Varicose veins are swollen, twisted, and painful veins that have filled with an abnormal pool of blood. These veins cause symptoms such as fullness in the legs, heaviness, pain and sometimes pain in the legs. If left untreated, the varicose vein can cause venous leg ulcers, discoloration of the skin, or blood clots. The causes of varicose veins range from heredity, pregnancy, work, obesity, age and trauma.
The problem could limit your ability to work or your ability to enjoy your daily life. If your veins are functioning properly, blood will return to the heart for renewed oxygenation. If our valves break down, leak, or are damaged, blood can flow back and collect in a pool. Veins can grow. This is often when symptoms of pain, burning, itching, throbbing, and fatigue begin.
There are different treatment options for varicose veins. Squeeze tube therapy is a good early intervention treatment. By wearing prescription compression stockings to support weakened veins, a pain-free active lifestyle can be made possible. You must wear medical stockings regularly, otherwise your condition may deteriorate over time.
A duplex ultrasound as part of your initial assessment will determine the exact cause of your varicose veins and help doctors create a treatment plan for you based on your diseased refluxing veins below the skin’s surface. Minimally invasive venous ablation is a surgical technique to remove the damaged vein without lasting results. This happens on an outpatient basis and relatively quickly. You will be back on your feet and painless in no time.
Radio frequency ablation is a closing procedure for the treatment of larger varicose veins. This intervention is performed on an outpatient basis. RF energy is applied inside the walls of damaged veins. A catheter is withdrawn through the damaged vein. When the venous walls heat up, the venous walls shrink and the vein closes.