There are veins all over the body. Veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart to receive oxygen before it goes to the arteries. There are many reasons why veins can swell and not just in the hands but also in the feet and other parts of the body. Although more of a cosmetic concern, it is still a concern that might need to be treated.
There are a variety of reasons that cause the veins in the hand to swell including:
- Aging: Leads to the loss of elasticity and tautness of the skin as well as the vein walls.Aging can also cause the skin to thin making veins protrude and appear bigger.
- Weight loss: Significant weight loss can make the veins look more prominent.
- Vascular disease: Causes the veins to bulge such as with varicose veins.
- Pregnancy: The hormone imbalance as well as rise of blood volume during pregnancy causes the veins to swell.
- Phlebitis: A condition wherein the veins are inflamed and become swollen.
- IV insertion or administration: Veins can swell after it has been cannulated with an IV and after drugs have passed through the vein walls.
Symptoms Of Bulging Veins in Hands
- Bulging or swollen veins is the main symptom of this condition.
- This condition may also be accompanied by other symptoms such as:
- Diabetes symptoms
- Obesity symptoms
- Pregnancy symptoms
- Thrombophlebitis symptoms
Treatment For Swollen Veins in Hands
Swollen veins, especially healthy veins, may not need treatment at all. Treatment of healthy but swollen veins is cosmetic in nature.
- Sclerotherapy involves injecting a sclerosant into the prominent veins causing the walls to constrict, restricting blood flow and causing the vein to fade away.
- Ambulatory phlebectomy involves making small incision to extract the veins using a phlebectomy hook.
- Vein stripping involves tying the upper portion of the vein before it is removed.
- Vein ligation involves tying the vein off, cutting off blood supply.
- Endovenous laser ablataion – A minimally invasive procedure using a laser fiber which has to be inserted into the swollen vein. The laser produces heat causes the collapse of the vein and eventual fading of the vein.
If there is a presence of underlying medical conditions such as phlebitis, the condition has to be treated and the disease has to be stabilized in order to reduce the appearance of the bulging or swelling veins.