Varicose veins are common among Americans, affecting 20% of the population, with women outpacing men because of risk factors that are unique to the females — namely hormones and pregnancy. Still, both men and women are susceptible, and thankfully the condition presents no more than a pesky cosmetic concern for many people. For the rest, however, varicose veins can cause pain and discomfort, making them a serious quality-of-life issue.
At Vein Center Doctor, as our namely expressly suggests, we routinely help our patients at our seven New Jersey and New York offices overcome the pain that varicose veins cause. Using the latest techniques available, we can eliminate painful and unsightly varicose veins in a minimally invasive in-office procedure.
If you’re suffering from leg pain because of varicose veins, here’s a quick look at the problem and how we can provide you with much-needed relief.
The rising of varicose veins
The veins in your legs are responsible for one very important thing — fighting gravity and distance to deliver blood back to your heart. To help, your veins are equipped with tiny valves that shut off as blood flows through, which keeps your blood going in the right direction. When these tiny valves begin to fail, blood can pool backwards, which is what leads to the engorged veins that rise to the surface of your skin.
In the best case scenario, these ropey veins present only a cosmetic nuisance. For many, however, varicose veins are accompanied by:
- Aching, heaviness, and/or throbbing in your legs
- Cramping
- Swelling
- Itching
- Increased pain after long periods of sitting
In addition to this unpleasant list of symptoms, some people develop ulcers around their varicose veins, increasing the problem (and the pain) exponentially.
Fighting back with varicose vein treatments
While we’ve just painted a grim picture of varicose veins, and rightfully so in many cases, there are many rays of hope when it comes to solving the problem. To start, we offer sclerotherapy, an in-office procedure in which we inject your problematic vein with a saline mixture that causes the blood vessel to close up. Rest assured, your blood reroutes itself to healthier blood vessels nearby.
We also offer Varithena®, a unique solution that relies on a special foam to block off and deactivate your varicose veins.
Rounding out our list of treatments is vein ablation, in which we rely on advanced laser or radiofrequency technology to close off your veins, encouraging your blood to divert to healthier vessels. To do this, we thread a catheter into your vein and then release the energy.
In each of these treatments, your body does a great job of shutting down your problem veins and finding new routes. It then naturally processes the treated vein, making it fade back into obscurity.
And there’s also the benefit of our ability to deliver these treatments right in our offices, allowing you to head back home directly afterward. We may ask that you limit your activity for a few days, but the side effects of these treatments are generally minimal. The results, however, are anything but minimal, as we tackle the source of your leg pain, giving you back that old spring in your step.
If you’d like to eliminate painful varicose veins, call one of our offices in Clifton, New Jersey, or Ardsley, New York. Or use the online scheduling tool to set up an appointment.
