Why do my veins bulge when my hands are down versus when they are raised?
Answers from doctors (5)
Hand veins enlarge when the veins are below the heart, and they diminish when the hands are raised above the heart. The short answer is: due to gravity. The longer answer is: when above the heart, the pressure in the hand veins is less than the heart, so the veins decompress and the opposite occurs when the hands are below the heart.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
The bulging is due to venous pressure. This is all quite normal.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Gravity pools the volume of blood in your veins. Raising your arms speeds up the blood flow out of your arms back to your heart.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Valves open when hands are raised above the level of the heart and allow egress of blood out of the hands, forearms, and arms into the central venous circulation. Conversely, you are getting venous engorgement when the hand is at your waist level.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Gravity is what's causing the bulge. When your hands are dependent--lower than your shoulders--gravity acts to pull the blood in the veins to the hands, resulting in bulging veins.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
