You may notice bluish-green veins around the inner surface of your knees, calves, or near your ankles. Your legs may feel heavy, interrupting your routine activities. Well, you may be suffering from a vascular condition known as varicose veins.
Varicose veins El Paso specialists can eliminate the unaesthetic rope-like appearance of the veins in your lower legs, optimizing your quality of life.
Exploring varicose veins
Varicose veins are medical conditions that exhibit bulging, twisted blue or green veins in your legs. These often occur due to venous insufficiency caused by the disruption of the one-way valve system of the veins. This inhibits the backflow of the blood from the legs to your heart, causing blood pooling. Abnormal accumulation of blood within the veins increases the pressure and stretches the vein walls.
Certain factors can increase your susceptibility, such as:
- Family history of varicose veins
- Age over 50 years
- Being a woman
- Obesity
- Prolonged standing or sitting
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Pregnancy
Characteristic features
Varicose veins may exhibit the following signs and symptoms:
- Purple, green, or blue veins
- Bulging, Gnarled veins
- Rope-like or spider-web appearance
- Heaviness, and gnawing leg pain
- Swelling and tenderness
- Burning or itching sensation
- Muscle cramps
- Skin discoloration
- Painful, slow-healing ulcers
Diagnosing varicose veins
To diagnose varicose veins your vein specialist will:
- Review your symptoms
- Record your medical history to check for any family history, presence of debilitating diseases like diabetes, or blood disorders
- Perform a physical examination to check for visible veins, swelling, and skin changes
- Imaging tests like ultrasound scan to identify the diseased vein and evaluate the blood flow
Varicose vein treatment options
Following a thorough evaluation of your vein health, your doctor will design an appropriate treatment plan for you. These include:
Lifestyle changes
These are conservative options for milder forms of varicose veins, which include:
- A healthy diet
- Regular exercise
- Weight loss
- Leg elevation
- Hot and cold therapy
- Medications (NSAIDs)
- Physical therapy
Radiofrequency ablation
This is a minimally invasive procedure that involves placing a small catheter (thin tube) into the damaged vein. Radiofrequency energy is delivered through the catheter to target the affected vein to seal it. Blood reroutes to healthy nearby veins in your legs to reduce discomfort.
VenaSeal
This is a revolutionary procedure that useless a special adhesive tape to seal the veins to close them, allowing the blood to reroute to healthier veins.
Sclerotherapy
This is a non-invasive method of injecting chemical solutions to shrink the veins that collapse and dissolve into the bloodstream over a period of time.
Conclusion
Though varicose veins are common, you can get rid of them with several minimally invasive procedures available. This not only enhances the appearance of your legs but also relieves you from the painful symptoms, thereby minimizing the risk of complications.