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Article: Varicose veins.(Opinion & Editorial)
- Article from:
- Manila Bulletin
- Article date:
- February 18, 2003
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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VARICOSE veins are veins under the skin that have become stretched and swollen. This disfiguring and sometimes painful condition usually occurs in the legs as a result of the strain imposed on the valves in the leg veins by an upright posture. It is through the veins that blood is returned to the heart from the tissues of the legs. Since the heart is not strong enough to pump the blood back unaided, it must be helped by the pumping action of your leg muscles.
The precise cause of varicose veins isn't known but is probably a weakness in the walls of the superficial veins. This weakness may be inherited. Over time, the weakness causes the veins to lose their ...