A 24-year-old educator from Banbury can now stand for extended periods without discomfort after suffering with leg problems for years.

Jemima Robinson works as a Year 4 teacher and first began experiencing aching, throbbing, and stabbing sensations in her left leg when she was 16 years old.

The condition, which was eventually diagnosed as varicose veins, became so debilitating that she considered abandoning her career in education, a job that requires considerable time on her feet.

She described being only 16 when her symptoms first started. She visited her GP who told her that varicose veins usually affect older people, so she attempted to disregard it and carry on with her everyday routine.

She often suffered from aching in her leg, sometimes it was a throbbing feeling, sometimes it felt like restless legs. On other occasions it was a sharp pain, and the severity fluctuated depending on how long she had been standing.

The pain continued throughout her university years while she was studying drama.

At one point, the discomfort became so bad she rang NHS 111 and was advised to attend the Accident and Emergency department as deep vein thrombosis was suspected.

She described the doctor searching for varicose veins on the internet and showing pictures, confirming that is what they resembled. She noted that hers never looked typical, so they suggested it was probably growing pains. She found this quite discouraging.

Varicose veins occur when valves in the leg veins stop working properly, causing blood to pool and the veins to become enlarged, twisted, or bulging.

Symptoms can include heaviness in the legs, itching or tingling, and swelling, particularly in warm weather.

Her condition worsened as her teaching career progressed, eventually leading her to seek medical treatment.

While age and lifestyle factors can contribute to varicose veins, hereditary factors also play a significant role.

Her grandmother and great-grandfather both developed the condition at a relatively young age.

Ms Robinson booked an appointment at the VeinCentre clinic in Exeter, where an ultrasound scan identified the cause of her problems.

She recalled them examining both legs and finding one was significantly worse than the other. Her left leg was severely affected. She found it reassuring that they took her concerns seriously.

She had a 45-minute endovenous laser ablation procedure, which closes the affected vein using focused laser energy while the patient remains awake with a local anaesthetic.

Just six months later, she successfully completed a 10 kilometre run.

Ms Robinson described her dad often going running, which was something she never thought she would be able to do. Now she can still go out with her friends during work instead of having to go home and put her legs up immediately. She said it has given her freedom and completely changed her life.