Has there been any evidence of vericose veins having any increased risk of DCI?
Vericose veins and DCS
- Thread starter pasley
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Dr Deco
Contributor
- Messages
- 2,384
- Reaction score
- 96
- # of dives
- I just don't log dives
Hello Melvin P:
Varicose Veins
I have never heard any problems with varicose veins and DCS, but I am not sure that anyone has ever looked at the problem [situation].
From a decompression standpoint, varicosities cause the valves in the leg veins to become incompetent, that is, they no longer perform their function correctly. This results in a sluggish return of blood to the heat and a greater hydrostatic pressure. The increased pressure causes a reduction in capillary flow in leg muscles, because the arterial venous pressure difference is reduced.
This difference will not occur when the individual is immersed, because immersion removes the hydrostatic pressure difference between legs and chest. Thus, blood perfusion will be good while diving, but it will be poor when on the surface. If one is wearing a wet suit (similar to constricting stockings), this will assist with the return of blood on the surface. The best way to help this is to move your legs or constrict your muscles periodically during the surface interval. This activates the muscle pump, and this procedure is good practice for all divers, with or without good veins. (It is also helpful when sitting for long periods such as in an airplane cabin to prevent clots in the legs.)
Dr Deco :doctor:
Varicose Veins
I have never heard any problems with varicose veins and DCS, but I am not sure that anyone has ever looked at the problem [situation].
From a decompression standpoint, varicosities cause the valves in the leg veins to become incompetent, that is, they no longer perform their function correctly. This results in a sluggish return of blood to the heat and a greater hydrostatic pressure. The increased pressure causes a reduction in capillary flow in leg muscles, because the arterial venous pressure difference is reduced.
This difference will not occur when the individual is immersed, because immersion removes the hydrostatic pressure difference between legs and chest. Thus, blood perfusion will be good while diving, but it will be poor when on the surface. If one is wearing a wet suit (similar to constricting stockings), this will assist with the return of blood on the surface. The best way to help this is to move your legs or constrict your muscles periodically during the surface interval. This activates the muscle pump, and this procedure is good practice for all divers, with or without good veins. (It is also helpful when sitting for long periods such as in an airplane cabin to prevent clots in the legs.)
Dr Deco :doctor:
OP
Thank you for your response. I do have a spider network of blue viens around my ankles (as did my grandfather). I had a Undeserved DSI hit in the ankle (area of vericose veins) a couple of years ago and was wondering if that could have been a contributing factor.
I have also noted that these unsightly viens disappear and are moarkedly improved for a day or two following a dive.
I have also noted that these unsightly viens disappear and are moarkedly improved for a day or two following a dive.
beche de mer
Contributor
It's an interesting thought. If you have a sluggish venous circulation around the ankles, there would not be a ready replenishment with fresh arterial blood, into which the off-gassing tissues can dump their nitrogen load.
This would retard off-gassing and could be an explanation for a localised hit in that region.
The reasons for the veins disappearing for a couple of days after a dive is as Dr Deco said. During a dive there is no hydrostatic pressure effect within the veins of the legs. (i.e. no pressure due to vertical column of blood.) There is only the dynamic pressure of the circulation. This allows the distended veins and venules to shrink back to normal size. This is augmented by your constrictive wet-suit and the compressive effect of being at depth.
After a couple of days of being upright, they become distended again.
Similar threads
