Varicosis, Aesthetics, and Pain
Introduction: The aesthetic presentation and subsequent management of varicosis are well accepted. However, the association of pain and its impact on varicosis is less well understood. The purpose of this study is to define the interrelationship of pain with the anatomic and physiological presentation of patients with primary varicosis. Materials and Methods: This is an ongoing prospective demographic study of sequential patients presenting randomly at the Varicosis and Laser Center of Alabama for the evaluation of varicosis. All patients were given standard questionnaires to evaluate their reasons for presentation. Later in the study, those who selected pain were asked to identify the perceived intensity of their pain by the use of “smiley faces.” Patients were clinically divided into three groups: group 1, those with spider and reticular vein disease; group 2, those with mixed large- and small-vein disease; and group 3, those with large-vein disease (>4 mm). Results: Seventy-seven percent of patients presenting with varicosis had pain. The correlation of pain with varicosis may indicate a more prevalent association with chronic venous insufficiency. This association was of greater significance in those patients with large-vein disease (>4 mm). The use of smiley faces to monitor perceived intensity of pain revealed a significant result in all clinical groups. The character of the pain was described in multiple terms. Discussion: Pain is a prevalent condition in those patients presenting with primary varicosis. Pain is associated with a greater likelihood of chronic venous insufficiency, in large-vein disease. The association of varicosis with pain and chronic venous insufficiency allows categorization into four functional classes.