page contents

Leg Veins Pain With Little To See

You could have leg veins pain even though you might have been told there is nothing going on.  In at least two situations this can be true.

Icon for connecting to make a direct call to Vein Remedy's Springdale Clinic.Call Us!
Icon to link for connecting with Springdale Clinic of VeinRemedy through email.Email

I’ll explain what is going on and how you can check whether the leg discomfort you are experiencing is actual vein pain.

Leg veins pain in woman with high heels in an office setting

It’s not an unusual situation at all.

Possible Association With Growing Pains

It might even explain why teenagers get a common “diagnosis” of having growing pains. 

There may be other causes. 

But over time as I have checked on past histories of people presenting for vein treatments many have had this label in their younger days.

It may have been early underlying vein problems were the cause back then.

Other Situations

Also I have seen people who have had surgery for varicose veins with a good post-surgical appearance still experiencing pains from their legs.

A relatively simple treatment has eliminated their symptoms. 

How could this be?

Under the types of veins that present I have mentioned a couple of situations where this might occur.

Lateral Vein System

The first is the lateral vein system.

Leg Veins Pain can occur with lateral leg veinsExample of lateral leg veins

This, as I shared, is a developmental system laid down as your limbs grow before you are born.

As the name implies generally it is located on the outside of your legs. 

Sometimes it’s located slightly towards the back of the outside your legs.

As they form a network they can extend to the front, back and inside of your legs as well.  Usually showing progressively over time.

The lateral vein system is the one most commonly associated with spider veins - otherwise known as telangiectasiae. They can be extensive. 

Particularly if left for a long time.

If they have not already receded before birth initially lateral veins usually function quite normally.

Over time they can become stretched as their walls weaken. 

The one way valves are not large enough to ensure upward flow.  Back flow occurs.  Much like a leaky tap washer.

Then pain can result.  As was the reason for people still experiencing pain after their varicose vein surgery.

A confounding problem with the lateral vein system is the late appearance of the twisty, tortuous, bulging appearance traditionally associated with varicose veins.

Even a cursory listening to blood flow with a small hand-held doppler listening device will reveal two way flow in otherwise normal looking vessels.

Hidden Saphenous Vein Problems

For the second missed cause of leg veins pain, we need to look at the saphenous system.  Most often the long saphenous vein.

Sitting in its compartment on top of the edge of the muscles and related tissues any changes occurring here are hidden from view at the skin surface.

As mentioned previously at times this can be the only vein defect present. 

Maybe with some minor changes at the ankle or foot.

Leg veins pain with inside foot varicose veins may be all there is to see at timesSometimes foot varicose veins is all that can be seen

And yet the height of the full length leg blood column can cause leg veins pain.

Other venous complications can also result over time - swelling, skin colour and texture changes.

Viewing the saphenous system by colour ultrasound imaging will reveal the problem.

With either system the leg veins pain is usually felt at the end of the day.  Sometimes throughout a long day on your feet.

Proving It Is Leg Veins Pain

But how can you be sure that the leg pain you are feeling is actually from these veins?

Short of actual treatment, most reliably by days with and without wearing compression stockings during the day.

One day on and one off is not enough.

It needs to be repeated a few times to eliminate chance improvements.

The extra help to normalise circulation wearing the stockings should result in pain-free days and evenings.

Once the connection has been proven you can proceed to treatment with confidence. 

Afterwards your leg veins pain should be gone.

New! Comments

Want to say or question something about this page? Leave me a comment in the box below.