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• Back to Diseases and Conditions
• Peripheral Artery Disease
• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
• Carotid Artery Disease
• Mesenteric Artery Disease
• Peripheral Artery Disease of the Legs
• Renal Artery Disease
• Varicose Veins
  • Signs and Symptoms
  • Risk Factors
  • Causes
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatments
  • Physicians and Services

Diagnosis

Physical Exam

Your doctor will:

• Ask about your symptoms and medical history
  
• Check your legs while you are standing
  
• Examine the texture and color of any prominent veins

Ultrasound

While varicose veins can be easily seen in most cases, your doctor may also order an ultrasound of your leg veins to confirm the diagnosis.

• Non-invasive test uses painless, high-frequency sound waves to measure the blood flow in the veins -- both those near the skin's surface and those known as the deep veins.
  
• May also show if your varicose veins are related to some other condition.