Other problems caused by varicose veins

Can varicose veins bleed?

Any blood vessel will bleed if it is cut or if it bursts……indeed if the vessel is an artery or major vein it is one of the main reasons for me as a vascular surgeon to be summoned urgently!

Varicose veins can become extremely enlarged and lie very close to the underlying skin. Local trauma (even sometimes quite mild) can open the vein and cause significant amounts of bleeding. It can nearly always be controlled with compression and very high elevation of the leg. It can however become a surgical emergency requiring urgent hospital admission.

Occasionally a varicose vein can burst but the blood remains under the skin. This causes extensive bruising rather than bleeding to the exterior.

Phlebitis

This is ‘inflammation within veins’. It occurs when blood clots form within varicose veins and is not due to an infection. It causes the veins to be hard, red, hot and inflamed. Occasionally varicose veins will improve after an attack of phlebitis but if not recurrent attacks of phlebitis can occur.