VeinDirectory - "The Know"

Our doctors started using VNUS Closure Fast as soon as the new vein treatment procedure became available. In fact, some of them have become experts in the technology and are regularly consulted by the media for their opinions. As the time has gone on, the new procedure has begun to spread across the nation.

Just this week there has been media coverage of successful VNUS Closure Fast procedures being completed in California and Virginia. Other doctors and med spas are adopting the technology rapidly to meet the desire of their patients to utilize this new approach to vein treatment.

VNUS Closure Fast seals off the vein using a quick and almost painless procedure. It is efficient, effective and easy for both doctors and patients. This makes it a preferred procedure for removing varicose veins for reasons that may be cosmetic, medical or both.

Question of the Day: Is there a doctor in your area using VNUS Closure Fast?

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There is a press release out this week advertising the fact that a vein treatment doctor in the New York area will be offering free vein problem screening to patients next month. The promotional offer is being made to celebrate Deep Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month which will begin on the first of March. However, the importance of this type of screening will last all year long.

There are many people who don't bother seeking out treatment for their varicose veins. They figure that the veins are a sign of aging and they assume that they can just cope with them. Even if those veins become a little bit uncomfortable, these people ignore the symptoms and hope that the problem will go away. While this may be the case for some patients, others are ignoring a problem that could be quite serious. It makes more sense to get screening to see if treatment is required than to hope against hope that nothing is wrong.

Related link: 5 signs that your varicose veins are a problem

Question of the Day: What would need to happen for you to consider vein disease screening?

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We have seen a shift in the medical industry in recent years where vein treatment is concerned. Treatment of varicose veins and other vein problems used to be considered cosmetic and was often not taken seriously by the broader medical community. However, that's changed in recent times with more and more people both inside and outside of the medical community recognizing the important role that vein treatment places in medicine.

This fact is reflected in such things as the increased profits for companies that make vein treatment supplies and products. For example, Vascular Solutions has recently released its fourth quarter earnings information which reveals significant growth in their products and profits since the previous quarter.

Some of this growth was surely due to the company itself which launched new vein treatment products and worked hard to diversify the portfolio of what it offers. However, the growth can also be attributed to the fact that more and more people are taking vein treatment seriously than was ever the case before.

Question of the Day: Have you noticed more medical attention to vein treatment in the news?

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In a recent round-up of news stories from around the globe, WBAY-TV touched on an important issue. They reported that hospitals around the world are not doing all that they can to prevent the development of vein problems in patients who have to endure a hospital stay. This is not only unfortunate; it's risky.

"Experts say blood clots that travel to the lungs are the number one cause of preventable deaths in hospitals and changes need to be made." (source)

There are certain things that hospitals could easily due to prvent the chance that patients will experience a blood clot during their stay in the hospital. For example, they can provide patients with safe, blood-thinning drugs such as Aspirin. They could also give patients compression stockings and teach them how to use them properly in order to reduce clotting.

For some patients, varicose vein prevention in the hospital is a possibility. This can include giving the patient an opportunity to exercise the legs appropriately. It also includes elevating the legs when still and helping patients to maintain a normal body weight even during extended hospital stays.

Question of the Day: What should a hospital's role be in preventing vein problems in patients?

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A recent article on the use of the new VNUS Closure Fast system included a quote by a vein treatment doctor calling the system "a quantum leap" in his field of practice. That could sound like an exaggeration to someone who wasn't familiar with vein treatment but for those people who work in the industry the description seems accurate.

It wasn't too long ago that vein stripping was the most common form of treatment for varicose veins. The process was, as its name suggests, painful. It required hospitalization and a lengthy recovery time. Although the process is still done sometimes today, it's not the preferred method of choice for vein treatment.

And although the new VNUS Closure Fast system is extremely new on the market, it's rapidly becoming that preferred treatment method. It takes the pain out of the procedure, removes the requirement of a hospital stay and turns varicose vein treatment into something that the average patient can comfortably handle. When it comes to patient care, that's certainly a quantum leap.

Question of the Day: Would you have gotten vein stripping for varicose veins if it was the recommended treatment option?

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Last month, we pointed out that if you're interested in investing in medical technologies then you might want to start looking more closely at VNUS Medical Technologies. The maker of the up-and-coming VNUS Closure Fast system has been consistently drawing attention by those who put their money into products that are on the rise.

An announcement from StreetInsider.com, a site which specializes in providing important information about stock market changes, suggests that these people are betting right. The announcement says that VNUS has done better than even StreetInsider predicted and that stock values for the company continue to rise.

"VNUS Medical Technologies (Nasdaq: VNUS) reports Q4 EPS of $0.05, 14 cents better than the analyst estimate of ($0.09). Revenues for the quarter were $20.6 million, versus the consensus of $18.37 million." (source)

If you're the betting kind of person but you want to play it safe, VNUS is a good company to keep an eye on right now. And if you're a vein treatment patient who is interested in the products that are currently hot on the market, this is the one to be keeping your attention focused on right now.

Question of the Day: Do you invest in the medical technologies that you use as a patient?

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We put a lot of emphasis on providing information about varicose vein treatment. Treatment is obviously important both for cosmetic reasons and because varicose veins can be symptoms of additional health problems in the body. However, it should be noted that prevention is always preferred over treatment when it comes to any medical condition.

There are many different aspects to varicose vein prevention. However, the basic key to preventing varicose veins is to keep your legs moving by incorporating moderate leg-moving exercises into your daily life. Walk, cycle, do whatever you like to do that gets your heart racing and your legs moving.

Even yoga can be a form of exercise that improves the appearance of varicose veins. In fact, a recent article in Mother Earth News mentions that yoga positions such as The Shoulder Stand can take the pressure off of the legs and help relieve the discomfort of varicose veins.

Ask your doctor about the right varicose vein prevention methods for your lifestyle.

Question of the Day: What types of varicose vein prevention are easiest and most difficult for you?

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St. Louis University has a program called SLUCare which provides a range of different health care services to patients. This range has been added to now that the SLUCare program provides treatment for varicose veins.

In the past, some varicose veins and spider veins were treated through this program. However, the treatment was for cosmetic purposes only. As the seriousness of varicose vein problems has become increasingly obvious to the general public, programs like these have started to offer more options for medical varicose vein treatment.

Learn more about the changes at SLUCare from the school's press release.

Question of the Day: Should university health care programs offer varicose vein treatment?

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Right now everyone has love on the brain. With Valentine's Day coming up on us tomorrow, we're busy running around trying to get the perfect Valentine's gifts for our partners. However, we should make sure that we take the time to show some love to ourselves.

One of the ways that we can do that today is to stop ordering flowers and hunting down chocolates just long enough to schedule an appointment with our vein treatment doctors. By working to prevent and treat our varicose veins, we show ourselves a little bit of love.

Problems like varicose veins develop in part because we aren't doing the self-care that's necessary to prevent them. On days that are designed to honor others, we have to remember to do the same for ourselves.

Question of the Day: How many people on your Valentine's list come before you?

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Licking Memorial Hospital is a hospital located in Newark, Ohio. Despite the small location in which this hospital is found, it's a place that is on the cutting edge of adding new technology to its resources.

One of the areas in which new technology is being considered by this hospital is vein treatment. As we all know, changes in vein treatment have made it possible to treat varicose veins much more easily than every before. The hospital wants to take advantage of this opportunity to assist its patients with better care.

The announcement about the hospital's interest in better treatment of varicose veins came along with reports of many other technological and medical advances that the hospital hopes to take. Learn more from The Advocate.

Question of the Day: Is it surprising to you that a small hospital would be making such advances?

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Over the course of the few months that VNUS Closure Fast has been on the market, we have seen it take hold as the favored choice in vein treatment. This method is easier, more efficient and less painful than the other vein treatment solutions on the market. But does that mean that other options are going to fade into the annals of history?

What's likely to happen is that VNUS Closure Fast will become the most common method of vein treatment. However, the other treatment methods will still remain options that are used in certain instances.

Different bodies require different treatments for the same types of problems. While most patients will benefit from (and prefer) VNUS Closure Fast, some may find that alternative methods of vein treatment could benefit them more.

Question of the Day: What do you predict will happen to vein treatment as a result of the interest people have in VNUS Closure Fast?

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During Valentine's there was an amusing article in The Columbia Tribune about women who get boudoir-style photographs to give as a sexy gift to their husbands. One of the comments in the article is that the object of the photograph wanted her varicose veins airbrushed out. But then it went on to point out that the photograph isn't going to match the real thing so the recipient of the photo might be disappointed in the end. An obvious solution seems to be to actually go ahead and get those varicose veins removed.

Many of us these days look better in our pictures than we do in real life. We all have some basic photoshop skills and we all know a little something about using flattering light to take a photo. But then we have to go look in the mirror at the end of the day and the difference between what we see there and what we see in our pictures can be disappointing.

When the problems that make us feel unattractive are something that we can take care of, why not take care of them? Varicose vein removal is a fairly easy procedure which has gotten easier as the new VNUS Closure Fast treatment has become more ubiquitous. Forget airbrushing; brush up your real looks instead!

Question of the Day: What changes have you made to your photos recently?

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A recent news report told the story of one doctor's unique method of treating varicose veins. The Illinois doctor profiled in the story uses a manual procedure in repairing the veins. He enters the body through the knee and then 'tightens' the veins with his hands. While he is recognized for this work, it doesn't seem to be the most effective modern method of varicose vein treatment.

The most efficient method available in vein treatment today would be the VNUS Closure Fast system. This treatment is a non-invasive method of entering the vein and sealing it off so that the varicose veins disappear. It would seem to be a quicker procedure (and one with a faster recovery time) than any manual procedure that can be done.

Question of the Day: Would you prefer the personal touch of a manual treatment for varicose veins or the modern method of VNUS Closure Fast?

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There have been rumors going around for a long time that actress and singer Zooey Deschanel might have premature varicose veins. The rumors were started by the mystery of her legs which were never seen in photos or in her public appearance. That's because she has always worn her signature black tights with every outfit that she's appeared in.

All The Rage (an L.A. Times blog) now reports that Zooey was finally seen with nude hosiery and it turns out that she doesn't have varicose veins after all. She just has some self-conscious feelings about her legs in general.

Of course, it's possible that she used to have varicose veins and got them removed medically. But chances are that her young age and good health point to the truth that the varicose veins were a rumor after all.

Question of the Day: What do you think about black tights as a style statement?

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An article this week over at the HeraldNet mentions five different causes of varicose veins. A closer look at those five causes can assist you in taking better precautions to prevent the development of varicose veins in your own body.

Here are the five causes mentioned in the article:

1. Aging

2. Athletics

3. Genetics

4. Obesity

5. Standing for long periods of time

Obviously there isn't a whole lot that you can do about some of those things. You're going to get older no matter what anti-aging options you consider. And you're going to have the same genes for the rest of your life. But proper exercise with proper care during that exercise can assist you in reducing your risks.

Learn more about varicose vein prevention.

Question of the Day: What do you think is the biggest cause of varicose veins?

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Yesterday we looked at five different causes of varicose veins. In the same vein, it's important to look at five different varicose vein prevention options. There are more than five, of course, but these five were specifically pointed out in a recent article called Ways to Protect Yourself from Blood Clots.

1. Stop smoking. Smoking causes a number of different health problems and there's just really no good reason to do it so stop now.

2. Eat right. You need a healthy body to keep things flowing smoothly inside.

3. Exercise. Moving your body is the only way to make sure that you're getting the circulation going.

4. Don't sit or lie down all the time. Even if you aren't exercising a lot, you should make sure that you're moving around. This one is important for people who are ill and can't exercise a lot for a period of time.

5. Talk to a doctor about your blood clot risk.

In short, you need to keep yourself active and healthy and you need to keep the lines of communication open with your doctor.

Question of the Day: What do you think is the most important thing you can do to prevent varicose veins?

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We have told you many times here on this blog that you should be impressed by the new VNUS Closure Fast method of vein treatment. We've pointed out that people are calling a "quantum leap" in vein treatment. We've shown how it's sweeping the nation. And we've explained that it has significantly less side effects than sclerotherapy.

But maybe you don't want just hype and excitement. Maybe you want some cold hard facts. Well how about the fact that VNUS Closure Fast has recently been shown to be 96% effective in the treatment of varicose veins?

A panel of international physicians presented this evidence at the 20th annual meeting of the American Venous Forum in Charleston, South Carolina.

"Our study found the ratio of efficacy to side effects of the VNUS ClosureFAST catheter to be superior to any previous endovenous ablation device," said Dr. Proebstle. "In 223 cases where the ClosureFAST device was used, 96.7% of the veins remained sealed after one year using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Of my patients, only one in five experienced postoperative pain due to study treatment. The excellent clinical outcome, the speed of treatment and the very low rate of side effects are certainly contributing to the enthusiastic embrace of this new device by the physician community." (source)

So, are you still having any doubts about the improvements that have been made in vein treatment medicine now that VNUS Closure Fast is being used?

Question of the Day: What are any concerns that you may have about VNUS Closure Fast?

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In a report about the fashions that were seen at the Oscars, an anonymous person criticized the dress worn by actress Julie Christie and went on to suggest that the fact that the dress revealed some varicose veins beneath it wasn't really helping the unflattering situation. Christie is a 66-year-old actress who was nominated for the Best Actress award for her role in Away From Her.

The criticism focused primarily on her dress and made mention of the varicose veins in her legs. However, it was pointed out that these minor flaws didn't detract from her stunning beauty. And it should be noted that either of these things are something that can be remedied. You can always buy a new dress. And varicose vein treatment is an easy option for someone who wants to look into it.

Whether or not Julie Christie actually suffers from varicose veins is unknown. No Oscar pictures from the night reveal any images that depict these unsightly veins in her legs. Instead, they're all about the dress.

Question of the Day: Do you think that Julie Christie likely has varicose veins?

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There are many different methods of varicose vein prevention. The most common recommendations from doctors are to use a combination of healthy diet and moderate exercise to naturally prevent varicose veins. However, a report by The American Chronicle suggests that you might want to also make sure that you have the right vitamins in your diet for varicose vein prevention.

The report says that there are four different vitamins that are important to varicose vein prevention. The acronym "PECK" can help you remember them since the vitamins are P, E, C, and K. Vitamin B6 is also recommended by the article. Some of these vitamins don't have much proof of their varicose vein treatment properties. However, others do have some validity supporting them. For example, Vitamin C is believed to srengthen the walls of the veins and Vitamin K helps balance out proper blood clotting.

Make sure to discuss the use of the vitamins with your vein treatment doctor.

Question of the Day: Are vitamins a good addition to a varicose vein prevention program?

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There was a recent news report from Australia's The Age which was rather alarming. It covered information about a large number of patients at The Royal Melbourne Hospital who are on waiting lists that prevent them from getting their medical procedures within a reasonable amount of time.

For example, the article reports on one patient who was put on a waiting list in order to receive vein treatment surgery. That wait turned out to be seven years long. There is no additional information about the details of that vein treatment procedure but it seems shocking considering the fact that vein treatment is generally a simple outpatient procedure - a procedure which is becoming even simpler now that VNUS Closure Fast is on the market.

There are certainly reasons that there is such a backlog at this hospital. However, it's a relief to those in the United States to know that there are a multitude of vein treatment doctors for patients here to choose from.

Question of the Day: How long would you be willing to wait for a vein treatment procedure?

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There are many communities that hold some type of free screening for your varicose vein problems. If you haven't yet gotten checked out for the veins that are in your legs, you might want to scan the local paper in order to see if one of these screenings is being held near you.

Boston.com recently published information about such a screening on their website. Like the screening announcements published elsewhere, it provides information on the medical professionals who are doing the screening, the location and the time of the opportunity. It also mentions that screening only takes about ten minutes. Surely you can give up ten minutes of your time to get a free assessment of the health risks you face as a result of your varicose veins.

Of course, you might not want to wait until there is free varicose vein screening in your community. The unsightly appearance or the physical discomfort of your varicose veins might compel you to locate a doctor near you in order to get a personal check-up. Find a doctor through our network here.

Question of the Day: Do you believe that your community is likely to support free varicose vein screening?

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