When Are Bulging Veins in Legs Not Varicose Veins?

Prominent leg veins are common and sometimes harmless. But they could contain a varicosity or blood clot. Healthy veins bulge from elevated blood pressure. This occurs with exercise, stress, heat, hormonal fluctuations, and more. They shrink when the impetus is removed. But veins with weak walls or valves bulge because blood flows backward and accumulates in the vein. These are varicose veins, and they aren’t healthy blood vessels.

Varicose veins remain twisted and enlarged due to the continual pooling of blood in the vein. This problem is called Chronic Venous Insufficiency, and it can produce mild, debilitating, or life-threatening symptoms. A blood clot can also cause a vein to bulge if the clot is near the surface where you can see it, or if a clot in a deep vein produces swelling at the surface. A deeper clot, called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can break loose and travel to the lungs, which can cause a pulmonary embolism.

It’s impossible to determine the cause of bulging veins through the skin. Book an appointment with Harvard-trained vein specialists to assess your vascular health. If you have Chronic Venous Insufficiency or blood clots, serious complications could arise, and more spider veins and varicose veins could develop.

Not every bulging vein is varicose. But when veins protrude in the legs, there’s a higher likelihood that they are. Leg veins pump blood against gravity, which makes them more susceptible to backward blood flow. Varicosities can cause swelling, cramping, heaviness, restlessness, fatigue, and itching in the legs. Some patients call them “hurt lines,” because they look like map lines winding down the leg, and they often hurt. Varicose veins can cause venous ulcerations, which are also painful.

Veins that bulge but aren’t varicose won’t have symptoms. You’ll notice they change sizes throughout the day. Veins stretch and shrink to accommodate fluctuations in blood pressure. If your leg veins bulge after lifting weights or taking hot showers, but shrink down promptly afterward, they might not be varicose. But patients can’t determine this, and untreated varicose veins pose several risks. Visit our board certified, Long Island vein doctors for an assessment to avoid complications.

The hands and arms typically have thinner skin than the legs, so it’s normal for even healthy veins to bulge in these areas. A varicose vein can develop anywhere, but they’re less common in the veins in hands and arms because these veins don’t contend with gravity, body weight, sitting, and standing, the way leg veins do.

If your hand veins bulge after typing, weightlifting, or sitting in the sun, note whether they shrink once you relax or cool down. It’s best to see a vein doctor for concerning blood vessels, especially if they have symptoms or look different from other veins. But in most cases, veins in the hands and forearms aren’t varicose. A varicosity is more common in the upper arm, but not as common as in the legs.

The main reason veins of the arm, hand, and foot bulge is because of less adipose tissue in these areas. These veins aren’t necessarily larger than normal. You can just see them more easily. Hands, feet, and arms stay active throughout the day, so it’s normal for their veins to enlarge at various intervals. However, as mentioned, varicose veins and spider veins can occur anywhere, so always ask your vein doctor to confirm a prominent vein’s health.

If your foot, arm, or hand veins don’t reduce in size, or if they’re more twisted or protuberant than surrounding veins, see a doctor. If you have any blood clot symptoms discussed above (chest pain, trouble breathing, or a sudden warm, raised, reddened area) go to the emergency room.

If you intentionally cause vein swelling for bodybuilding, you should know that vascularity presents several risks. Using blood flow resistance training, anabolic drugs, and tourniquet techniques to create vein protrusion can cause varicose veins, high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks, and arterial issues. In these cases, bulging veins are quite dangerous.

Like hands and feet, the forehead has minimal adipose tissue. It’s common to see forehead veins bulging when you’re hot, stressed, or exercising because these things increase blood pressure. Bulging forehead veins are also genetic, and they’re more common as we age. But don’t assume your forehead vein is healthy, especially if it’s newly bulging or symptomatic. It could be a varicose vein, vasculitis, or a cardiovascular issue. See a vein doctor to determine the cause.

There are many safe vein treatments to remove veins that bother you visually or symptomatically. For leg veins, a minimally invasive procedure often works best. Varicose leg veins are usually caused by broken valves in deeper veins. Vein doctors insert tiny tools through the skin to treat the cause and the affected vein. For veins in the hands, feet, or face, doctors might use a minimally invasive procedure like sclerotherapy or radiofrequency ablation, or a surface laser treatment.

What should patients do if bulging veins in legs are not varicose? Some veins pop out because of genetics, exertion, heat, aging, hormones, or weight loss or gain. The best way to prevent veins from popping out is to see a vein doctor. They’ll conduct a physical examination to diagnose any underlying problems. Then, they’ll either recommend lifestyle adjustments or treatments to resolve the issue.

They might suggest losing weight, exercising, wearing compression stockings, or elevating your legs while resting. Or they’ll suggest a minimally invasive procedure to eliminate bothersome veins. Visit our award-winning vein clinics in Port Jefferson, Hamptons, Jericho, or West Islip to resolve your bulging veins.