Pain in chronic venous insufficiency (including venous claudication)

SummaryPain in chronic venous insufficiency can indicate an acute complication in the form of superficial thrombosis or deep venous thrombosis of the leg or chronic symptoms associated with venous leg ulcers or venous claudication. Up to 80 % of patients with venous leg ulcers report pain. This pain is a principal cause of the reduced quality of life of such patients. A distinction must be made between the acute pain arising from dressing changes, wound cleaning and debridement and pain occurring between these procedures. The pain should be evaluated systematically using visual analogue scales, as any increase in pain can be a warning sign of wound infections, irritation or allergic reactions to the wound dressings or exacerbation of a vascular disorder (e.g. additional peripheral arterial occlusive disease). Venous claudication occurs in the form of leg pain with a sensation of constriction on physical exertion, which subsides with rest. In the majority of cases, it is a symptom of reduced iliofemoral venous outflow. It occurs in up to 43.6 % of patients after iliofemoral thromboses.