Is a Varicose Vein an Indicator of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Updated on: August 18, 2014

Young people generally live life in a fearless way. They stay up too late, play sports too hard, and dance too much. Of course, those are some of the things that make youth so much fun. Young people never really stop to think what their immense activity could do to their bodies later on.

These young people will certainly have a shock the day that they wake up no longer young anymore and to a varicose vein on their leg. Indeed, a varicose vein signifies a bunch of different things, genetics being among the more prevalent reasons, along with circulatory problems.

As the body ages, all of that running around and having an extremely active lifestyle starts taking its toll, and rheumatoid arthritis is one of the causes. There are two main kinds of arthritis: the generalized arthritis is an inflammation of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is the more serious form, in which the body's immune system is compromised by the frequent swelling of joints because of fluid.

A varicose vein is most commonly associated with circulatory problems, in that blood starts pooling in the veins of the legs. Small instances of this are known as spider veins. However, if a vein really becomes seriously engorged with blood, the vein will swell and pop out of the leg. Thus, a varicose vein is born.

Is there a correlation between this kind of vein and rheumatoid arthritis? There definitely can be. Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the joints in the hands first, but it can also affect the knees and feet. As the fluid in the joints becomes more and more copious, additional pressure is put on the circulatory system, causing these ugly veins.

Some might think that these maladies don't show up until a person is at least in their sixties, but that is untrue. Athletes in their late thirties and early forties can also start to experience these problems, especially if they have been participating in competitive sports since they were children.

So, what can be done to cure these maladies? Unfortunately, there is no real cure for rheumatoid arthritis as of yet. People who have it are generally given medication in the form of creams or pills to ease the swelling. Some people also turn to homeopathic solutions. However, it is important to note that whatever remedies are given, some work better than others, depending on the person.

If the rheumatoid arthritis situation is under control, then the veins can be taken care of successfully. However, the rheumatoid arthritis absolutely must be brought under control first. Otherwise, the veins might be treated, but then they will just show up again later on.

The first treatment is in the form of medicinal injections. The injections are meant to stimulate blood flow, and thus collapse the vein so that it might become healthy again. The second method involves laser treatments for the same purpose. These two vein treatments will both take several months to complete before the appearance of the vein has diminished.

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