Are the blue veins on the back of the hand an obvious sign of blood stasis? Doctors refute the rumor: These are venous vessels

A man in his 40s came to the outpatient clinic. The reason for registration was "protruding blue veins" on the back of his hand. Someone told him that it was blood stasis caused by phlegm, dampness, heat and toxins, and suggested that he take medicine for conditioning.

This brother was a farmer, and later came to the city to work, mainly as a porter.

Because the medicine prescribed for him cost several thousand yuan, he was hesitant. After hearing the introduction of a friend, he found me. I said that first of all, I am a cardiologist. This is definitely not a heart disease. Even if you want to see a doctor, you can go to another department. Know what you know, don't fool around. But there is no need to see the so-called blue veins on the back of the hand. I will tell you. You can cancel the number. After all, it is tiring to move things every day. For a dozen yuan, you may have to move a lot of things.

1. What are the blue veins on the back of the hand?

These so-called blue veins are not really blue veins, but blood vessels, that is, our veins. Each of us has such "blue veins", but some people can see them very obviously, while others cannot.

When you go to the hospital, nurses prefer the relatively obvious "blue veins", that is, the veins, because we have to draw blood and infuse fluids through the veins on the back of the hand. Only when you can see clearly can you pierce the veins accurately and get blood.

2. Why are blood vessels not red but blue veins?

The blood vessels in our body are divided into arteries and veins. The blood in the arteries is arterial blood, which is rich in oxygen and red in color. The blood in the veins is venous blood, which has a relatively low oxygen content and is dark red when drawn. Sometimes when encountering patients with hypoxia, the blood drawn may even turn black, which is due to hypoxia.

One of the main reasons why these veins appear blue to us is that the skin absorbs light and reflects it. The skin near the veins reflects less red light, and blue light has a harder time penetrating the skin, so most of it is reflected back, which is why the veins we see appear blue.

Of course, it also has something to do with skin color, thickness of subcutaneous fat, etc.

Why are some people's veins obvious while others are not?

The main reason is that thin people with fair skin can see light more clearly, while fat people with thick subcutaneous fat or dark skin cannot see it easily.

Another major reason is that, especially for manual laborers, most farmers or workers who use a lot of forearm strength, and even some sports enthusiasts or athletes, will also have "obvious blue veins". Long-term forearm strength, labor or exercise require more blood supply, long-term fast blood flow, large flow, over time, will cause blood vessels to become thicker. Therefore, the tendons and blood vessels of this group of people are more obvious, and look like blue veins.

4. Could it be varicose veins?

Varicose veins are more likely to occur in the lower limbs because of long-term participation in heavy physical labor, or standing still for a long time and less lower limb activity;

Congenitally weak walls of superficial veins; poor structure and function of venous valves, prone to varicose veins.

It is mainly the reflux of blood in the veins. With the stagnation of blood in the veins and the increase of intravenous pressure, the affected vein walls can be dilated, bulged and tortuous over time. The tortuosity often appears in cord-like or lump-like shapes, leading to "bulging blue veins" in the legs.

Most patients do not have obvious discomfort symptoms. If varicose veins continue to worsen, complications such as ulcers, bleeding, and superficial phlebitis may occur.

Some patients may experience heaviness and weakness in the lower limbs, mild edema, and worsening symptoms after standing for a long time or in the afternoon. Symptoms are significantly relieved when lying down or raising the lower limbs. Sometimes calf muscle cramps occur. Sometimes thrombophlebitis and acute lymphangitis may occur.

In short, the "blue veins" on the back of the hand are actually normal veins. Because everyone's skin, fatness, previous labor nature, upper limb strength, daily activities or exercise, etc. are different, some people have "obvious blue veins" and some people have "no blue veins".

These blue veins are not caused by blood stasis due to phlegm, dampness, heat and toxins. They are not vascular diseases, varicose veins, blood clots, and are not a sign of disease.