You can no longer stand or sit for long periods of time, and you even started noticing twisted, bulging veins on your legs. You then consulted your healthcare professional and were diagnosed with varicose veins.
Varicose veins are a common medical condition impacting millions of individuals worldwide. Studies show that 33% of adults in the US have varicose veins. These veins often appear as twisted, bulging, and discolored vessels beneath the surface of the skin.
If you are wondering about the treatment options, fret not. Because advances in the medical field have provided multiple ways to treat varicose veins with minimally invasive procedures,
This article will walk you through the different varicose vein treatment options.
Common symptoms of varicose veins include:
- Your veins in your leg are swollen, twisted, and may appear blue or dark purple.
- Mild to severe pain or aching in the legs, especially when you stand or sit for extended periods.
- A feeling of heaviness or fatigue in the legs.
- Swelling in the lower legs and ankles.
- Some people may experience itching or a burning sensation around the affected veins.
- With time, your skin around the varicose veins may become discolored or develop sores, particularly near the ankles.
How are varicose veins diagnosed?
How do you know if you are dealing with varicose veins? Firstly, your healthcare provider will do a quick physical examination of your legs. You would be either made to stand to check for swelling or check for areas with pain.
Vein specialists from top varicose vein testing centers in Los Angeles say that they diagnose varicose veins in patients using two tests.
Tests
To diagnose varicose veins, a health care provider will recommend a venous Doppler ultrasound of the leg.
A Doppler ultrasound is a noninvasive test that can estimate the blood flow through your blood vessels by sending high-frequency sound waves to the circulating red blood cells. It can detect varicose veins and identify their severity.
This test helps in diagnosing varicose vein conditions, including:
- Blood clots in the veins
- Valves that function poorly in your leg veins cause blood or other fluids to pool in your legs.
Only when the healthcare provider makes a proper diagnosis of the vein abnormalities can they treat them well. In that case, a Doppler ultrasound greatly helps.
Alternatives to the Doppler ultrasound test:
In some cases, your doctors may recommend venography to find blood clots to access varicose veins before surgery.
Venography is an X-ray examination procedure where a contrast material is injected into the veins so that it can be seen on an X-ray. The dye will help your healthcare provider see your veins clearly and analyze how healthy they are.
Get access to specialized varicose vein testing in Thousand Oaks and ensure you get accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment plans for varicose veins.
Varicose Vein Treatment:
When you visit a varicose vein treatment center, your doctor, after a diagnosis of the severity of varicose veins, will guide you through the multiple treatment options. This may include self-care or home care measures, compression stockings, and surgeries.
Almost all varicose veins are done as an outpatient procedure. This means there are minimally invasive or non-invasive treatments, and you can go home the same day after treatment.
Compression stockings:
One of the first medical ways of treating varicose veins was by using compression stockings. When you wear compression stockings all day, it will squeeze your legs and leg muscles, thus enhancing blood movement. Note that the amount of compression varies by the type and brand.
You can buy these compression stockings from pharmacies and medical supply stores. Some healthcare providers even prescribe strength stockings, which can be covered by insurance if varicose veins are causing symptoms.
Surgeries and other treatment options
Sclerotherapy:
In this procedure, a special solution, or foam, is directly injected into the affected veins. This solution will help collapse your veins, seal them shut, and make them fade away in a few weeks. However, the same vein might require more such solutions to completely fade away.
Sclerotherapy is effective for smaller varicose veins and spider veins, and the results are permanent as the veins are treated with the special solution and will not return. This procedure is minimally invasive, so the patient doesn’t require anesthesia, and it can be done in a health care provider’s office.
Laser treatment:
In simple laser therapy, the laser is used outside of your skin, and it easily treats the small veins.
But endovenous laser ablation is a minimally invasive treatment for larger veins, where the body area with varicose veins is numbed first. Then, your healthcare provider will use a Doppler ultrasound device to check and analyze the vein before and after the procedure.
Here, the procedure involves the use of laser energy, where a small cut or incision is made in your skin and a catheter is inserted. Next, strong bursts of light are sent to the affected vein. This causes the varicose veins to shrink, slowly fade, and disappear. This procedure takes less than an hour, and a small bandage is put on the small cut.
Radiofrequency treatment.
Instead of laser energy, radiofrequency is used to treat the varicose veins. In the procedure, radiofrequency energy heats up and damages the wall inside a vein. This is another method used to close off the problematic veins.
High ligation and vein stripping
Vein stripping is when the surgeon ties off your affected vein to stop blood from pooling in the leg area. And in some circumstances, the vein is removed through small cuts to prevent varicose veins from reappearing. This is also a minimally invasive and outpatient procedure for most people.
You need to worry about whether the removal of the vein will affect the blood flow in the leg. Because veins that are deeper in the leg would take care of the larger volume of blood flow.
Ambulatory phlebectomy
This procedure is highly effective for removing smaller varicose veins, where the affected veins are removed through a series of tiny skin punctures.
Healthcare providers suggest this treatment for larger surface veins that are close to the skin. During this procedure, only the areas where the varicose veins are pricked will be numbed. It’s an outpatient procedure, and scarring is minimal. The ambulatory phlebectomy procedure is either done alone or with vein stripping.
If you seek premium care and cutting-edge treatments, visit the top varicose vein clinic in Beverly Hills and get treated correctly.
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Exercise
Firstly, remember that exercise can’t cure varicose veins. But it can ease your discomfort. How does this soothing happen? When you exercise, your blood circulation will improve and tone your muscles, especially in your legs. This can help reduce the risk of developing the varicose veins further.
Some exercises that can be done when dealing with varicose veins are walking, climbing stairs, cycling calf raises, toe flexes, stretching, and yoga.
Besides helping reduce the symptoms of your varicose veins, exercise has a long-term positive effect on your vein health.
Here’s a quick warning. Avoid doing exercises that put excessive pressure on your legs and your abs because they can worsen your varicose veins. Because it can create too much stress in your veins.
Elevate your legs
When you elevate your legs above heart level for 15-20 minutes several times a day, you easily hit the reset button for your blood circulation.
Also, by elevating the legs above heart level, you can reduce this swelling by allowing fluids that may have stagnated in the legs to drain back towards the heart.
So, find a comfortable spot in your home, stretch your legs up, and relax. Make this your routine to improve blood flow, reduce swelling and discomfort, and prevent further complications.
Maintain a healthy weight
If you are dealing with obesity, try to reduce your weight. Because those extra pounds can put pressure on the pelvic and leg veins and cause varicose veins. Also, when you stay fit and avoid unhealthy foods, it helps prevent varicose veins from worsening.
Avoid tight clothing and high heels
Do you know tight clothing can make your blood pool in your legs? Those clothing items, including body shapers, elastic knee socks, and girdles, can harm the blood flow.
Another important thing that restricts blood flow to your legs is wearing high-heeled shoes for a long time. Choose a shorter heel to help improve and maintain healthier blood flow.
FAQs for Varicose Vein Treatment
Can insurance cover the cost of your varicose vein treatment?
Check if your insurance can cover the varicose vein treatment. To get varicose vein treatment covered by insurance, you must justify that the treatment is medically necessary. If you get varicose vein treatment only to improve your leg’s appearance, i.e., for cosmetic reasons, the cost will not be covered by insurance.
Do all treatments cure varicose veins?
The answer is no. Although 90% of the varicose vein treatments are effective, there are slight changes in the varicose veins. Women who become pregnant after treatment are at risk of getting varicose veins again.
Can varicose veins go away?
Varicose veins won’t get cured on their own. They can worsen over time if they are not treated properly. This is why you must visit your healthcare provider when you have varicose vein symptoms and get treatment. In addition to the treatment, it is highly essential to take preventive measures and make lifestyle changes, including exercise, healthy weight maintenance, avoiding tight clothing, etc.
What is the quickest way to get rid of varicose veins?
One of the quickest and most non-invasive treatments to get rid of varicose veins is laser treatment. Laser light can collapse the varicose veins and make them fade away in a few weeks. However, simple laser treatment of varicose veins can treat small varicose veins. Small spider veins may disappear immediately after the laser treatment.
If you are looking forward to a healthier and vein-free you, visit the Center for Vein Wellness today. Our team of vein specialists will provide you with personalized care, diagnose the varicose vein problem accurately, and provide treatments. Schedule a free consultation today.
