What are varicose veins? They’re those bulging veins in your legs — the result of poor circulation leading to blood pooling. If you know a little bit about them, you know that they’re caused by an underlying condition called venous insufficiency.

But here are five major myths you may believe about varicose veins that we’d like to bust for your general health.

Myth 1: Varicose Veins Are Caused by Running

You may have heard this one from a friend — that varicose veins are caused by running or some other form of exercise.

The myth might circulate because of the unconscious association of fit individuals with ripped muscles and bulging veins, or perhaps due to the association of running with achy feet — something else associated with varicose veins.

But it’s simply not true. Circulation will help varicose veins, every time.

Myth 2: Varicose Veins Are Purely Cosmetic

It’s easy to believe they’re purely cosmetic, because what are they harming? Sure, they look gross, but varicose veins, like spider veins, are just unsightly and not harmful.

That’s actually wrong. Varicose veins are typically a sign of an underlying condition known as venous insufficiency. It’s a real medical condition that can lead to achy, painful feet, difficulty healing wounds in the lower extremities, and even put people at risk for a deep vein thrombosis.

Varicose veins don’t always indicate these issues, but they’re always worth getting checked out.

Myth 3: You Can Always See Varicose Veins

Because we identify varicose veins by their appearance, sometimes we mistake the symptom for the problem itself. But remember, varicose veins aren’t JUST the sight of bulging veins.

They’re simply veins that have pooled blood because of an inability to pump the blood back to the heart.

Therefore, if you’re seeing varicose veins on the surface, there may be deeper issues happening underneath.

If you want to know more, call the Vein Center of Maryland to schedule an appointment. We are conveniently located in Westminster, Eldersburg, Baltimore, Hunt Valley and Bel Air.

We also service Ellicott City and Columbia in Howard County.