Vein Care - What Types of Treatments Are Available for Varicose Veins

The most common cause of varicose veins is damage to the valves that keep blood flowing through your legs. When this happens, the blood begins to pool in the veins, creating the bumps and swelling known as varicose veins. While they're not dangerous, they are often painful and may worsen during warm weather because the blood vessels in the legs tend to dilate as temperatures rise.

In Vein Care Center several types of treatments are available to relieve pain and prevent further damage to your veins and the surrounding tissue. The first step is to get a diagnosis. Your health care provider will look at your bare legs and feet and ask you about the pain and other symptoms you have. They might also do a test called a Doppler ultrasound of your leg veins, which uses sound waves to measure blood flow through the veins and help detect any blood clots.

Once your health care provider has the results of the test, they can suggest a treatment plan for you. The most common treatments are laser therapy, sclerotherapy and radiofrequency ablation. These are minimally invasive procedures done in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia.

These treatments use heat, light or radiofrequency energy to disrupt the walls of your varicose veins and seal them shut. They can be used for both small and large varicose veins and are generally safe and effective. There is a small risk of complications, including damage to the blood vessel and irritation around the vein, but these usually go away in a short time.

Another treatment is venous ligation and stripping, which involves making a small incision in the affected vein. A doctor then removes the diseased vein with a tiny hook. This procedure can be used for both small and large varicose and spider veins and is generally safe and effective. There is a slight risk of bleeding, bruising and skin changes but this usually goes away in a few weeks.

In some cases, surgery may be needed. This is typically the case for larger, ropy varicose veins in the lower leg and thigh that aren't responding to other treatments. This is also the case when DVT (deep vein thrombosis) develops, which is a life-threatening blood clot that forms in the larger varicose veins in these areas and travels to the lungs, causing serious cardiac and pulmonary problems.

There are also a number of lifestyle changes that can help treat varicose veins and relieve pain and other symptoms. For example, you can avoid sitting for long periods of time and instead take frequent breaks to stand or walk. You can wear loose, comfortable clothing that doesn't restrict blood flow and take a warm bath or shower at least once a day to stimulate your circulation. You can also gently massage your legs and ankles to improve blood flow or take a hot compress on your legs at night. And, of course, you should drink plenty of fluids to promote healthy circulation and flush the toxins out of your body.