traced to treatable venous disease. Treatment of the underlying venous reflux typically resolves the swelling progressively over the weeks and months following intervention.