Vein Care – Treating Varicose Veins and Spider Veins

Center For Advanced Vein Care specializes in treating conditions related to the veins, including varicose and spider veins. Its team of doctors, nurses, and medical assistants is dedicated to helping people manage vein disorders in a healthy way and get the relief they deserve.

Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted and bulging blood vessels near the surface of the skin. They may be blue, purple or red and are sometimes painful. In many cases, the condition is a cosmetic concern, but it can lead to other serious problems. Varicose veins are a sign of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a progressive problem that affects the way your body handles blood flow through your veins. The severity of the symptoms depends on how far the disorder has progressed.

Treatment options include lifestyle changes and procedures to prevent further damage or complications. Doctors diagnose CVI through a physical examination, and they feel your veins while you are sitting and standing. They will also ask about your medical history.

A painless ultrasound is often used to evaluate blood flow, examine valve function and find out if you have blood clots in your veins. Other tests may be needed, depending on your health condition.

Varicose and spider veins can be treated with injections of a medication that causes the veins to close. This is often called sclerotherapy. It is usually performed in the office with a local anesthetic. You can return to normal activities immediately after the procedure.

Other treatments for varicose veins include elevating your legs above the level of your heart, wearing compression stockings and exercising regularly to improve blood flow to your legs. Losing excess weight and avoiding tobacco use can also reduce your risk.

If your varicose veins are causing a lot of pain, doctors might suggest a surgical procedure to remove the vein. This procedure is called ambulatory phlebectomy (floh-BEK-tuh-me). It’s an outpatient procedure, and you can go home the same day.

In this procedure, doctors make 1 cut in your leg and a second cut near the end of the affected vein, which is in your groin or ankle. They tie the varicose vein to stop blood flowing and then remove it. The surgeon may put a small bandage over the cuts.

Another option is to have the varicose veins removed through a tiny incision in your leg. This is called radiofrequency ablation (rah-FOON-fuh-lat-ion). The surgeon uses ultrasound imaging to guide a catheter into the diseased vein. A laser inside the catheter emits heat energy to close the vein, and your body absorbs the collapsed vein over time as blood re-routes to other healthy veins. This is an outpatient procedure, and you can go back to work within a few days.

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