Venous insufficiency is a condition that occurs when the veins in the legs do not permit adequate blood flow back to the heart. Typically caused by lifestyle factors, blood clots or functional problems with valves inside of the veins, venous insufficiency is a chronic condition that can cause bothersome symptoms that include swelling and skin discoloration and ulceration.
Swelling
When proper backflow of blood from the legs to the heart becomes impaired, blood comes to a standstill and pools in the veins in the lower legs. Particularly when standing, this pooled blood increases blood pressure and causes swelling of the legs, ankles and feet. According to the Stanford School of Medicine, swelling usually occurs as one of the first symptoms of venous insufficiency. Impaired blood flow can also lead the legs to feel heavy or tired, and the skin may feel tight in the calves or other areas of swelling. Swelling can accompany a persistent ache or mild to severe pain, burning, cramping or throbbing in the legs.
Skin Changes
Over time, people with venous insufficiency may develop a brownish discoloration on the surface of the skin on the legs and ankles in areas where blood becomes trapped beneath the skin's surface. According to the UC Davis Health System, the skin may also start to flake, develop a leathery texture and/or itch.
People suffering from venous insufficiency also usually develop varicose veins--swollen, twisted veins that are dark blue or purple in color and bulge up from underneath the surface of the skin. According to the Stanford School of Medicine, varicose veins develop because the blocked blood pools in the legs, putting increased pressure on the walls of the veins and causing them to enlarge.
Ulcers
If venous insufficiency remains untreated over an extended period of time, venous ulcers can develop. Venous ulcers are painful, open sores that form in or on the skin in areas where blood leaks, pools and causes swelling that blocks oxygen from reaching areas of the skin's tissues. According to New York Presbyterian Hospital, these ulcers prove especially common on the inner leg or top of the ankle. They can be extremely painful and, if they become infected, can cause the skin tissue to die and become gangrenous.
