Varicose Veins & Treatment
Varicose Veins & Treatment
Healthy veins have one-way valves within the blood vessels that return blood to the heart. In order for veins to work, the valves must close completely to prevent backflow of blood. When valves weaken as a result of age, long periods of standing and sitting, pressure from pregnancy—or in some cases, due to heredity—the backflow of blood pools. This pooling can cause the veins to bulge, twist, darken and appear protruding on the surface of the skin: a condition referred to as varicose veins.
While varicose veins may not bother some, they can be uncomfortable and even painful for others, especially during long periods of standing. These veins may also result in feelings of shame or self-consciousness as you try to cover and hide them. Advanced Vein Therapy (AVT) in Boise offers Varicose Vein treatments and procedures that offer relief from the discomfort and embarrassment of venous disease. Call today to find out how our skilled professionals can help you fall in love with your legs again.
What Causes Varicose Veins?
There are many risk factors that contribute to your chances of developing varicose veins. Some include:
- Lifestyle: Standing for long periods of time
- Age: Being over 50 years old
- Heredity: Family history of varicose veins
- Health: Obesity
- Hormones: Menopause & pregnancy
Hormones play a major role in your chances of getting varicose veins.Since menopause and pregnancy are major risk factors, females are more likely to experience varicose veins than males.
There are some things you can do to decrease your chance of developing varicose veins. Exercising and eating a high-fiber, low-salt diet will help keep extra weight off and decrease your chances of suffering from venous disease. Experts also suggest changing your sitting and standing position regularly as well as wearing flats instead of heals as often as possible.
Treatment of Varicose Veins
At Advanced Vein Therapy in Boise, we provide treatment for varicose veins. Some of the treatment options designed for smaller spider veins and medium to large varicose veins are:
- Sclerotherapy: A tiny needle is inserted into the spider vein and a foamy solution is injected. This solution irritates the vein walls causing it to close and be absorbed into the surrounding tissue. This procedure is used to treat spider veins that cause little to no pain. Patients typically report only feeling a small prick initially followed by possible burning sensation for a few seconds following. Several treatments may be required for complete removal. Sclerotherapy is a relatively painless procedure that offers great results.
- Endovenous Laser Therapy: A small fiber is inserted into the varicose vein. Using light energy, the vein walls become irritated and vein closure results. As the damaged vein deteriorates, blood reroutes to veins deeper within the tissue. The old vein disappears over time. A small amount of bruising and discomfort might result but only lasts a few days.
- Ambulatory Phlebectomy: This minimally invasive procedure removes medium-sized varicose veins just under the surface of the skin using a few small incisions. During the treatment, the vein is clamped and removed. The use of local anesthetic ensures that any discomfort experienced is minimal. After the procedure patients are instructed to wear compression stockings for 2weeks and keep strenuous physical activity to a minimum.
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): During the procedure, local anesthesia is used to ensure your comfort. Our physicians then make a small incision and insert a tiny catheter that delivers bursts of energy through the vein. These bursts of energy cause the collagen in the vein walls to contract so they collapse and seal. Over time, blood reroutes to healthy veins, and you regain healthy looking and feeling legs.
- Venaseal: A catheter is inserted through the skin, and a small amount of medical glue is injected into the affected vein. This type of procedure eliminates the risk of nerve injury when treating the small saphenous vein, which is sometimes a risk associated with certain thermal-based procedures. This procedure is administered without the use of tumescent anesthesia, avoiding patient discomfort associated with multiple needle sticks.
The aftercare for all three treatments is similar: the use of compression stockings is typically recommended along with some lifestyle changes. All these procedures are done in-office and require minimal downtime.
Varicose Veins: Qualified, Professional Care in Boise
If you have varicose veins that you are ready to get rid of, then you want exceptional care and leading-edge treatments. That is exactly what you will receive at Advanced Vein Therapy. During your first scheduled appointment, we will sit down with you and discuss your unique situation in detail. After examining your varicose veins, a qualified physician will work with you to come up with a treatment plan. They will answer all of your questions and give you the information you need to feel comfortable and confident in the approach.
All of the physicians at Advanced Vein Therapy are board certified Interventional Radiologists and use ultrasound to diagnose and treat venous disease. In addition, the medical staff at AVT are all registered medical sonographers and/or vascular technologists. You can be assured that you are in good hands with experienced, educated and friendly professionals.
Call us today to set up a consultation and take the first step towards regaining your comfort and confidence today.