Varicose Veins: Diagnosis and Treatment

What are Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins, or varicosities, are swollen, twisted veins that lie just under the skin. These blue or purple bulges usually appear in your legs, feet and ankles. When your vein walls are weak and your valves aren’t working right, blood backs up in your vein. This causes the blue and purple bulges you see on your legs, feet or ankles. They can be painful or itchy. Several treatment options can work, but varicose veins can return.

Diagnosis

Healthcare providers can diagnose the condition during a physical examination. They’ll feel your veins and examine them while you’re sitting and standing. The doctor will ask you if there is any pain or discomfort in the legs.

The doctor may recommend a venous Doppler ultrasound for diagnosing varicose veins. This is a non-invasive test which uses sound waves to examine blood flow through the vein valves. The ultrasound can also help detect blood clots in the legs. During the test, a small hand-held device (transducer) is moved over the skin to transmit images of the leg veins to a monitor, displaying the results.

Varicose Veins Treatment Options

Treatment might involve self-care measures or procedures done by a health care provider to close or remove veins. Keep in mind that new varicose veins may form even after treatment or that you may need to receive treatments more than once.

The goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms, keep varicose veins from worsening, improve appearance, and prevent serious complications, such as ulcers and bleeding.

A). Procedures

Although there isn’t a cure for varicose veins, these treatments can reduce their appearance and relieve discomfort:

• Endovenous ablation to close off varicose vein:

Here the provider uses laser or radiofrequency energy to heat the inside of the vein and close it off. This procedure usually happens in a doctor’s office, with ultrasound to guide the treatment.

• Injection Therapy (Sclerotherapy):

During sclerotherapy, the healthcare provider injects liquid or foam chemicals into the vein to create a plug that seals it shut. The solution causes the vein walls to stick together. Eventually, your vein turns into scar tissue and fades away.

• Phlebectomy to remove small varicose veins:

Your provider makes small cuts to remove smaller veins near the skin. This procedure can be added on during endovenous ablation or open surgery to enhance treatment effects.

• Surgery to remove severe varicose veins:

For larger, deeper veins, your provider may tie off and remove varicose veins in a procedure called vein ligation or stripping. Surgery can often be done on an outpatient basis, which means that you do not need to spend the night at the hospital, but you may need medicine to sedate you so that you are not awake during the procedure.

B). Lifestyle Changes and Home Remedies

Your healthcare provider may recommend adopting healthy lifestyle changes to relieve symptoms or prevent varicose veins from getting worse.

• Stay physically active and do regular leg exercises. This helps blood move through your veins. However, strenuous exercise, especially if it involves heavy lifting, might make varicose veins worse. Before starting any exercise program, ask your provider about the level of physical activity that is right for you.

• To increase blood flow and decrease pressure in your veins, you should elevate your legs above your waist several times throughout the day.

• Avoid standing or sitting for long periods.

• Wear compression stockings to get relief from pain

• Wear loose-fitting clothing to improve blood flow

• Avoid wearing high heels or shoes that limit your ankle movement. Some shoes may affect the blood flow in the veins of your legs.

• Maintain healthy weight as this will improve blood flow and ease the pressure on your veins.

• Reduce intake of salt

• Eat foods rich in flavonoids, like soybeans and citrus fruits, to reduce the appearance of veins

• Quit smoking. Damage to your veins from smoking can make you more likely to develop varicose veins.

Conclusion

Varicose vein treatment options are available based on your symptoms and the phase of your condition. Surgeries are needed in severe cases, or your doctor will give you self-care remedies and medications to help manage this condition.

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Source: mayoclinic.org, medicalnewstoday.com, nhlbi.nih.gov

Disclaimer: This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, website or any linked materials are not intended and should not be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Kindly contact your doctor before starting a new medicine or health regime.

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Published on January 17, 2024