While venous conditions like spider veins are mostly just a cosmetic concern, varicose veins aren’t just about their appearance on areas like your leg. If left untreated, your varicose veins can get worse, which can result in a number of side effects, including leg ulcers. Without seeking the right treatment for varicose veins, these ulcers can be recurring and can result in further complications. That’s why Vein Center Doctor’s effective treatments for varicose veins can provide quick, effective pain relief from issues like your leg ulcers.
Vein Center Doctor is home to vein specialists and medical professionals that can treat both unsightly veins as well as the uncomfortable symptoms and side effects caused by these conditions. We are New Jersey and New York’s most trusted vein clinic, giving you visible results and addressing and treating complications that can arise from vein issues.
Why Do Varicose Veins Lead to Leg Ulcers?
Leg ulcers are sores or wounds that can be caused by a number of reasons, with varicose veins being one of them. While not all leg ulcers are painful, patients that experience this condition may notice that sores don’t heal as quickly as other types of wounds. If left untreated, these sores can develop an infection over time or several other conditions.
Your veins are responsible for bringing blood back to your heart, with its valves pumping blood in one direction. But because of various causes like traumatic injuries, aging, weight gain, genetics, and more, some veins become weak or their valves start to malfunction. This causes problems with circulation, as blood can start to pool within a vein. This can cause the vein to swell and develop into varicose veins. Varicose veins are more common on your legs and ankles, but it can also appear anywhere else on your body.
Unlike spider veins, untreated varicose veins can get worse and progress beyond cosmetic issues. Untreated varicose veins can cause issues with your blood circulation. This can affect your body’s healing process, since platelets responsible for clotting can’t efficiently travel to the affected ulcer. This results in your leg ulcers remaining unhealed and opened. If left uncovered or untreated, this open wound can catch a bacterial infection.
Common Causes of Leg Ulcers
Not all leg ulcers are caused by varicose veins, so it’s important to see a specialist to determine the root cause of your ailment to get proper treatment. Some causes that create varicose veins that can lead to leg ulcers include:
- Weight Gain – some valves, like those on your legs, work twice as hard to overcome gravity and pump blood upwards to your heart. Increased weight can make it harder for blood to flow, resulting in valves working harder and wearing out faster.
- Stress – increases your blood pressure, which can result in your valves working faster. Stress has also been linked to weight gain.
- Pregnancy – pregnant women have increased blood volume, which increases blood pressure and causes smaller veins to swell. Pregnancy also changes a woman’s hormones and often leads to weight gain.
- Hormonal Imbalance – certain types of hormones can make veins dilate, which can affect the valves’ ability to prevent reverse blood flow in the opposite direction.
- Age – older adults are more susceptible to high blood pressure, deep vein thrombosis, and weaker valves.
- Genetics – studies show that genetics plays a role in causing venous conditions or genetic cardiovascular diseases that can result in varicose veins. If your family history includes varicose veins, it’s highly likely for you to develop this, too.
- Trauma – injuries can cause damage to internal areas of your body, including damage to the structure of your veins and deep vein thrombosis in areas impacted by the injury.
Holistic Vein Care: Why Your Leg Ulcers Need Treatment From the Vein Center
Millions of men and women in the United States experience varicose veins at least once in their life. Not all varicose veins lead to leg ulcers, but if your varicose veins worsen, they can result in a number of health complications. If left untreated, venous leg ulcers can easily become infected. An infected ulcer can contain pus, swell, be painful to the touch, and result in blood poisoning and spreading it down to cause a bone infection. It can also limit your mobility because of the pain.
While you can treat the ulcer and its symptoms, venous ulcers can be chronic if you don’t treat the underlying condition that’s causing varicose veins. Some varicose veins caused by trauma or temporary hormonal changes like pregnancy may be treated without the possibility of varicose veins relapsing. But if you have conditions like obesity or old age, varicose veins can be chronic – along with the risk of developing leg ulcers.
At Vein Center Doctor, we can provide symptomatic relief for your leg ulcers while also treating your varicose veins to reduce the recurrence of venous conditions. Our vein doctors can reverse the effects of damaged veins and valves and help you watch those stubborn lines disappear from your skin while protecting you from the side effects of untreated varicose veins.
Book your consultation with our vein specialists to learn more about your condition and to determine the best treatment plan to manage your symptoms.
Living with unwanted veins is a thing of the past, when you can simply schedule a free consultation with Vein Center Doctor and find your ideal solution today.
Symptoms of Leg Ulcers Caused by Varicose Veins
At Vein Center Doctor, our specialists treat a variety of cosmetic and medical vein conditions for holistic health management. But when should a person visit our specialists at Vein Center Doctor to check for leg ulcers caused by venous conditions like varicose veins? Some symptoms to watch out for include:
- Open sores that don’t heal or take long to heal
- Pus, fluids, or any other discharge or sign of infection on the sores
- Swollen legs and/or ankles
- Enlarged veins
- Pain in the area (though some ulcers aren’t painful at first), especially when walking or during prolonged sitting and standing
- Limited mobility
- Fatigue and heaviness on the legs
If you have leg ulcers and signs of varicose veins, schedule an appointment with Vein Center Doctor. Our team can help diagnose if your condition is caused by varicose veins through a physical examination and other laboratory tests. We can then provide a custom treatment plan to manage both your leg ulcers and your varicose veins.
Vein Center Doctor’s Varicose Vein Treatments
Sclerotherapy
The most popular treatment for venous conditions like spider veins and varicose veins is sclerotherapy. A sclerotic solution is injected directly into the affected veins, forcing the veins to close and the blood to redirect into healthier veins. The old vein turns into scar tissue that your body will eventually absorb, causing it to disappear.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation uses radiofrequency energy to heat the damaged and unhealthy blood vessels, causing scar tissue to form and close up the vein. Your blood flow will be naturally redirected to other veins while your body absorbs the scar tissue.
Endovenous Laser Treatment
Endovenous laser treatment is usually the laser therapy of choice for spider veins and varicose vein procedures. With the use of laser technology that uses an ultrasound to guide the laser fiber, endovenous laser treatment heats and closes up any unhealthy blood vessels.
VenaSeal
Like our other treatments, VenaSeal requires no surgeon with its minimally-invasive process. An FDA-approved “vein glue” is injected into the affected vein to act as a safe adhesive. This closes the vein and allows your body to eventually re-absorb it while your blood flow is redirected to other veins.
Compression Therapy
Compression therapy is usually a home remedy coupled with the other mentioned procedures to help speed up the recovery period of your body absorbing the scar tissue and improving results. Compression socks or stockings can improve the blood flow in the area and cause the scar tissue to heal quicker.
Why Choose Vein Center Doctor for Venous Treatments
Complete, Compassionate Care
Our priority is to make sure patients are comfortable from diagnosis to treatment. Our treatment packages are designed to help patients recover mentally and physically. We work tirelessly to give you the confidence to own your skin and be free from spider veins altogether. We do everything from cosmetic treatments to more functional therapy.
Insurance Coverage
At Vein Center Doctor, our staff’s goal is to make top-level vein care accessible. We accept most major insurance plans, including Magnacare, Anthem, BlueCross, Cigna, and Qualcare. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our staff for more information on partnered insurance providers.
Quick Procedures with Minimal Downtime
Our clinic offers several treatment options for various venous problems like spider veins and varicose veins. Our treatment options include non-invasive to minimally-invasive procedures that can be done on the same day, with little to no recovery time required.
Find exactly what you need to get rid of your vein-related problems. Dr. Sood and the rest of our team at Vein Center Doctor are ready to help: schedule your free consultation today.
Vein Center Doctor: Excellent Venous Treatment in New Jersey and New York
Leg ulcers caused by varicose veins require treatment for both the ulcer and your varicose veins. This is to ensure your wounds safely heal while also preventing your condition from becoming chronic or worsening into more serious conditions. At Vein Center Doctor, we can provide you with a comfortable experience with our minimally invasive and effective practices to treat your condition, minimize the pain, and prevent worse effects that can develop over time.
Together with our staff, you can receive individualized treatment plans involving pain-free procedures that treat the root cause of your leg ulcers. Schedule a consultation with us to receive proper treatment and care for your leg ulcers and varicose veins.
FAQs About Venous Leg Ulcers
Q: How do you treat leg ulcers?
A: Depending on the severity of the leg ulcer, our providers will remove dead tissue before applying topical treatments like antiseptics or antibiotics and dressing the wound. The healing process can take up to four months, during which time the dressing should be changed regularly and compression stockings may be worn to improve blood flow. Consequently, you can also seek treatment for your varicose veins.
Q: What are the other causes of leg ulcers?
A: Aside from varicose veins, leg ulcers can be caused by other conditions that result in poor blood circulation on your legs, ankles, and feet. This can include diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, heart or kidney disease, or other factors like weight and age. If you have a history of varicose veins and are experiencing leg ulcers, schedule an appointment to determine if your venous condition is the cause of your ulcers and receive a custom treatment plan from our vein specialists.
Q: What are some ways to prevent venous ulcers?
A: Preventing venous conditions like varicose veins is an effective way to ensure you don’t develop leg ulcers. Some causes like traumatic injury may be unavoidable, but certain lifestyle changes can help you avoid varicose veins caused by weight gain and stress. Factors like aging are inevitable, but leading a healthy lifestyle can prevent the risk of venous conditions.
We’re actively doing Leg Ulcer in the following nearby locations:
Edison, NJ
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Middletown, NJ
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Riverdale, NJ
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Staten Island, NY
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Poughkeepsie, NY
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Clifton, NJ
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Ardsley, NY
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