Venous insufficiency happens when the valves that maintain blood flowing out of the legs and back to the heart no longer function. This causes the blood to pool in the legs and one of the signs is varicose veins among other signs and symptoms like pain, heaviness, swelling, etc. Venous insufficiency is considered a medical condition and treatment can be covered by your health insurance depending on your insurance plan.
Without treatment of venous insufficiency, those with this condition may experience progressive symptoms like leg swelling, skin damage and/or ulcers that can debilitate and impact a great deal the quality of life; however, that outcome is preventable with proper care.
Exercise and healthy lifestyle habits definitely help as well as medical compression stocking, but the vein specialist can recommend the compression stockings according to the specific treatment.
The vein specialist can also help manage your care using conservative methods of vein treatment that do not require surgical or non-surgical medical interventions. There are techniques such as avoiding prolonged standing, leg elevation, exercise, weight loss, and compression stockings that can be used. Even though varicose veins that are already present will not be eliminated with conservative vein treatment, the appearance of new varicose veins can be slowed and /or avoided as well as the progression or complications of the underlying medical condition can be slowed down by managing conservatively venous stasis.
I recommend seeing a vein specialist board-certified in Venous and Lymphatic circulatory system to help manage your care.
All the best!

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Perhaps you should seek a second opinion from a Board Certified Vascular Trained surgeon who specializes in treating varicose veins. In my clinic, I do my own ultrasounds and can take advantage of a teaching opportunity with my patients. The surgeon is the one who should be discussing this with you not the tech. That said, if you have symptomatic varicose veins caused by reflux (valves which have failed) in the saphenous veins (short, long, accessory etc). It causes back pressure causing the varicose veins. Because the blood is not flowing normally but "pooling" in the lower legs, there is a risk of that blood clotting. It can remain localized causing redness and pain or can extend toward the deeper femoral/popliteal veins. This can be dangerous and urgent. I have seen 4 people in the last 2 weeks with these problems. If you seal the refluxing saphenous vein and remove the bulging painful varicose veins, you will be more comfortable and less risk. I recommend you wear a compression stocking (thigh length) daily which will compress down the affected veins and you see how your legs feel. This is usually a pre-requisite for you insurance anyway. You can then take your time to make the right decision for yourself.

Published on Jul 11, 2012