If you are dealing with a vein condition, you may be wondering, “can varicose veins cause leg cramps?” Though symptoms can vary drastically, severe cases of varicose veins could cause leg cramps, especially within the lower legs. Fortunately, at-home activities and medical treatments could resolve your symptoms. Consider speaking with us at Artemis Vein Center to learn more.
The legs undergo more pressure than the upper body, which makes it more challenging to pump blood back to the heart. As a result, the veins in the legs weaken quicker than others, typically resulting in faulty valves causing blood to collect and enlarge, twist, and damage the vein further. When varicose veins form, they decrease blood flow to the surrounding muscles and cause swelling, pain, skin discoloration, burning, itchy skin, and sometimes leg cramps.
Varicose veins are also a cosmetic concern for many individuals as the veins are visibly purple or blue and bulging beneath the skin. Therefore, many individuals consider long-term treatment options for varicose veins for relieving physical symptoms, such as leg cramps and cosmetic concerns. Afterward, patients report having more freedom with physical abilities and wardrobe choices due to improved blood flow and minimized skin discoloration.
Since varicose veins form due to the blood pooling when it cannot flow properly, many side effects could occur, including leg cramps. When varicose veins prevent blood from reaching the leg muscles, they are unable to relax and cramp in response, which many people find painful.
In addition, the blood that collects within varicose veins is unable to reach the heart, which removes toxins and resupplies the blood with oxygen. In response, the leg muscles typically contract and cause painful muscle cramps.
Leg cramps caused by varicose veins often occur in the calves because they are the farthest from the heart and undergo more pressure than areas above. However, leg cramps from varicose veins could happen in the thighs and upper legs, especially at night. No matter where you are experiencing leg cramps, it is important to speak with a medical professional about treatment.
Your legs face excess pressure from routine activities and events throughout your lifetime, such as walking, standing, aging, weight gain, and pregnancy. In some cases, the extra stress and declining vein health result in twisted, bulging veins that form when the blood cannot flow back to the heart correctly. The condition, varicose veins, varies from mild cosmetic concerns to severe side effects with medical risks.
During consultations for long-term varicose vein treatments, many people ask us if leg cramps are a common symptom of this condition. In many cases, varicose veins cause leg cramps in the lower legs, especially at night, due to excess toxins but decreased blood flow in the muscles. Consider reaching out to Artemis Vein Center to discuss noninvasive or surgical varicose vein treatments to relieve painful symptoms and improve your physical abilities.
