Varicose veins: symptoms, tests, treatment and which doctor to see
What varicose veins are, the symptoms and complications, the scan that guides treatment, the options from stockings to laser, and when to seek urgent help.
Also known as: Spider Veins; Veins
What varicose veins are
Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins just under the skin, usually in the legs. Veins carry blood back to the heart, and in the legs they rely on one-way valves and the squeezing of the calf muscles to push blood upwards against gravity. When the valves weaken, blood flows backwards and pools, the pressure in the veins rises, and they stretch and bulge.
For many people varicose veins are mainly a cosmetic concern. For others they cause aching and swelling, and over years the raised pressure can damage the skin of the lower leg, leading to eczema, dark discolouration and ulcers. Small spidery red or purple veins (thread veins) are a related but harmless problem.
Symptoms
- Bulging veins, blue or purple, often on the calf or inner thigh
- Aching legs, worse at the end of the day or after standing
- Heaviness or tiredness in the legs
- Swelling of the ankles
- Itching over the veins
- Night cramps
- Skin discolouration — brown staining or hardening of the skin above the ankle
- A leg ulcer that is slow to heal, usually near the inner ankle
Symptoms usually ease when you lie down or raise your legs.
Causes and who is at risk in India
Your risk is higher if you:
- Have a parent with varicose veins
- Are older, or are a woman, especially after pregnancies
- Stand for long hours at work — for example in shops, kitchens, classrooms, factories, salons or on traffic duty
- Carry extra weight
- Have had a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the past
- Are inactive, or sit for long periods without moving
How it is diagnosed
The doctor examines your legs standing up. The key test is a duplex ultrasound scan, which shows the veins, the direction of blood flow and which valves are leaking. It also checks the deep veins for past or current clots. The scan maps the problem so that treatment is aimed at the right veins; treatment without a scan often leads to recurrence.
If you have leg ulcers or are being considered for compression, your doctor will also check the arteries, often by comparing blood pressure at the ankle and arm, because compression can be harmful when arterial circulation is poor.
Thread veins and small varicose veins without symptoms do not usually need a scan or treatment. Treating them is a cosmetic choice and is often not covered by insurance, so ask before booking a procedure.
Which doctor to see
A general surgeon or a vascular surgeon assesses and treats varicose veins, including laser and radiofrequency procedures. Interventional radiologists also perform these procedures. A cardiologist may be involved when leg swelling has another cause, such as heart failure, or when there are other circulation problems.
You can find general surgeons in Bengaluru on The Doctor Index, each with a registration you can check.
Treatment
Not all varicose veins need treatment. Treatment is usually recommended for symptoms, skin changes, ulcers, bleeding or recurrent inflammation of the veins.
Self-care and compression
Walking and calf exercises, raising your legs when resting, losing weight if needed and avoiding long periods of standing or sitting still help symptoms. Compression stockings, fitted to the right size and strength by a professional, support the veins and reduce aching and swelling. They do not get rid of varicose veins but are important for people with skin changes or ulcers.
Procedures
- Endovenous laser ablation and radiofrequency ablation — a thin catheter inserted into the faulty vein under local anaesthetic seals it with heat, guided by ultrasound. Most people walk the same day.
- Sclerotherapy — a medicine, often as a foam, is injected to close smaller veins or veins left after ablation.
- Vein glue (cyanoacrylate) closure — an option at some centres.
- Surgery — tying and stripping the vein, or removing bulging branches through tiny cuts, used when other methods are unsuitable.
Your surgeon will recommend a method based on your scan. New varicose veins can develop over time even after successful treatment. Avoid massage of bulging veins and unproven creams and oils.
If you are pregnant, varicose veins often appear or worsen and may improve after delivery; treatment is usually postponed until after the baby is born, while compression stockings and leg elevation ease symptoms. If you have leg ulcers, the ulcer is usually treated with dressings and compression first, and treating the underlying veins then lowers the chance of the ulcer coming back.
Living with it: follow-up
- Stay active — walking is one of the best things you can do
- Wear compression stockings as advised, especially at work
- Moisturise the skin of the lower legs and protect it from injury
- Seek early care for any skin breakdown near the ankle
- Review if symptoms return after treatment
When it is an emergency
- Bleeding from a varicose vein can be heavy. Lie down, raise the leg above the level of the heart and press firmly on the spot with a clean cloth. If bleeding does not stop within minutes, call 112 or 108.
- A painful, swollen, warm calf, especially after travel, surgery or illness, can mean a deep vein thrombosis — see a doctor the same day.
- Sudden breathlessness, chest pain or coughing blood can mean a clot has travelled to the lungs — call 112 or 108 immediately.
- A hot, red, tender, hard vein (superficial thrombophlebitis) needs a doctor's review within a day or two.
Questions to ask at your appointment
- Do my veins need treatment, or is self-care enough?
- What did the duplex ultrasound show?
- Which procedure do you recommend for me, and why?
- What is the recovery time, and when can I return to work?
- What are the chances of the veins coming back?
- What strength and size of compression stocking should I wear?
Common questions
Questions people ask
- Are varicose veins dangerous?
- Usually not, but they can cause aching, swelling, skin damage, ulcers and bleeding, and are linked to inflamed or clotted surface veins. A painful, swollen calf or sudden breathlessness can signal a serious clot and needs urgent medical care.
- Do compression stockings cure varicose veins?
- No. Stockings relieve aching and swelling and protect the skin, but they do not close faulty veins. Procedures such as laser or radiofrequency ablation are used when the veins themselves need treatment.
- Can varicose veins come back after treatment?
- Yes. Treated veins usually stay closed, but new varicose veins can develop over the years, because the underlying tendency remains. Staying active, managing weight and wearing stockings if advised can help.
- Is laser treatment better than surgery for varicose veins?
- For many people, laser or radiofrequency ablation offers quicker recovery and less pain than traditional surgery, with good results. The right choice depends on your duplex scan, the size and shape of your veins and your surgeon's assessment.
This condition is usually assessed by a general surgeon. Every profile shows the doctor’s registration and what has been checked.
General surgeons in Bangalore
A few general surgeons listed on The Doctor Index. They are shown because of their speciality, not a stated interest in Varicose Veins; ask the clinic whether the doctor sees it.
Related conditions
All vascular medicine conditions →
Practical reading
All postsSources
- MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine — Varicose Veins
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH) — Varicose Veins
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine — Varicose Veins — Public-domain health-topic summary
- Human Phenotype Ontology Consortium — terminology definitions — HPO licence; definitions reproduced without alteration
Varicose veins: symptoms, tests, treatment and which doctor to see is original text by The Doctor Index; the compiled source draft was used for research. Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999; July 2026 data, CC BY 4.0. This product uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (hp/releases/2026-09-01). Only sources listed for this article apply. Source material has been selected and arranged; HPO definitions are reproduced without alteration. No source organisation endorses this compilation. Köhler S et al. The Human Phenotype Ontology project: linking molecular biology and disease through phenotype data. Nucleic Acids Research 2014;42(D1):D966–D974. doi:10.1093/nar/gkt1026.
General information, not advice about your situation. Errors can be reported through the corrections process. Reference TDI-C-2395.