VeinDirectory - "The Know"

Two years ago, there was a medical supply company in New York that was about to close its doors. Despite the fact that it had a good business plan for supplying items like compression stockings to people in need, the company didn't have the funding to keep on going. But one employee had the innovation and drive to make it work.

The employee felt that there was a good business to be made out of selling items like these. She believed that the store was goegraphically positioned in a perfect place to sell these items (due to its proximity to several area medical centers). And she also believed that the aging baby boomer generation would only increase the need for these supplies in the upcoming years.

The employee decided to invest in these beliefs and bought the store. She kept on the employees who were already trained in selling compression stockings and other items that require some basic medical knowledge to sell correctly. And she made the leap.

The leap went well. The business has been going strong under her attention for two years now and shows no slowing of growth. You can read the full details of this story here.

Question of the Day: What qualities in a person are required to make this kind of ambitious leap from employee to business owner?

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Like many Americans, you made a New Year's resolution to eat healthier and get more exercise in 2008. And like many Americans, you were going to start that yesterday with the start of the New Year but you found some excuse not to. Okay, okay, so you were exhausted from partying hard the night before. But there's no excuse for not starting on that resolution today. The longer that you wait, the harder it's going to be to get going.

Why does it really matter? Many people want to look better but then when it comes to starting the work of doing so, they decide that maybe it doesn't matter so much to them. They're used to their appearance. Well, that's fine and dandy but the reason you should exercise has nothing to do with how you look. It's about how you feel.

Not getting enough exercise means that you increase your risk of many health problems. For example, exercise is an important tool in the prevention of varicose veins. Walking and other leg motion can seriously reduce the risk that you'll get these problematic leg veins. Think that's just another appearance thing? Think again; varicose veins can be painful and may also be an indication of more serious vascular system problems.

As for diet, it just makes sense to make your body healthier by eating right. At the very least, commit to getting enough water when you're getting this exercise. Now stop reading and start exercising!

Question of the Day: How many years in a row have you made a diet/exercise resolution?

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If you're having problems with unsightly veins, you've probably sought out (or are at least thinking about seeking out) a vein treatment doctor. That's a good first step in finding out what your options are for vein treatment. A good doctor will take a look at the problems that you are presenting with and then assist you in determining whether a treatment like sclerotherapy (or a newer procedure like VNUS Closure Fast) might be right for you.

However, a truly good doctor might tell you that you don't really need to be in his office. Many people have facial veins, or spider veins, that they consider unsightly. They head to the vein doctor because they don't know who else to go to for treatment. While some of these doctors do provide solutions to those problematic veins, most are more in the business of treating varicose veins.

For treatment of spider veins, you probably don't need such an intense procedure. Instead, you can go to a skin rejuvenation doctor to assist you in treating the problem using non-invasive healing techniques. The most common treatment is laser therapy. Other options can be discussed with either your vein treatment doctor or your skin care rejuvenation doctor; either should be able to provide you with the information that you need.

Question of the Day: Which type of doctor would you be first to call for spider vein treatment?

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There are some things that you just don't talk about over dinner. And there are some things that you really just don't talk about at all. Hemorrhoids is one of those things. It's just not a pleasant topic of conversation; most people are uncomfortable with discussing it. But that's a problem because it's a health concern that affects a significant number of people. And if they aren't talking about it, they don't have all of the information that they need to treat it.

Luckily, some people aren't afraid to take on the topics that most people are quiet about. Occasionally, you'll see hemorrhoid health information make the news. Such was the case recently when WPTV published an article that gave information about what hemorrhoids are and how they can be treated.

So why is this showing up on a vein treatment site? Well, many people don't know this, but hemorrhoids are actually varicose veins. And some of the same treatments that are used for varicose veins in your legs (like sclerotherapy) may be used for treating hemorrhoids. Luckily, most hemorrhoid problems can be treated simply with lifestyle changes and medications.

If there's one person on the planet that you're not uncomfortable discussing this topic with, it should be your doctor. Make sure that if this is an issue of any concern to you, you speak with your doctor about the problem.

Question of the Day: Have you ever discussed hemorrhoids with someone in your life?

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If you follow the legal news in vein treatment, you know that the courts have been busy lately with patent infringement lawsuits. Makes of various laser vein treatment technologies have been battling over who owns the rights to different equipment. The litigation is continuing with defendants turning around and suing others for their role in the patent problems.

History of the litigation:

AngioDynamics has been sued by two different companies over the years because they each say that the laser technology used by AngioDynamics is in violation of one of their patents. The first suit was brought by Diomed and the second suit was brought by VNUS. Some of this litigation is still pending review.

Most recent litigation news:

AngioDynamics is now trying to spread some of the blame in a lawsuit against Biolitec. This is the company that provided them with the biolasers used in their equipment. AngioDynamics says that Biolitec failed to protect them from patent lawsuits and should help pay for their litigation costs. They are also asking for new equipment that is not in violation of patents.

Question of the Day: Do you think AngioDynamics has a valid claim?

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Do you have vein-free legs? If you've recently gotten a procedure like VNUS Closure Fast or sclerotherapy to rid your legs of unsightly varicose veins, you might be itching for it to be spring so that you can show those legs off to everyone. Why wait for spring? Sure, it's a little bit chilly outside, but put on some nude pantyhose and a warm jacket and you'll be fine in a skirt at the office.

Why do it today? According to Holidays for Everyday, today is National Show and Tell Day at Work. This is a good excuse to wear that skirt and show off the way that your vein treatment doctor helped you out recently. Of course, don't just show. You should also tell ... tell everyone that comments on the look about the procedure that helped you out. You want to use the holiday to raise some awareness even if the main reason that you're celebrating is so that you can show off those legs!

If you haven't yet gotten rid of those veins, start working on it. Pretty soon the weather is going to be warm and you're really going to want to wear those skirts or shorts to the office!

Question of the Day: Would you make a point of celebrating National Show and Tell at Work Day?

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We normally hear about sclerotherapy as a treatment for varicose veins. However, it can also be used to treat other vein-related problems in the body. A recent study took a look at the success rate of this procedure in treating a condition called lymphocele which formed in post-transplant patients.

Lymphocele, as its name suggests, is a lymph pnode problem. Specifically, it is damage to the lymph nodes which causes a lymph collection to form. It is essentially a mass in the lymph nodes. It is a frequent health problem for people who have recently undergone a kidney transplant.

The result of the research was that over half of the patients who required sclerotherapy were successfully treated using this method. The others required more intensive surgery. This requirement could have been due to complications including the formation of an abscess. The conclusion is that sclerotherapy can be successful in treating the problem of lymphocele in some patients.

Question of the Day: What other conditions have you heard of sclerotherapy treating?

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There has been a lot of news lately about a new vein treatment procedure called VNUS Closure Fast. There are many different reasons that this procedure is preferred over traditional vein treatment methods (such as sclerotherapy). One of the biggest is that is has significantly reduced side effects.

Sclerotherapy is a fairly simple procedure but it does have a number of side effects. These may include:

- Irritation or bruising at the site of the injection.

- Temporary changes in skin pigmentation.

- Increased small vein activity resulting in red vein splotches.

- Leakage of injection chemicals into the body.

- Allergic reactions

- Vein inflammation

- Pearlized veins that require drainage.

Most of these side effects are not common but they occur. They are non-existent or reduced when using VNUS Closure Fast. Discuss the differences in side effects between the two procedures with your doctor.

Question of the Day: What concerns do you have about side effects?

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You are interested in getting compression stockings in order to assist you with preventing and treating your varicose veins. But where do you go to get them? Many people know that they are available for sale to the public but don't know where to go find them for purchase.

Here are the places that you might go to find compression stockings:

- Medical supply store. Most communities have a medical supply store (usually located near a hospital) which will sell compression stockings as part of their normal stock. The staff are generally trained in helping you find the right stockings for your needs. Ask your doctor if one of these is located near you.

- Your doctor. You might not need to ask your doctor where to go at all; he might have them there in his office. Double-check before making plans to go elsewhere since your doctor is the best resource for the right medical tools.

- Online retailers. There are many different retailers online that will sell compression stockings to you. The risk you run is that you won't get the right kind. Make sure that you know what you're ordering before you go this route.

- Right here. Did you know that you can place an online order for compression stockings right through our website?

There are stores and retailers who are happy to sell you compression stockings. Just make sure that you're getting what you pay for by asking your doctor first about the style and fit that will be right for you.

Question of the Day: Where have you purchased compression stockings in the past?

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You're familiar with AngioDynamics because the company has been in the news a lot lately. This has primarily been as a result of the fact that they are being sued (and are suing others) in ongoing litigation over patents for certain vein treatment technology. The company continues to fight those battles in court but has set aside a lump sum of $10 million to cover itself in case it has to pay for patent infringements.

Apparently AngioDynamics is doing okay for itself because it also has some other multi-million dollar transactions in the wings.

"AngioDynamics Inc. paid $2 million to the co-inventor of its recently introduced NeverTouch technology and will pay an additional $1 million after the product meets an unspecified milestone, the medical instruments manufacturer disclosed in a filing with regulators on Wednesday." (source)

The company apparently believes that investment in the NeverTouch technology makes financial sense. However, they are facing several unrelated lawsuits for defective products and may find themselves in trouble down the line.

Question: How interested are you in NeverTouch technology? What other vein treatment technology interests you?

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The San Francisco Chronicle recently did an interview with Beth Lisick. The woman has gotten attention recently because she's promoting her second book but she's been involved in all sorts of different creative ventures over the years. The basis for each of these has been comedy.

One of the experiences she cites as being her favorite was a film that she did in which she and a friend (both in their late thirties) are walking around a hot springs completely naked. She's not sure that others will find it funny but says that the ridiculousness of being in wigs and glasses while exposing spider veins and varicose veins to the world is enough to make her laugh.

Of course, there are things that she could do to get rid of those varicose veins. For example, she could get VNUS Closure Fast which is done so quickly she could get back up on stage soon after the procedure. But that wouldn't be so funny because then she'd just be looking normal again.

Question of the Day: Are varicose veins a source of humor?

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There are a number of ongoing patent infringement suits going on between makers of different types of vein treatment technology. These suits primarily involve AngioDynamics, a company which has been accused of patent violation and is suing the suppliers of the technology in question. Most of this litigation has been held up in the court process.

A step forward has been made in finding a resolution to the situation. A date has been set for the main trial. That trial is a suit filed by VNUS against AngioDynamics and its co-defendants. Although the date has been set, the trial won't commence for some time. The date set isn't until June 23rd.

Learn more about this issue here.

Question of the Day: Do you believe vein treatment will be affected by the results of this lawsuit?

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A new ordinance has been passed in Davao City, Philippines which allows women holding certain jobs to sit down during their work hours. The aim of the ordinance is to protect the health of these women, including assisting them in preventing varicose veins.

The ordinance applies to female workers who are employed at malls and various other stores. These women frequently find themselves on their feet all day which can pose problems to their health. Development of varicose veins as well as heart conditions are of concern to this population.

The new ordinance required that chairs be provided to these women so that they can sit down as needed in order to reduce their health risks. The final passing of the law is set to take place soon. Assuming that it does, this will be the first law passed in the city this year.

Question of the Day: What do you think of a law which allows sitting down on the job?

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VNUS Closure Fast is the new vein treatment procedure that has been sweeping the nation because of its efficiency and effectiveness. One of our doctors, Dr. Almeida down in Miami, was one of the first doctors to make headlines beacuse of his use of the new procedure. He's recently made headlines again because he's considered an expert on the technology.

In the new report, Dr. Almeida is quoted as saying: "We're seeing less pain and less bruising with radio frequency than with laser." This is the biggest benefit to the new procedure. People who are frightened of the pain of surgery are now turning towards solutions like this because of the reduced pain associated with it. VNUS Closure Fast is going to continue to make the news. Keep an eye out to see if our doctors make the news with it!

Question of the Day: Has anyone in your local media reported on VNUS Closure Fast yet?

Fifty years ago, the job market for women was significantly different from what it is today. A woman's appearance mattered in all sorts of different positions in a way that we would consider entirely inappropriate today. And, of course, we didn't have the technology to alter that appearance so some women were just out of luck.

For example, The Oregonian recently reported on a fifty year reunion of a group of the first parking meter maids. Back then, the parking enforcement gals were decked out in high heels and red skirt. As a result, anyone with varicose veins was eliminated from the application pool.

Fifty years ago, these women weren't heading to their vein treatment doctor for services like sclerotherapy. They sure weren't anywhere close to having access to easy procedures like VNUS Closure Fast. Instead, their best bet was varicose vein prevention. If that didn't work, they could easily find that their already limited job options were reduced even further. Today, of course, we have both the technology and the different state of mind to prevent this same type of problem. But we all know that looks continue to matter in all areas of business today.

Question of the Day: What stories can you share about someone from an older generation losing out on a job opportunity because of varicose veins or other cosmetic issues?

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There may be two reasons that you know about the company called VNUS Medical Technologies. First, you might know them because they have recently made a lot of headlines for their innovative new vein treatment technology - VNUS Closer Fast. Second, you might know them if you follow vein treatment litigation as they have recently filed lawsuits against competitors in the market for perceived patent violations.

Alternatively, you might just know the company because they're a big name to watch in vein treatment. If you're watching them these days, you might know that some changes have taken place within their internal landscape.

About a month ago, the chief financial officer for the company resigned from his position. VNUS began the search for a replacement and that replacement has now been named. Peter Osborne comes to the position with twenty five years of financial experience and hopes to lead the money side of VNUS to excel in the same way its medical technologies do.

Question of the Day: Where do you know VNUS from?

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Varicose veins are an unsightly problem that no one wants to have to deal with. If you do get them, you can treat them. But it's better to prevent them altogether if you can. One of the way that you can do that is to eat a healthy diet rich in foods that are good at preventing the development of varicose veins.

Here are some foods that you should make sure are a part of your diet if you want to fight varicose veins:

- Fiber. It's not a pretty subject but if you don't have fiber, you could have constipation. The extra effort this requires in the bathroom can lead to varicose veins, especially hemorrhoids.

- Papaya, bell peppers, broccoli and oranges. Why are these all on one list? Because they're a few of the foods that are rich in vitamin C, something that you need to fight varicose veins.

- Blueberries and gingko. If you also need to fight spider veins, eat foods like this which are rich in bioflavinoids.

- Water. You need to get enough water in your diet to be healthy and that means it's a prevention tool for every health problem including unsightly veins.

Eat right to make sure that your body is as healthy as it can be!

Question of the Day: What foods on this list surprise you?

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VNUS Medical Technologies is an important player in the vein treatment field today. They are most notable for their new VNUS Closure Fast system which makes treating varicose veins much quicker, easier and painless than ever before. And it's catching the eye of investors and stock traders because it's a company that's expected to continue doing well.

VNUS was recently the "undiscovered gem of the week" by Schaeffer's Research in an ongoing series which reviews the best stocks for people to make their investments in. The series reviews three criteria: price action, market cap and analysts' ratings. It was found that VNUS more than met the criteria for outstanding trading action in recent weeks.

Of course, you can also invest in the company by checking out the procedure and considering whether you need it yourself.

Question of the Day: Do you invest in medical stocks?

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Some of the most prevalent news in vein treatment today is news about vein treatment litigation.

If you aren't yet familiar with the ongoing patent infringement cases, you can get additional information here from the following posts:

- Litigation in the World of Vein Treatment

- Ongoing Vein Treatment Litigation

-Date Set for Vein Treatment Trial

-AngioDynamics Pays Big Bucks For Vein Treament Technology

Now that you're all caught up, you'll want to know the latest news in the ongoing litigation. That news is that one of the defendants has filed for bankruptcy protection in the case.

Diomed had filed suit against Total Vein Solutions for patent infringement of their EVLT system. However, just before it was expected that a court would rule in favor of Dimoed for an injunction, Total Vein Solution filed for bankruptcy protection.

Question of the Day: How do you feel about patent infringement lawsuits for medical technology?

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There are many things about evolution that we have to be grateful for. However, there are also negative effects of evolution. An article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel suggests that varicose veins are one of those negatives. Luckily, along with human evolution has come medical evolution and that means that we've found the technology necessary for treating the problems that come about from evolving.

The article states: "Our bodies were made to move and the muscles in our legs were meant to pump the blood up the veins. Our sedentary lifestyle has led to varicose veins, hemorrhoids and worse." (source)

It's true that the more sedentary we are, the more likely we are to find ourselves facing health problems such as varicose veins. That's why one of the biggest suggestions for varicose vein prevention is regular exercise. However, since we aren't always going to prevent the vein problems from cropping up, we've also had to evolve the way that we treat those problems.

Vein treatment, too, has evolved over the years. We've come a long way from the days of vein stripping to the days of the VNUS Closure Fast system. Hopefully out bodies will continue to evolve in ways that are more beneficial to us as a human group. But if not, hopefully our technology will keep pace with our problems to relieve issues as they arise.

Question of the Day: Do you believe that evolution has caused our health problems?

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When we talk about vein treatment, we talk most frequently about two types of treatment. First, there is sclerotherapy. And then there is the very new technique known by the brand name VNUS Closure Fast. What we don't talk about regularly is the common laser procedure called Endovenous Laser Treatment or EVLT. Despite that it's not mentioned a lot, this remains a leading way to treat varicose veins.

EVLT is a laser treatment that is done by a vein treatment doctor to shrink and close off the vein. The major difference between EVLT and VNUS Closure Fast is that the later uses radiofrequency waves to treat the vein more quickly. The major difference between these and sclerotherapy is that the latter uses an injection to achieve the same effects. All three forms of treatment are still being used today despite that we don't always give them equal attention in the media.

To read one woman's recent success story with EVLT, head here.

Question of the Day: Which sounds better to you - sclerotherapy, EVLT or VNUS Closure Fast?

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Most people know how to identify varicose veins on their body. After all, those dark blue bulging veins in the legs are hard to miss. But the average person may not be sure how to tell if those veins are just unsightly or if they're a symptom of a bigger problem.

Here are five signs that you should see a doctor about your varicose veins:

1. They're painful. Anytime that the veins themselves hurt, there could be a problem.

2. They seem to be growing or spreading rapidly.

3. You generally feel unhealthy. Other signs of bad health including fatigue and frequent colds could mean that there's a general health problem that is linked with the varicose veins.

4. Aching in the limbs. Even if there is no sign that there is a vein, regular aching in the limbs could mean that there's a varicose vein problem deep within the limb.

5. Skin problems around the vein. Discolored or peeling skin around the veins is a sign of a bigger problem.

If any of these signs occur, be sure to schedule an appointment with a doctor to discuss treatment options for your varicose veins.

Question of the Day: What other symptoms of varicose veins have you noticed?

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The best resource for information on varicose vein treatment and prevention is probably your doctor. However, you can always benefit from doing some learning on your own.

Here are three books about varicose veins that you might want to check out to get started with such an education:

- Get Rid of the Blues: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Varicose & "Spider" Veins but Didn't Know Who to Ask by Mary T. Johnson. This is the most informative book for the layperson who doesn't know anything about varicose veins and wants to learn the basics.

- Varicose Veins and Spider Veins: Myths and Realities by Robert A. Musson, M.D. This book will help you to sort fact from fiction.

- Vein Diagnosis and Treatment: A Comprehensive Approach. If you have a mind that learns things in scientific fashion, a more clinical book such as this one might be better for you.

The more that you learn about varicose veins, the better of a position you will be in to determine how you want to deal with yours.

Question of the Day: Can you recommend any other books on varicose veins?

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