Varicose Veins Could Signal Bigger Health Problems - AI Podcast
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Briana Mercola
4.6 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 24 July 2025
⏱️ 8 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Story at-a-glance
- Varicose veins affect over 40 million Americans and are often mistaken for a cosmetic issue, even though they signal deeper problems in circulation that worsen silently over time
- These enlarged, twisted veins usually appear on the legs. They form when blood begins to flow backward and collect in the veins, increasing pressure and causing the vessel walls to stretch and swell
- Risk increases with age, hormonal shifts, pregnancy, prolonged standing or sitting, obesity, sedentary behavior, connective tissue disorders, and a family history of vein problems or clotting disorders
- Treatment options for varicose veins include the use of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to reduce swelling and support healing, and inclined bed therapy to restore circulation overnight
- Prevention focuses on daily walking, regular leg elevation, proper footwear, weight control, hydration, and avoiding prolonged sitting, standing, or restrictive clothing that places unnecessary pressure on the lower body
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Have you ever looked at the bluish bulging veins on your legs and wondered whether they're just cosmetic or a warning sign about your circulation? |
| 0:08.1 | Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. |
| 0:10.7 | Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go. |
| 0:16.1 | No reading required. |
| 0:17.4 | Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights. |
| 0:21.7 | Hello, and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. I'm Ethan Foster. And today, |
| 0:27.1 | Alara Sky and I unpack what those varicose veins are really telling you. |
| 0:31.6 | Thanks, Ethan. Veracose veins affect roughly 40 million Americans, yet many people dismiss them until they throb or swell. |
| 0:39.6 | We'll walk you through how these veins form, the risks they flag about your vascular health, |
| 0:44.6 | and the straightforward steps you can take to manage them. |
| 0:47.5 | Let's start with what makes a vein turn varicose. |
| 0:50.8 | In healthy veins, tiny one-way valves and your calf muscles work together to push blood upward toward your heart, against gravity. |
| 0:58.0 | When those valves weaken, blood flows backward, pools, and boosts pressure, stretching the vein walls. |
| 1:05.0 | That sustained pressure causes the vessel to bulge and twist, especially in your legs where gravity has the longest pull. |
| 1:12.3 | Age, hormone shifts, pregnancy, prolonged standing or sitting, obesity, and a family history |
| 1:18.9 | of clotting disorders all raise your chances of those valves failing. |
| 1:22.4 | If you're on your feet all day, seated for hours, or carrying extra weight. You're stressing that system. Over time, |
| 1:30.0 | a sense of heaviness, dull aches, or nighttime throbbing may appear. Those early symptoms |
| 1:35.5 | are your body's way of asking for better circulation before serious complications set in. |
| 1:40.6 | Complications escalate from superficial clots to deep vein thrombosis, which can send a clot to your |
| 1:46.3 | lungs and to skin changes that lead to ulcers around your ankles. That's why noticing swelling, |
| 1:52.3 | brown discoloration, or fragile, itchy skin near visible veins matters. You're catching chronic |
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