Q: What if I leave my varicose veins alone?
A: Venous insufficiency is usually an “insidiously progressive condition”. This means that they are a little worse this year than they were last year, and will be a little worse next year than they are now. In five or ten years, they will be a much larger problem. Because untreated venous insufficiency tends to progress over time, the appearance continues to deteriorate.
You can expect worsening symptoms including leg tiredness, heaviness, aching, throbbing, tingling, burning, itching, numbness, swelling, restless legs syndrome, etc. More serious complications such as dermatitis, phlebitis, blood clots, hemorrhage, and non-healing venous leg ulcers can occur if symptomatic veins are left untreated too long.