You may have recently noticed some lumps on your legs and are wondering if they are varicose veins. While it is always recommended that you see a vein specialist like those here at BASS Vein Center, if you have any questions or concerns about veins, there is a test you can do on your own in the meantime to find out if you have varicose veins.
Several different conditions can cause lumps to form on our legs. These can include muscle hernias, sebaceous cysts, and lipomas. These issues often cause lumps to appear on the legs that can easily be confused as varicose veins. Because varicose veins are a sign of poor circulation in the legs and the overall body, it is essential to have a correct diagnosis for any lumps or unusual swelling in the legs.
Before we get started explaining the test you can perform at home for varicose veins, it’s essential to understand what they are. Varicose veins are veins that typically show up in the lower leg. They bulge and twist and are located just under the skin’s surface, causing them to protrude out. Healthy veins do not bulge in this same way. That is because regular, healthy veins still have valves that are not damaged and work properly. Healthy valves in normal veins allow blood to flow correctly back up to the heart. When the valves are damaged, like those in varicose veins, they do not allow blood to flow in the right direction and cause blood to pool in the vein instead.
It is quite a simple test you can perform at home. It uses the understanding of how the valves inside of healthy veins work. If you have any questions or concerns after completing the test, be sure to give BASS Vein Center a call to schedule an appointment with one of our helpful vein specialists.
Stand up and leave your leg in place for one to two minutes. If you have any visible bulging veins, they should be visible at this time. They will usually appear at the calf of the leg, but they can also show up on the thigh, knee, foot, or ankle. The veins will feel tense and can be squeezed away with mild pressure applied by your finger.
When you lie down, the bulges reduce, and the veins do not feel as tense as before.
If you raise your leg above your heart, the veins then disappear. That is how you will know these are varicose veins. Cysts, muscle hernias, lipomas, and other types of lumps will not go away when you do this.
This simple test is an excellent way to determine if the lumps on your legs are varicose veins or something else. But you should know that it will only be useful in discovering visible varicose veins. It is possible for someone also to have hidden varicose veins as well. If you notice that you have swollen ankles, aching legs, leg ulcers, and red or brown stains around the ankles, but there are no bulging veins visible on your legs, you will need to have an ultrasound scan to determine what is going on.
If you have noticed pain in your legs with or without the evidence of varicose veins, be sure to get in touch with our experts at BASS Vein Center for assistance. We can help accurately diagnose and treat your vein issue so that you can live our life free of pain.
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