Common Forms Of Treatment For Varicose Veins
When varicose veins are symptomatic, they can cause pain
, swelling, and a number of complications, such as blood clots. They are also unsightly. In most cases, doctors will suggest making changes to your lifestyle that may help relieve your symptoms. These changes might include losing weight, exercising, adopting a better diet, and avoiding tight-fitting clothes. Each of these steps can reduce the pressure placed on your veins.
There are, however, circumstances that call for a more aggressive approach. In such cases, your physician can use one of several medical procedures to treat the varicosities. Below, we'll describe how some of these procedures can help.
Endovenous Ablation
This procedure can be performed with lasers or radio waves. Both energy sources are used to produce heat inside the affected vein. When the vein is exposed to the heat, it becomes irritated, which causes it to close and seal itself. This improves your circulation and provides relief from pain and swelling caused by the varicosity. It's a minimally invasive method and you can expect to return home the same day.
Endoscopic Vein Surgery
During this procedure, your doctor will make an incision near the affected vein and insert an endoscope into it. The endoscope has a tiny video camera on its end which lets your doctor observe the inside of the vein. The blood vessel is then closed off and removed through the incision. It's worth noting that this approach is usually done in cases where varicosities have resulted in skin ulcers.
Vein Ligation And Stripping
This approach involves tying off and removing the varicose vein. This is done by first making an incision near the affected vein and tying off its upper end. Doing so severs blood flow to the vein, making it easier to remove. Your doctor will then extract it through the incision. The vein's absence will have very little effect on your circulation.
This procedure is typically done on an out-patient basis. You can expect to spend two or three weeks recovering.
Sclerotherapy
This approach is non-surgical in nature. Rather than making an incision and removing a vein, a chemical is injected directly into the affected blood vessel. This chemical is designed to cause irritation in the vein. The irritation causes the vein to close and eventually, to disappear.
Sclerotherapy is usually reserved for small varicosities. Your doctor will inject the chemical while you stand, wrapping your leg in bandaging to help it heal. Multiple treatments are often necessary, which are administered four to five weeks apart until the affected vein closes off.
Ambulatory Phlebectomy
This procedure, like ligation and stripping, focuses on removing the affected vein. Small punctures are made into the skin near the vein, which is pulled out through the holes. When larger blood vessels are involved, they are collapsed before extraction. You'll receive a local anesthesia near the punctures in order to prevent discomfort. After the vein has been removed, you'll spend a short time recovering before being released home.
In many cases, varicose veins present no symptoms, yet patients opt for medical procedures to improve their appearance. There are, of course, risks associated with some procedures. Surgical ligation and stripping can cause bleeding, infection, and inflammation. It can also lead to scarring and nerve tissue damage. Sclerotherapy, on the other hand, can cause cramping in the area the chemical is injected. Speak with your doctor regarding the advantages and drawbacks posed by each approach.
One last note about treating varicose veins: it is possible for further varicosities to develop in the same blood vessels following treatment. When this occurs, it is usually attributable to weakened valves, a circumstance that cannot be corrected. Instead, the priority is given to preventing new varicose veins from forming.
by: Ralph Lowenstein
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