A collapsed vein occurs due to a prolonged injury or trauma to the veins as a result of injection. The trauma damages the inner lining of the vein causing it to swell and collapse. A swollen vein prevents blood from flowing freely in that area of your body. This condition is more common in people who abuse drugs. Research has shown that every person who injects drugs will develop a collapsed vein at one point in life during usage.
Causes
There are some factors that can cause your vein to collapse such as
Intravenous injections: Injections done via your veins can cause collapsed vein if used for a long period of time. The injected drug causes your vein to swell and blood clots can also form at the place of injection. The swelling can damage the vein as well as causing it to collapse.
Collapsed vein forces stops blood from passing in the area and as result blood is forced to change route. The blood redirects to the nearby blood vessels. But this blood is of low capacity and will also cause swelling in those blood vessel.
During injection, the following actions can cause a collapsed vein:
- Use of a blunt needle to inject drugs into your vein. Such a needle damages your vein causing swelling hence collapsing the vein.
- Injecting medications that irritate or inflame your veins. For example injecting methadone which is meant for oral use can cause permanent collapse of your veins.
- Injecting medications repeatedly in the same vein during every injection might also cause the problem. This will eventually damage your vein causing it to collapse and blood clots develop which will eventually block your vein.
- In some cases, those who abuse drugs might use a wrong procedure to inject medications and cause damage to the veins.
- Collapsed vein can also occur when the needle is removed too fast after injection. This will tear the inner walls of your veins causing swellings.
Symptoms of Collapsed Vein
A collapsed vein has the following signs and symptoms:
People who suffer from a collapsed vein usually have cold hands and feet due to poor circulation of blood in these areas. There is a sharp pain at the place of injection. The site of injection might become blue or black. As the affected vein starts to heal, you will experience itching at the place of injection.
Complications
There are a number of undesirable complications that can arise from a collapsed vein. Collapsed vein forms small veins which have little amount of space to hold adequate blood in the place. This leads to poor circulation of blood to other parts of your body which can lead to the following medical conditions:
- Stroke: You are at risk of developing stroke if inadequate oxygen reaches your brain.
- Cardiovascular disease: When blood does not flow to your heart as it should, you are at the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and heart attack.
- Kidney diseases: You may also suffer from kidney diseases as a result of poor flow of blood. Kidney is responsible for filtering blood and can become overburdened when it lacks sufficient oxygen to perform its functions.
- Cyanosis: This condition occurs when extreme areas of your body receive insufficient oxygen to perform their function. This can cause cold feet and hands.
Collapsed Vein – Treatment
Successful treatment of a collapsed vein is possible when the damage is temporal. The first step in promoting healing of a collapsed vein is to discontinue all forms of injections to prevent further damage to your veins. Collapsed vein can be treated using the following:
- Medications: Anticoagulant drugs are normally prescribed to remove blood clots formed in the veins.
- Surgery: Surgery intervention can only be used if the condition is severe. Your doctor will conduct a surgery to treat the collapsed vein and eliminate the blood clot.
- Healthy diet: Diet is also vital in curing a collapsed vein. Eat food rich in vitamins C such as grapefruits, orange, lime and broccoli. You can also use vitamin supplements to ease inflammation in the collapsed vein. Besides vitamin C, you can also consume foods loaded with These foods improve the overall health of your veins by alleviating inflammation in walls of the vein. Such foods that are recommended include spinach, mango, pineapple, pawpaw, onions, etc.
- Rehabilitation: In case the collapsed vein is as a result of drug abuse, you need help to prevent this condition as well as be assisted to cope with addiction. You can get such assistance from a rehabilitation center near you.
- In case the situation is caused by a medical condition such as varicose vein, you need to avoid sitting and standing for long periods. You also need to exercise regularly to allow blood to flow smoothly as well as to get rid of excess weight.
When collapsed vein damage is permanent, it cannot be cured. Your body will adapt by forming small veins to help in circulating blood around your body.
