VeinDirectory - "The Know"

In order to make sure that we provide you with latest news in vein treatment, we regularly scour the headlines of newspapers from around the nation to check in on what's being reported in the world of varicose veins. We read medical reports and journals about venous health as well. And sometimes in our reading we come across the mention of one of the doctors in our network who is making local headlines for treating varicse veins.

That was the case recently when an article was published about the options that are out there for people who are interested in getting varicose veins treated. Dr. Luis Navarro was the surgeon who was quoted in the article. This shows that he is a respected member of the medical community and that he is one of those doctors who is willing to share information about vein treatment with the general public.

Learn more about the doctors in our network here.

Question of the Day: Does a doctor improve his reputation by serving as a medical expert answering the questions of journalists?

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A women's television show airing yesterday featured information about the VNUS Closure Fast procedure that has made treatment of varicose veins so much simpler for people in the past. Although the procedure can be used to treat varicose veins on men and women, it is particularly great for women who are more likely to have varicose veins and who are also likely to require a fast and efficient treatment that will let them get back on their feet and going about their daily business.

The television show is called The Balancing Act and it is a morning talk show that airs on Lifetime, the channel for women's programming. The half hour program featured a vascular surgeon familiar with VNUS Closure Fast who spoke about the topic of varicose veins and the way that VNUS Closure Fast helps to treat them. Learn more from the press release about the show.

Question of the Day: Is the topic of varicose veins more important to women than to men?

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We don't hear about celebrity varicose vein problems all that often. However, it does happen every now and then and this is one of those cases. Brian Robison is a football player with the Minnesota Vikings. He is also a patient seeking treatment for a problem with varicose veins.

Robison has an outstanding vein in his calf area that has been there since he was in high school. However, it had never bothered him in the past. Like many people do who have varicose veins that don't cause them pain, Robison had ignored the problem until recently.

The varicose vein in Robison's calf recently flared up on him and became a physical problem for him. He is seeing a vein treatment doctor this week to get advice about how to treat the varicose vein problem. He has explained to fans that this type of non-invasive surgery wouldn't keep him out of the game for long. This goes to show how celebrity varicose vein treatment can be important in educating the mainstream population about problems with varicose veins.

Question of the Day: How many people leave varicose veins untreated and undiagnosed until they become a physical problem?

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Have you ever wondered when it was that we first identified what varicose veins are? If you have ever taken an interest in the history of varicose veins then there is one name that you need to know: Carl Arnold Ruge.

Ruge was a doctor working at the end of the nineteenth century and into the early years of the twentieth century. He is primarily known for his work as a pathologist at a gynecolgy center. However, he is also credited as being the first person who gave a definition to varicose veins.

Ruge's description of varicose veins was as follows:

"Any dilated, elongated and tortuous vein irrespective of size."

The specific definition of varicose veins has changed a bit over time but that definition still more or less stands as a decent definition of what varicose veins are.

We have come a long way in vein treatment since the time when Ruge first defined varicose veins. However we had to start somewhere and that was the beginning for the treatment of varicose veins.

Question of the Day: What other aspects of venous history might be of interest to you?

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People who are interested in investing in the stocks of vein treatment product makers are almost always looking at investing in VNUS Medical Technologies stocks. After the major success of the VNUS Closure Fast method of vein treatment and a series of successful lawsuits against other vein treatment makers, VNUS stocks have soared. However, Vascular Solutions is trying to take away some of the attention from VNUS and to get investors to consider paying attention to their company again.

One of the ways that Vascular Solutions is going about trying to get people interested in investing in the company is by planning a presentation at a conference next month geared towards investors. People who are interestedin the money side of the vein treatment industry may want to pay attention to this presentation. Information about how to access the presentation online is available here.

Question of the Day: Can Vascular Solutions ever gain investment money away from VNUS?

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Anyone who is interested in vein treatment medicine as more than just a medical procedure but also as an investment will know that stock shares of VNUS Medical Technologies have been on the rise since last year. With a recent announcement that they turned profits in the second quarter, VNUS has managed to cause another surge in its stocks.

"Vnus said Tuesday afternoon that it earned $9.2 million, or 56 cents per share, for the three months ended June 30, marking its first profitable quarter since the fourth quarter of 2005. A year ago, Vnus posted a loss of $2.3 million, or 15 cents per share. Revenue increased 86 percent to $31.9 million from $17.2 million."

There are some people who are continuing to recommend that people invest in VNUS today. Others say that the company is about to hit its peak and that if you didn't get in early then you might not want to bother now.

Question of the Day: Are VNUS stocks going to continue to rise?

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The American Venous Forum’s National Venous Screening Program (NVSP) is a nationwide program that was instituted two years ago to help improve venous health. It does screening to identify what the risk is of each individual developing life-threatening blood clots. People who have varicose veins may be particularly interested in checking out screening like this.

The program has just completed its second year. Reports from the program indicate that screenings rose in number considerably between the first year and the second year due to the positive results of the screening in that first year. In the first year, only 17 medical centers participated in the screening; this year there were more than eighty.

People who participated in the screenings were asked what there reason was for being there. Sixty percent of them indicated that it was because it was free which suggests that the cost of vein health prevention could be too high for some people who would otherwise be interested in screening. Forty percent of the patients came because they have varicose veins.

Question of the Day: How important is varicose vein health screening?

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There are many people who get their varicose veins treated but a majority of them do so for cosmetic reasons. Many of them - and many more people who have varicose veins but aren't getting them treated at all - may not realize that there are some serious health risks associated with varicose veins. At least that's what seems to be the case based on a new survey about the issue.

"Surprisingly, most people (87 percent) reported they have never sought treatment and nearly half (42 percent) do not consider varicose veins to be a serious health issue." (source)

Just a couple of the risks of varicose veins include the development of very serious and painful leg ulcers and the risk of blood clotting, a condition which can ultimately be fatal if not treated correctly. Those varicose veins may be ugly but the sight of them is not the only problem that you should be aware of as a patient with this problem.

Question of the Day: Why aren't people aware of the risks of having varicose veins?

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The Modesto Bee has an article online this week discussing the different health benefits of wearing high-tech shoes. They look at shoes claiming to do everything from help you to lose weight to get rid of your varicose veins. In the end, they conclude that the majority of these claims about high-tech shoes are probably more hype than truth. The best they can offer is to make sure to wear a shoe that fits you properly and feels comfortable.

Varicose vein prevention may not include wearing specific shoes but it does include a lot of other things, some of which can be related to wearing the right shoes. For example, regular walking is recommended to prevent varicose veins. It's important to wear comfortable shoes when walking and therefore there is some link to be found there. If you're not sure about what type of shoes to wear, discuss the issue with a doctor.

Question of the Day: Can the right shoes help to prevent varicose veins?

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There is a great article on Oprah.com which discusses the things that we can do to make ourselves feel better when we experience something that causes detriment to our self-esteem. In this article, there is a line that stands out:

"After a self-esteem wallop -- in the moment we find a new varicose vein or notice that gravity is slowly pulling our faces right off our heads -- we may tune our desperate ears to the words of the wise." (source)

What stands out about this is the fact that noticing a new varicose vein is considered to be a 'self-esteem wallop'. Is this true? Are varicose veins so unsightly that they can be damaging to the self-esteem?

The answer to that question depends on the individual. Some people don't mind their varicose veins at all; others are devastated by them. What is true across the board is that this is not a problem that has to go untreated if it's something that bothers you. Varicose vein treatment can reduce the signs of aging and boost the self-esteem for people who are bothered by the veins.

Question of the Day: Are varicose veins a key area of concern when it comes to self-esteem?

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