What are varicose veins? Veins in lower limb have valves which keep the blood moving towards heart and prevents backflow. If valves are weak or damaged, backflow of blood occurs which pools the veins. Continuous pooling causes veins to become stretched, swollen and tortuous. Varicose veins are swollen, twisted and bulged veins that are clearly visible in legs and feet. They usually don’t cause any problems. But, they may disfigure and causes cosmetic concern in females. Raised pressure in these veins causes development of spider veins and discoloured areas which look like bruises. Symptoms of varicose veins- Pain in leg | Swelling |Itching | Leg discoloration | Leg ulcer Many factors can raise your risk for developing varicose veins, including family history, older age, female gender, pregnancy, obesity, prolonged standing or sitting, blood clots and prior trauma.