What is the Difference Between Vasculitis and Varicose Veins

The key difference between vasculitis and varicose veins is that vasculitis is a medical condition that causes the inflammation of the wall of the blood vessels, while varicose veins are a medical condition that causes veins to become enlarged and twisted.

Blood vessels carry blood throughout the body. They form a closed loop that begins and ends at heart. The heart vessels and blood vessels together form the circulatory system. It is estimated that the body contains about 60,000 miles of blood vessels. Vasculitis and varicose veins are two medical conditions that are due to problems in blood vessels.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Vasculitis 
3. What are Varicose Veins
4. Similarities – Vasculitis and Varicose Veins
5. Vasculitis vs Varicose Veins in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Vasculitis vs Varicose Veins

What is Vasculitis?

Vasculitis is a medical condition that causes inflammation of the wall of blood vessels. The inflammation of blood vessels can cause the walls to thicken, reducing the width of the passageway through the vessel. Therefore, this restricts blood flow and can result in organ and tissue damage. There are many types of vasculitis. But most of them are rare conditions. Vasculitis may affect just one organ or several. Moreover, this condition can be short-term or long-lasting. Vasculitis can affect anyone though some types of vasculitis are common in certain age groups.

Vasculitis can be caused due to individual’s genetic makeup or the immune system attacking blood vessels by mistake. The triggers of vasculitis may include infections like hepatitis B and hepatitis C, immune system diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and scleroderma, blood cancers, and reactions to certain drugs. The symptoms of vasculitis are fever, headache, fatigue, weight loss, general aches and pains, pain after eating, ulcers and perforation in digestive tracts, dizziness, ringing in the ear, eyes looking red, itch, or burning, numbness or weakness in hands or foot, shortness of breath, and bleeding under the skin. Vasculitis can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood tests, imaging tests (X-ray, MRI, CT scan, and PET), angiography, and biopsy. Furthermore, vasculitis is treated through medications such as corticosteroids (prednisone) and surgery.

What are Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are twisted and enlarged veins. Veins that are close to the skin’s surface or superficial veins can become varicosed. Varicose veins commonly affect the legs. Varicose veins occur due to damaged, tiny valves in the veins. When there is damage to valves, the blood can flow backward and collect in the veins, causing the veins to stretch or twist.

The symptoms of varicose veins may include veins that are dark purple or blue, veins that appear twisted and bulging, an achy or heavy feeling in the legs, burning, throbbing, muscle cramping and selling in the legs, pain worsening after sitting or standing for a long time, itching around one or more of the veins, and changes in the skin colour around a varicose vein. Varicose veins can be diagnosed through physical examination, venous Doppler ultrasound, or leg ultrasound.

Furthermore, varicose veins can be treated through self-care (exercise, raising legs when sitting and lying down), compression stockings, surgeries (sclera therapies, laser therapy, catheter-based procedures using radiofrequency or laser energy, high ligation and veins stripping, ambulatory phlebectomy), lifestyle and home remedies (exercise, managing weight, avoiding salt, choosing proper footwear, avoiding tight clothing, raising the legs and avoiding long period of sitting or standing) and alternative medicine (Horse chestnut).

What are the Similarities Between Vasculitis and Varicose Veins?

• Vasculitis and varicose veins are two medical conditions that are due to problems in blood vessels.
• Both conditions can cause complications.
• These conditions can be diagnosed through physical examination.
• They can be treated through specific medicines and surgeries.

What is the Difference Between Vasculitis and Varicose Veins?

Vasculitis is a medical condition that causes the inflammation of the wall of the blood vessels, while varicose veins are a medical condition that causes veins to become enlarged and twisted. Thus, this is the key difference between vasculitis and varicose veins. Furthermore, vasculitis is caused due to individual’s genetic makeup or immune system attacking blood vessels by mistake, while varicose veins are caused due to damaged, tiny valves in the veins.

The below infographic presents the differences between vasculitis and varicose veins in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Vasculitis vs Varicose Veins

Blood vessels are channels that transport blood throughout the body. Vasculitis and varicose veins are two medical conditions that are due to problems in blood vessels. Vasculitis is a medical condition that causes the inflammation of the wall of the blood vessels, while varicose veins are a medical condition that causes veins to become enlarged and twisted. So, this summarizes the difference between vasculitis and varicose veins.

Reference:

1. “Varicose Veins.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 3 Mar. 2022.
2. “Vasculitis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 24 Nov. 2020.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Vasculitis” By James Heilman, MD – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “2107 Varicose Vein” By OpenStax College – Anatomy & Physiology, Connexions Web site, Jun 19, 2013. (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia