Innovative Vein Treatments That Work

Varicose veins and spider veins can be a cosmetic problem, but they also cause pain. The good news is that treatment often provides relief. Vein clinics are specialty care centers that diagnose and treat vascular conditions. They’re led by vascular doctors and specialists who are experts in vein health. With advanced technology and trusted expertise, Center For Advanced Vein Care improve patients’ quality of life by treating frustrating cosmetic conditions like bulging varicose veins and visible spider veins, as well as serious medical problems that carry health risks.

Untreated varicose veins can cause painful ulcers (open sores). Symptoms include a heavy, itchy sensation in the legs that gets worse at night and may turn into a red or purple color. The pain is a result of the excess pressure and blood pooling caused by poorly functioning one-way valves in the veins. Those valves allow blood to flow backward in the legs when you stand or sit for long periods of time, leading to elongated and protruding veins with a rope-like appearance.

Most varicose veins aren’t dangerous, but you might need to see a specialist if the symptoms get worse. Severe varicose veins are a sign of chronic venous insufficiency, or CVI. This condition causes the veins in your legs to lose their ability to pump blood. Untreated CVI increases your risk of developing more severe symptoms like deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or blood clots in the deeper veins in your legs that can move into the lungs, which is deadly.

Over-the-counter or prescription painkillers can help with the pain. You can also try elevating your legs above the level of your heart several times a day to increase blood flow and decrease pressure in your veins.

For more severe pain, you might need a stronger NSAID. Medications like naproxen can offer longer-lasting relief than OTC options and reduce inflammation and swelling. Your doctor might also prescribe a topical analgesic, which is cream or gel that you apply to the skin over the painful veins. It typically contains lidocaine, which numbs the area and provides short-term pain relief.

Varicose veins are close to the surface of the skin, so healthcare professionals can usually detect them during a physical examination. They might examine your legs while you’re sitting or standing and ask about your symptoms. They might also perform a painless test called a Doppler ultrasound of your leg veins to check for abnormalities in the veins’ valves.

You can improve the condition of your varicose veins by following self-care measures, including wearing compression stockings, exercising regularly and raising your legs when you’re sitting or lying down. You might also benefit from a procedure that uses a catheter and laser to close off the damaged vein. This procedure is called endovenous thermal ablation or EVLT. The body will slowly break down and resorb the closed off vein. Another treatment is surgical vein stripping, in which healthcare providers remove the varicose vein and related tissue through small cuts or punctures near your skin’s surface.

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