Varicose veins and spider veins can cause a myriad of problems that can affect your daily activity. Indicators of varicose veins are:
- Swelling and bulging of the vein which will appear bluish or purplish in color
- Leg and/or foot pain
- A heavy feeling in the legs
- Achiness
- Legs cramps
- Occasionally blood clots.
Patients with varicose and spider veins should seek supervised care by a physician at an Orlando vein treatment center.
Traditional treatments have changed over time. Most non-invasive courses of intervention included wearing of compression stockings combined with frequent elevation of the legs to reduce symptoms. Prescription anti-inflammatory drugs are still sometimes prescribed to ease symptoms.
Surgical removal of the vein, “vein stripping”, and “vein stripping with ligation”, or “phlebectomy” are all different names for the same invasive procedure. Basically the diseased vein is tied off and removed from the leg, either through an incision in the groin or behind the knee, or both. This treatment requires general anesthesia and is now only performed in certain cases. The recuperation time can be several weeks.
Sclerotherapy, another treatment option, combines ultrasound guidance to the superficial diseased veins that are then typically injected with a liquid or foam that promotes the collapse of the veins, which are ultimately reabsorbed by the body.
Another commonly prescribed minimally-invasive treatment includes radio-wave or radio-frequency ablation of the superficial vein. Guided through a small catheter, the radio-wave energy is introduced through a small incision in the affected vein, resulting in the vein being sealed off through the heat generated. Endovenous laser therapy is also a form of ablation, however as its name suggests, a laser pulse is used to generate the heat required to seal off the damaged vein.
With sclerotherapy, radio-frequency, and endovenous laser therapy, the vein is closed off then the body adjusts and reroutes the blood supply to nearby vessels.
There is no anesthesia required for these procedures other than a minor injection of a numbing agent, usually lidocaine, at the procedure site or sites. Depending on the severity, a mild sedative might be prescribed. Patients can usually return to normal activity immediately after any of the above minimally invasive procedures. Some patients, though rare, have reported experiencing minimal bruising, swelling or scarring.
Patients are encouraged to discuss varicose vein treatment options with their physician at an Orlando vein care center to determine the right option for them. Please contact our expert staff at the Florida Vein Care and Cosmetic Center at (407) 805-8989 and allow us to help you make an informed decision when selecting the varicose vein treatment that is right for you. You deserve to live symptom free and to have health and beauty restored to your legs.
