Varicose veins are frustrating. Sometimes varicose veins look bumpy and bluish, bulging slightly from the skin while other times, varicose veins may be internal and you cannot see them at all. Whether they are visible or not, these veins can ache and be quite painful to deal with.
- They are not spider veins: You may have heard varicose and spider veins used and interchanged as if they are the same thing. They are not. Spider veins are small, painless and thin. They are seen on the skin but look more like mere ink lines drawn on top of the skin. While no one loves those, they are not as bad as varicose veins, which may bulge out of your skin and can be quite achy and obnoxious.
- You do not need these veins: It may seem worrisome that these large veins are bulging to the surface of your skin but you can relax, these veins are superficial and not necessary for your circulatory system. The valves in these veins are defective and thus blood pools in the vein, rendering it useless. The body reroutes blood through other, healthier veins so there is no need to worry about the job these veins once performed.
- Watch your weight, your shoes and your sedentary habits: These three things can help you avoid varicose veins. As you gain weight, the extra weight can add strain to your veins and cause damage to the valves in your veins. Shoes that constrict your feet can also add pressure to your legs. Low heeled shoes are easier on your calves. And last, exercise reduces blood pressure which means there is less stress pumping through your veins. As much as you can, get moving and avoid sitting too long. A sedentary lifestyle increases your risks for varicose veins.
- Hereditary plays a big role: Sometimes, even after all you do, you still get varicose veins and this is where you can blame your genetics. If you have family members with varicose veins, sadly your chances of developing them as well will increase.
- Compression socks can do wonders: Compression socks keep your veins compressed, which means the blood cannot pool. For long flights and desk jobs with lots of sitting, compression socks can reduce the chances of varicose veins, decrease the pain and even slow the progression of existing varicose veins.
Take charge of your varicose vein treatment
You do not have to throw in the towel of defeat and give up when varicose veins rear their ugly head. For varicose vein treatments, there are many therapies and treatments that can help.
- Phlebectomy: This minimally invasive procedure uses a small surgical instrument to remove varicose veins from your legs. Recovery time is short and the procedure has much success.
- Sclerotherapy: For smaller varicose veins or spider veins, a foamy solution can be injected into the vein, which irritates the lining of the vessel and causes it to shut down. Over time, this vein is absorbed by the body.
- Endovenous Laser Treatment: With ELTV, a tiny incision is near the faulty vein. Then using ultrasound guided technology, a catheter is placed inside to vein to keep it open while a laser painlessly heat seals the vein, causing it to collapse and eventually disappear.
Love your legs again with successful varicose vein treatments
At Advanced Vein Therapy, we take the time to get to know your situation and offer you all the options available for treatment tailored just for you. Not everyone’s legs and bodies are the same so we take each case into special consideration. Therapies and treatments such as ambulatory phlebectomy, Endovenous Laser Treatment, or other options, help your legs feel good again.