Varicose veins are enlarged and twisted veins. They commonly impact the legs because of prolonged walking and standing, increasing the pressure within the veins. Varicose veins can be addressed using different treatment options. Your vein doctor in South Carolina will determine the right treatment for your condition.
Varicose veins are often caused by damaged or weak vein walls and valves, which cause blood to flow backward and accumulate in your veins, causing them to stretch or twist. Because of this stretching and twisting, your veins can lose elasticity, which then weakens the valves.
How to Know You Have Varicose Veins
Varicose veins can cause pain. When they afflict you, some signs and symptoms will usually appear. Symptoms of varicose veins include purple or dark blue veins, bulging or twisted veins, burning, muscle cramping, worsened pain after prolonged sitting or standing, leg aches, and others.
Managing Varicose Veins
Some varicose veins are not preventable, but you take steps to improve blood flow in your legs. These steps can prevent the condition from getting worse.
- Exercising regularly. By exercising your legs regularly, you prevent new varicose veins from appearing.
- Maintaining a healthy weight. Excess weight can put additional strain on your legs and cause the formation of varicose veins. Thus, losing weight can prevent these issues.
- Not sitting or standing for a long time. This is important to allow normal blood movement from the legs to the heart.
- Not wearing tight-fitting clothing. This can reduce the amount of stress put on your legs.
- Wearing compression socks. Lower leg pressure can help blood flow to the heart normally.
Kinds of Treatment Available
Varicose veins can be treated using different procedures. Treatment options include diuretic therapy, compression stockings, and leg elevation. Also, radiofrequency ablation is available to treat serious varicose veins. It is often used for scarring and closing off varicose veins. Other treatment options include the following:
- Laser treatment. Doctors can use laser energy for scarring and destroying varicose veins. This process is called ablation.
- Ligation and stripping. After making incisions over the varicose vein, a doctor will tie off and remove the vein.
- Phlebectomy. Vein doctors can make several tiny cuts in your skin to remove the varicose vein. This procedure is called stab avulsion.
- Sclerotherapy. This involves the injection of a chemical into the varicose vein. This is meant to damage and scar the vein’s inside lining, causing it to close. Often, this treatment method works for small veins.
