What treatment is needed to get rid of painful and unsightly varicose veins?
The first thing to consider is a visit to a vein specialist so your legs can be examined. A lower extremity venous ultrasound is needed to confirm if an underlying venous insufficiency is causing your varicose veins. This way the specialist can manage your care and options to treatment.
Venous insufficiency could be causing the veins. 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 as well as bulging veins and pain, among other signs and symptoms.
Venous insufficiency is considered a medical condition with risk factors like age, gender, family history, heavy lifting, multiple pregnancies, obesity, and standing for a long time.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Firstly you need to be evaluated by a board certified surgeon, vascular trained, who specializes in treated varicose veins. He/she will perform an ultrasound examination to see if there is an underlying cause such as damaged vein valves especially saphenous. They will check the deep veins for patency. I prefer to perform my ultrasound exams myself at the time of the initial consultation as I find it a valuable educational tool for my patients. I am a vascular tech also. If there is underlying reflux (inherited usually) this can be treated in the office setting under local anesthetic, sealing the vein with a laser from the inside. I then remove sections of bulging veins through tiny punctures called microphlebectomy. The whole procedure should be done in about an hour. Walk in and walk out. You will need to do some conservative treatment for insurance coverage, compression hose, exercise, pain meds (Advil Aleve etc) elevating legs, weight loss if needed. All of the procedures are minimally invasive. through tiny punctures.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
You first need a venous ultrasound to evaluate your veins for reflux, which is the most common cause of varicose veins. Once reflux is demonstrated and the location identified, then a closure procedure and microphlebectomies are the treatments of choice.
Published on Jul 11, 2012
Depends on the size, source and location of the veins.
Treatments will vary from ablation and microphlebectomies to sclerotherapy.
See a provider for a full evaluation.
Michael D. Ingegno
Published on Jul 11, 2012