Vein Center - What is venous disease?

What is venous disease/insufficiency?
Venous disease is a very common condition which affects both men and women.

The great saphenous vein drains oxygen depleted blood from the ankle, lower leg and thigh vessels to the femoral vein and the primary deep vein in the leg.  When the valves fail the resultant venous reflux causes blood to back up into the smaller veins closer to the skin causing varicose veins, leg swelling, aching and throbbing of the legs.  Varicose veins affect 1 out of 2 people age 50 and older, and 15 to 25% of all adults.