Veins carry blood back to the heart. In the legs, this occurs normally when you are lying down. However, when you are sitting or standing, the muscle pump of the leg is needed. This is explained in detail in the Veins Website (click here to view).

When a vein becomes varicose, some people advise Sclerotherapy - usually a process called "Compression Sclerotherapy".

Compression Sclerotherapy is performed by inserting a hypodermic needle into the vein.

A hypodermic needle is a needle that is hollow allowing things to be injected through it.

Usually the person performing the Sclerotherapy has to be able to see or feel the vein - which is one of the weaknesses of the technique. Some more advanced techniques use ultrasound to view the vein to get the needle into the vein - these techniques are discussed later