Glossary

In most cases varicose veins are blue or dark purple which appear on the legs. The swollen veins can appear lumpy, twisted or bulging.

Symptoms include cramp, swollen feet and ankles, dry skin, colour changes in the lower leg and pain in the affect area.

The condition is caused when heart valves are damaged which pushes the blood backwards, storing it in the vein which causes swelling.

Vascular circulation disease, also known as Peripheral vascular disease (PVD), is a slow and progressive circulation disorder. 

The condition can be caused by narrowing, blockage, or spasms in blood vessels and may affect any blood vessel outside of the heart including the arteries, veins, or lymphatic vessels.

There are almost 2 million Britons with vision loss, 360 of which are registered as blind or partially sighted. If your sight has deteriorated dramatically you should make an appointment with an eye specialist, if you are eligible you will have the opportunity to be registered as visually impaired.

A long-term condition which produces white patches on the skin caused by the lack of a pigment in the skin.

A vocal cord haemorrhage is the medical term for bruising on the vocal cord. It occurs when layers of the cord is contaminated with blood. The haemorrhages are caused by coughing, screaming, overuse of the voice and singing loudly – hence why it can affect professional singers. Symptoms can be a rough voice, vocal fatigue and hoarseness.