Varicose Vein Treatment

A varicose vein treatment is an option considered by many of the 75 million people who experience venous disorders, primarily in the legs, that present with large, bulging veins much larger than spider veins. Symptoms include swelling, cramps, leg heaviness, and itching not to mention the cosmetic concern that causes many patients to seek out the best varicose vein removal option available. The condition is usually caused by a more subtle problem with the veins that cause pooling and slow blood transit to the heart and lungs. Leg veins are designed to push the blood supply upward toward the lungs and heart, but with venous problems, the valves in the veins are not operating properly and blood tends to pool in areas of the leg. This can cause spots that bulge and ridge with fluid that cannot travel upward. Symptoms are much more pronounced at night, during a woman's menstrual cycle and when a person is sedentary.

Heredity is the primary factor that determines who will develop venous problems during their lifetime. Women need varicose vein treatment options more often than men and are usually the recipients of a genetic predisposition from their mother or grandmother. The unsightly leg appearance that is a result of the condition drives many women to a specialist who can recommend various treatments that may include varicose vein removal. There are several methods that are employed to remove varicose veins. Before an invasive procedure is used, an ultrasound is usually used to determine the cause and extent of damage in the veins. When the exact, problematic region is pinpointed, one of the several ways to conduct surgery on the leg is then determined.

Ambulatory phlebectomy is used to remove the veins near the surface of the legs. This procedure can be done in a doctor's office without going under a general anesthetic. The process involves a surgeon making small incisions in the leg and them pulling the veins out through the openings. The surgical openings are so small that a surgeon has no need for stitches. A patient can leave the office with only small bandages or stockings to provide pressure on the openings. Activity is often encouraged after this type of surgery so that blood is pushed more quickly through the veins reducing the chance for blood clots and swelling. Another common method used as a varicose vein treatment is to tie off an end of a damaged vein and then remove it from the leg. Patients that undergo this procedure, do so under a general anesthetic in an operating room. Over 100,000 patients a year choose this method of varicose vein removal to deal with venous problems.

Vein ligation is used to tie off a problem vein and stop the blood supply which causes it to shrink. The problem area becomes less visible, but many physicians do not prefer this varicose vein treatment because there is not a good success rate in permanently dealing with the condition. It may return and require further treatments. A productive method that is applied by many specialists is a "trans-illuminated" procedure that uses an illuminated instrument under the skin to provide good visibility to the affected area. The procedure is conducted in a dark operating room so that visibility is precise. A second instrument is used to travel to the site to cut away problem veins and suction them back outside the leg. This method only lasts a little over 25 minutes and requires the use of minimal anesthetics.

There are no sutures required and a patient can leave for home after an hour with little or no pain. Most can resume normal activities immediately depending on how they feel. The process has proven successful in many patients and continues to be a very viable varicose vein removal option for many people. There are non-invasive treatments that are used such as injection therapy in which a solution is injected into the veins in order to cause the problems to dissolve. There are no incisions and a patient does not have to be given anesthetics of any kind. The treatments can continue over a period of months until the desired results are apparent. "He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber...God is faithful..." (Psalm 121:3; 1 Corinthians 1:9a)

A type of 'stripping' that is performed with a laser is another non-surgical method that some patients choose. A fiber is inserted into a vein and heated with the laser which affects the area by making the blood reroute to another area, allowing the treated area to become less visible. This option is very popular for many patients and has fewer side effects than some other methods. There are various other options that employ lasers and illuminating instruments to produce a varicose vein treatment in many people who need it. Those who are dealing with the physical and aesthetic problems associated with the leg veins can easily find clinics that specialize in treating several types of venous conditions. Consulting with a physician can help determine how serious the problem is and what type of treatment would be the most effective.

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