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Published On: Fri, May 11th, 2018

5 Ways to Treat Varicose Veins

Unsightly. Prominent. Uncomfortable. Eyesore. These might be some of the words you would use to describe your varicose veins, or perhaps you might choose some other words not suitable for a daytime viewing audience. The fact remains that millions of people suffer from varicose veins and have to live in discomfort every day due to this unfortunate issue. There are, however, solutions out there that can significantly improve your varicose vein problem. That being said, sifting through the sea of options could almost qualify as a part-time job.

Below you will find a list of 5 varicose vein treatment options that you might qualify for. Be aware that no one single treatment option will be ideal for everyone. Instead, look at the options and see which one would best suit your particular case. When you are ready, meet with a specialist and see what information they can offer you.

photo courtesy of Greenberg Health

Endovenous Laser Varicose Vein Surgery

With a name like that, it’s got to be cool. I mean it’s lasers after all. At the same time, the thought of a laser being pointed in your direction might not be quite as appealing. Don’t let that scare you off! The surgery primarily uses heat from a laser to treat varicose veins. The laser causes scar tissue to form inside the vein, which blocks that vein. Blood is then forced to find another route via other veins that might be close.

Sclerotherapy

This admittedly sounds a little scary. However, what it is might not be quite as scary once you learn more. This procedure involves the injection of a liquid known as sclerosant into the vein and essentially forces the vein to collapse. This might be an excellent treatment for smaller veins. It might also help with symptoms like swelling, aching, and burning. You should be aware that it might take a few weeks to see the results you were expecting. Also, you might have to go back in for more than one treatment.

See, that wasn’t too scary, right?

Radiofrequency Ablation

Here is another example of big words used for a procedure that is relatively straightforward. Much like endovenous laser varicose vein surgery, radiofrequency ablation uses heat to create scar tissue and make the vein useless. A catheter is inserted into the vein and uses the radiofrequency to heat the walls of the vein, forcing them to collapse. The blood will then find its way to other healthy veins that around. The plus side to this procedure is that is minimally invasive.

Ambulatory Phlebectomy

While the treatment options mentioned so far are, for the most part, not very invasive, ambulatory phlebectomy is a little different. This procedure does require the cutting of slits in the skin and the removal of the actual vein from the leg. The good news is that this is done in an outpatient setting and you will likely be able to leave after the surgery. In fact, you might be able to walk around as usual and experience only slight discomfort.

Vein Stripping

Another procedure very similar to ambulatory phlebectomy is vein stripping. While ambulatory phlebectomy uses a series of small slits to pull the vein out in segments, vein stripping uses only two cuts and pulls the vein out entirely. This, much like ambulatory phlebectomy, is another invasive procedure. It should be noted that this procedure is no longer used as frequently as other treatment options have been found to be superior.

One of the key takeaways you should receive after reviewing the list above is that you should always speak with a specialist. While doing research and informing yourself is a massive piece of the puzzle, at the end of the day a doctor will be the only person that can give you the full picture. Many factors need to be considered before undergoing any treatment. Issues like mobility and prior medical history will all play a role in deciding the appropriate treatment option. One other aspect to consider is that you might require more than one type of treatment. Again, this is a decision you will need to make with your provider.

One final point to consider is cost. Many of these treatments will likely vary in price depending on the type of treatment and the number of times you need to be treated. You should also be aware that insurance may or may not cover the procedure. Be sure to contact your insurance carrier before receiving any treatment to learn if it will be covered and if there might be out of pocket costs you will need to pay.

Varicose veins have been in existence since time immemorial, but there have never been this many options for treating them. If you think about it, were you born a hundred years ago, you might have had to live with this issue without any recourse. Lucky for all of us, medicine has come a very long way. Once you’ve identified the treatment that best suits you, you will have the opportunity to remove these burdensome veins and live a more comfortable life.

Author: Richie Hedderman

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