After helping many people finally rid themselves of painful and unattractive varicose and spider veins at our Orlando vein treatment center, we have heard our share of false assumptions about varicose veins. Here are the top myths about varicose veins:
- Varicose Veins Only Occur in Women. This statement is false. While women are more likely to develop varicose veins than men, it is estimated that 25% of the patient population diagnosed with varicose veins are male.
- Varicose Veins are Nothing More Than a Cosmetic Nuisance. Nothing could be further from the truth. Varicose veins are caused by the medical condition called venous insufficiency, which may be caused by a host of reasons such as family history, obesity, pregnancy, hormonal changes, or injury. They can cause a heavy feeling in your legs and cause them to feel fatigued, achy, and restless or itchy. The veins become swollen and twisted looking due to the pooling of blood that isn’t being circulated properly. This causes discoloration of the skin. If left alone, clots may form, called phlebitis. The clots might grow and travel into larger and deeper veins, resulting in deep vein thrombosis. The veins may also rupture and bleed. Varicose veins are definitely more than a cosmetic nuisance and can become a very serious and life threatening condition.
- Varicose Veins Only Occur in the Legs. Both spider veins and varicose veins can and do often occur in the arms, on the face, hands or chest. Believe it or not, hemorrhoids are also varicose veins, a result of consistent straining to evacuate the bowels.
- The Crossing of Legs Will Increase the Chances of Developing Varicose Veins. There is no scientific documentation supporting this statement. Chalk this one up to an old wives’ tale.
- Treating Varicose Veins Will Result in a Long Period of Recuperation. Years ago, the main treatment for varicose veins was stripping, or removal of the damaged veins through incisions in the skin at either end of the diseased vein. This procedure required on average a two- to four-week healing period where the patient was restricted to bed rest for the first several days, followed by limited time on their feet with long periods of leg elevation. Procedural advancements in vein treatments have evolved significantly, and many current techniques will have patients resuming normal activity immediately following a procedure.
- Treatment of Varicose Veins is Very Painful. With modern advancements in treatment options, most procedures require only a local anesthetic to keep discomfort to a minimum. While the vein stripping method necessitated general anesthesia, today’s ultra-sound guided foam sclerotherapy, or radio-frequency ablations, are far less painful, and allow for same day resumption of driving and normal activity.
- Once Diagnosed with Varicose Veins, One Will Have to Wear Compression Hose Forever. While those lovely white compression socks do indeed serve a valuable purpose in preventative treatment, and in the management of pain and swelling associated with varicose veins, after your veins have been treated, you will probably not have to wear them any longer.
The only way to determine the severity of your spider or varicose veins and determine which treatment option is right for you is to visit an Orlando vein treatment center, and speak to an expert. Don’t wait for a serious medical emergency. Call Florida Vein Care at (407) 805-8989, and make an appointment today with Florida Vein Care and Cosmetic Center.
