Varicose Vein Care - How to Treat Varicose Veins

If you're experiencing symptoms of varicose veins, you may benefit from Vein Care Center. Varicose veins appear twisted, swollen and bulging under the skin. They're blue or purple in color and are a result of increased pressure inside the vein. This puts extra strain on the valves and walls of the vein, which leads to weakening, which can cause the vein to stretch, or swell. This is a condition called chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Varicose veins don't usually cause pain. But they can lead to a blood clot, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which is a life-threatening health concern.

Varicose veins are easy to diagnose with a physical exam. Your healthcare provider will feel your legs and feet for signs of swelling or enlarged vessels. They may also do a duplex ultrasound evaluation of your veins. This is a noninvasive test that uses sound waves to measure blood flow in your veins. This will show how well your veins are working, as well as any clots that may be forming.

For more significant varicose veins, we might recommend a minimally invasive procedure to treat them. The most common options are sclerotherapy and radiofrequency ablation. Both are performed in your doctor's office and require no downtime.

During the sclerotherapy procedure, a specialized solution is injected into your affected vein. This causes the vein to close, and forces blood to reroute through healthy veins. The diseased vein eventually collapses and is reabsorbed by the body, fading away over time. The other method of varicose vein treatment, radiofrequency ablation, involves heating the wall of the vein with radio waves or laser energy to seal it. It is typically done through a small cut just above or below the knee.

We may also suggest another surgical procedure for larger varicose veins, called ambulatory mini-phlebectomy. This is a minimally invasive surgery that involves tiny punctures in the skin to remove the diseased vein. This is performed under local anesthesia and doesn't require stitches. After your procedure, you'll wear compression stockings for a few weeks to help prevent the return of varicose veins.

For mild varicose veins, we may recommend Center For Advanced Vein Care to close the problem veins. This is a painless procedure that doesn't require heat, so it's suitable for people who aren't comfortable with more aggressive treatments.

The best way to keep your varicose veins from getting worse is to change your lifestyle habits. Avoid long periods of standing or sitting and take frequent brisk walks. Get regular exercise to improve circulation and tone calf muscles, which move blood through your veins. And wear compression stockings and support hose. You can also use over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen, aspirin or ibuprofen to relieve occasional pain from varicose veins.