Phlebitis (superficial thrombophlebitis)

Phlebitis usually affects the veins in the legs, but you can also get it in your arms or neck. It can develop within hours or over a few days.

The main symptoms are:

• pain, tenderness or swelling in the affected area
• warm and itchy skin over the affected area
• changes to the colour and texture of the surrounding skin – for example, the skin may be red, and it may be thick and hard

Phlebitis is common in people with varicose veins.

Phlebitis can be harder to see on brown and black skin.

Treatment for phlebitis may not be needed if your symptoms are mild.

But treatment may be recommended if your symptoms are severe or do not go away.

Treatments may include:

• anti-inflammatory medicines – cream or gel can be used if the affected area is small
• compression stockings – these increase blood flow to the legs but are only suitable for some people with phlebitis and should be recommended and fitted by a health professional
• blood-thinning medicine to reduce the risk of DVT or further blood clots, and help stop phlebitis coming back

There are things you can do to help ease the pain and discomfort of phlebitis.

• continue using the affected leg or arm

• raise your leg or arm while resting

• put a warm, moist flannel over the affected area

• take paracetamol or ibuprofen – if you've been prescribed blood-thinning medicine, do not take ibuprofen unless advised to by your doctor

It's not always clear what causes phlebitis.

Often the inflammation is linked to:

• varicose veins (swollen and enlarged veins, usually in the legs)
• conditions that cause the blood to clot more easily like thrombophilia
• autoimmune conditions like Behçet's disease (a rare condition that causes inflammation of the blood vessels)
• having injections or a small plastic tube (cannula) inserted into a vein

Other things that can increase your chances of getting phlebitis include:

• getting older
• living with obesity
• being pregnant
• having cancer
• having phlebitis in the past
• smoking
• hormonal treatments, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Symptoms of phlebitis include pain, tenderness or swelling in the affected area, and changes to the colour and texture of the surrounding skin.

Anti-inflammatory or blood-thinning medicines are sometimes used to treat phlebitis. Compression stockings may be recommended for some people.

Things you can do to ease the symptoms of phlebitis include continuing to use the affected leg or arm and raising it the while resting.

The cause of phlebitis is not always known. It's often linked to conditions like varicose veins and thrombophilia.