What Treatment is Best for Varicose Veins?

Up close image of legs with varicose veins on beach in the sand


Varicose veins can occur anywhere on your body, but they are most common on the lower legs. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), nearly 30% of the general adult population is affected by varicose veins; this rate increases in older individuals. Most cases are merely cosmetic issues. However, if left untreated, some varicose veins can be uncomfortable and lead to leg swelling, bleeding, blood clots, wounds, and severe skin changes.

 

At Vein & Laser Center, we understand the need to treat this condition efficiently and effectively. Our vein professionals can easily treat the condition, resulting in the fading or elimination of your unsightly veins.

 

What Causes Varicose Veins?

Before we go over treatment options, it is important to understand why and how varicose veins develop. The main function of the veins in your legs is to bring blood from the feet to the heart. During this process called ambulation, muscle contractions push the blood to flow upwards against gravity. At the same time, tissue valves inside your veins open and close to prevent the blood from flowing in the opposite direction. Any disruption in ambulation can cause reverse blood flow or reflux. Reflux within the superficial veins is the main reason why varicose veins develop. Other factors or conditions include family history, advanced age, obesity, and being female. These conditions can cause the vein walls and value to weaken, resulting in vein enlargement and reflux. 

 

How Are Varicose Veins Treated?

After diagnosing your varicose veins, your vein specialist will likely recommend less-invasive options. These options include using compression wraps or stockings, and lifestyle changes to improve your circulation such as exercise and avoiding long periods of standing or sitting. If your condition is not improving, your specialist will perform a procedure to treat your varicose veins.

 

Similar to how smaller channels feed the waters of a river, varicose veins connect directly or through tributaries (or spider veins) to the longer, larger, deeper saphenous vein. All the veins (saphenous, spider, and varicose) must be treated for the treatment to be effective. 

 

The largest vein, the saphenous, is treated first through endovenous ablation. In this procedure, your specialist punctures the damaged vein with a needle and inserts a catheter. Heat is delivered by the catheter to heat the blood in the vein. The heat source is drawn backward, ablating the tissue and closing the refluxing vein. A similar procedure, radiofrequency ablation, delivers radiofrequency energy via catheter to the vein wall, causing it to heat. As the vein warms, it collapses and seals shut.

 

Sclerotherapy is often recommended for spider veins and some varicose veins. This procedure involves injecting the problem veins with a chemical, causing the blood vessels to close up and disappear over time. With a very fine needle, a “sclerosing” chemical is injected into the blood vessel. This chemical causes inflammation, resulting in the blood vessels sticking together. When this occurs, the treated vessel can no longer hold blood and will shrivel up and be reabsorbed by your body. 

 

Stab phlebectomy is used for treating prominent varicose veins. This ambulatory procedure allows the removal of inept veins around the ankle or below the knee. Once the varicose veins are identified with a marking pen, a diluted solution is injected into the tissues until engorged and distended. Multiple small stab incisions are made and the varicose vein is dissected with a phlebectomy hook. This frees the vein attachments, allowing the vein to be fully removed. Stab phlebectomy can be performed in combination with endovenous ablation or sclerotherapy for varicose vein treatment.

 

Your vein specialist can determine the best route of treatment for your individual case. Don’t suffer through the pain, embarrassment, and possible long-term effects due to your varicose veins any longer.

 

Are you looking for treatments for varicose veins or spider veins? Contact Dr. Darbandi at Vein & Laser Center today to set up a time to discuss your options by filling out our contact form or calling us at 815-744-0005.


Sources

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/new-treatments-for-varicose-veins 

https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/blood-heart-circulation/varicose-veins/treatments.html 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/varicose-veins/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350649 


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