TREATMENT OF VARICOSE AND SPIDER VEINS
If you suffer from varicose and spider veins, you are not alone.
It is estimated that there are more than 80 million Americans who suffer from some form of Venus disorder. While some people seek treatment for cosmetic improvement, many seek relief from pain. Help is available.
WHAT ARE VARICOSE VEINS?
Although veins and arteries are both part of the circulatory system, they work in very different ways from each other.
Blood is pushed throughout the arteries of the body by pressure created from the helping of the heart. Veins, unlike arteries, carry blood against the force of gravity. They rely on leg muscle contraction and one-way valves inside the veins to carry blood back toward the heart. If the valves in veins fail, gravity keeps blood from flowing back to the heart efficiently. This produces a backup, or congestion, of blood. 
As a result, pressure builds up and diseased veins become enlarged, eventually bulging to the skin's surface. The same disease process can affect veins of any size; however when larger veins fail, they are typically called varicose veins. When smaller veins are affected, they are typically called spider veins.
Pain in the legs is frequently related to abnormal leg veins. Severe varicose veins can compromise the nutrition of the skin and lead to dermatitis or a rash, discoloration, or even ulceration of the lower leg. Since most veins lie deep to the skin's surface, many disorders are not always visible to the naked eye. As a result diagnostic ultrasound is often used to determine the cause and severity of the problem.
WHAT CAUSES VARICOSE VEINS?
Some predisposing factors include aging, standing occupations, and leg injury or trauma.
Heredity is the number one contributing factor that causes varicose and spider veins. Women are more likely than men to suffer from abnormal leg pain. Up to 55% of American women may be affected in their lifetime. Hormonal factors during puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and the use of birth control pills affect the disease. It is common for varicose veins to become more prominent during pregnancy and worsen with successive pregnancies.
HOW CAN PHLEBOLOGY HELP?
Varicose veins are known to cause symptoms that may include leg aching, pain, heaviness, fatigue, ankle swelling, muscle cramping, restlessness, itching and burning.
Symptoms often worsen with prolonged standing. Skin changes may occur. These include brownish discoloration over the veins or near the ankle. A purple discoloration related to congestion of small veins around the foot and ankle may also develop. Varicose veins may also lead to complications such as blood clots, bleeding, rashes, and ulceration. Vein treatment causes abnormal veins to disappear and symptoms to improve. It prevents more extensive vein disease from developing and also helps to keep serious complications from occurring.
WHEN AND HOW ARE VEINS TREATED?
The most commonly asked questions are: "Do veins require treatment?" and "What treatment is best?"
Veins that cause leg pain, swelling, recurrent superficial blood clots, bleeding, or ulceration are prime candidates for treatment. Veins that cause other symptoms, such as aching, heaviness, and fatigue, or that are cosmetically unappealing, may also benefit from treatment. There are two general treatment options: conservative measures, such as compression stockings and herbal preparations; and corrective measures, such as endovenous thermal ablation, chemical ablation, surgery, sclerotherapy, and light source/laser treatment. In many cases, a combination of treatment methods works best.
ENDOVENOUS THERMAL ABLATION
Endovenous Thermal Ablation is a treatment alternative to surgical stripping of varicose veins. with ultrasound visualization, a small catheter or tube inserted into the damaged vein, usually through a needle. Thermal energy, or heat, is then delivered inside the vein, which causes the vein to collapse and seal shut. The procedure is typically done in the doctor's office under local anesthesia. Afterwords, a leg wrap or prescription compression stocking usually placed on the treated leg for 1-2 weeks. Patients are able to walk immediately after the procedure and most individuals are able to return to work the next day.
Varicose veins before and after thermal ablation. Individual results can vary.
ENDOVENOUS CHEMICAL ABLATION
Also known as ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, endovenous chemical ablation is another treatment alternative to surgical removal of varicose veins are you with this procedure, a chemical irritant, called a sclerosant, is injected into the vein while the doctor observes the injection process on the ultrasound screen. This allows veins that are below the surface of the skin to be treated. Since these veins cannot be seen visually, they would otherwise require surgical removal. This technique causes the vein to collapse and seal shut, and may be performed with liquid or foam sclerosant. The procedure is usually performed in a doctor's office and may not require local anesthesia. It is not uncommon for a leg wrap or prescription compression stocking to be placed on the treated leg for 1-2 weeks. Patients are able to walk immediately after the procedure and most individuals are able to return to work the next day.
SURGERY
Surgical techniques to treat varicose veins include ligation (tying off a vein), stripping (removing a vein by pulling it out with a special instrument), and ambulatory phlebectomy (removing veins through tiny incisions). Surgery may be performed using local, spinal or general anesthesia. Now done almost exclusively as an outpatient procedure, patients will usually go home the same day as the procedure. It is necessary to wear leg wraps and/or compression stockings for several weeks after surgery. Normal activities may generally be resumed after several days.
AMBULATORY PHLEBECTOMY
Ambulatory phlebectomy is a method of surgical removal of varicose veins at the surface of the skin. Small incisions are made next to the vein and sections of vein are removed through these small nicks. This is frequently done in the doctor's office using only local anesthesia. Afterwords, a leg wrap and/or compression stocking is worn for a short period. Generally, normal activities may be resumed after several days.
SCLEROTHERAPY
Sclerotherapy can be used to treat both varicose and spider veins. A tiny needle is used to inject the veins with one of several different kinds of chemical irritant, or sclerosant, that irritates the lining of the vein. In response, the veins collapse, seal shut, and are reabsorbed by the body.
Varicose veins before and after sclerotherapy. Individual results can vary.
The number of sclerotherapy treatments needed is variable, depending upon the number, size, and type of veins being treated. Typically, a patient will receive several injections per treatment session. The procedure is almost always performed in a doctor's office, and generally, normal activities can be resumed after sclerotherapy. Prescription compression stockings and/or leg wraps may need to be worn for several days after treatment.
SURFACE LASER/LIGHT SOURCE TREATMENT
A variety of laser/light source treatments are available today. A light beam creates heat inside treating veins that cause them to be sealed off and reabsorbed by the body. By and large, surface laser/light source treatments are used only to treat the smallest of spider veins. Multiple treatments are regularly required. This procedure is also usually performed in the doctor's office, requires no local anesthesia, and normal activity can be resumed following treatment. Prescription compression stockings may need to be worn for a few days after treatment.
WHAT RESULTS CAN YOU EXPECT?
Technological advances in the evaluation and treatment methods allow spider and varicose veins to be treated more effectively and safely than ever before.
Nevertheless, the success of any treatment method depends on two things: careful assessment of the underlying problem, and the skill and experience of the phlebologist providing the treatment. The most important cause of varicose veins is heredity; thus, even successful treatment does not eliminate the genetic disposition that may cause other veins to fail in the future.
COMPLICATIONS OF VARICOSE VEIN TREATMENTS
Generally speaking, complications related to varicose vein treatment are rare.
Serious complications, such as life-threatening allergy and/or blood clots, may occur with any treatment for large varicose veins. Infection may occur with any surgery, and skin burns may occur with any form of laser/light source treatment or sclerotherapy. Minor complications may include temporary discomfort, bruising, swelling, discoloration, or reddish blushing of the skin following treatment. To understand more about the specific expectations of any varicose vein treatment, it is important to discuss these or any other concerns with your treatment provider when considering your procedures. Although these risks are small, no procedure is risk-free.