Varicose Veins Treatment

• Varicose veins aren’t a serious problem to most but deep varicose veins can have serious health risks for some
• Varicose vein development: When valves don’t properly move the blood out of the vein, the blood stays in the vein causing it to swell which creates varicose veins
• Treatment: losing weight, exercising, sclerotherapy veins treatment, laser surgery, vein stripping, endoscopic vein surgery

Varicose veins may not seem like a serious health problem to many people and is usually viewed as simply being unsightly, but the truth is, without treating varicose veins you could end up increasing your health risks, especially if you already have coronary heart disease or narrowing/hardening arteries. According to the Mayo Clinic, deep varicose veins can sometimes develop blood clots. If these clots break loose and travel through your body, you could suffer a stroke or heart attack.

How do Varicose Veins Develop?

Before talking about treatment for varicose veins, it might be helpful to discuss how the problem begins. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that varicose veins are defined as swollen and sometimes painful veins that contain too much blood.

The cause of the problem is improperly functioning valves. Normally, the valves are responsible for moving blood out of the vein and towards the heart. When they do not work, the blood remains in the vein and pools. Over time, this causes the vein to swell. Although varicose veins are most commonly found in the legs, they can also develop in other parts of the body. As the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute points out, hemorrhoids are a form of varicose veins that occur around the anus.

You are more likely to develop this health problem if you must stand for long periods of time, are overweight, or have a congenital circulatory system problem.

Treating the Problem

Treatment for varicose veins usually begins with some self-care routines. In many cases, losing weight and exercising can help reduce some of the factors that lead to these problem veins in the first place. Avoiding standing or sitting for extended periods can also be helpful. Even if these measures do not eliminate your current varicose veins, they can reduce pain associated with them and can prevent developement of varicose veins. According to the Mayo Clinic, the following procedures may also be good ideas for treatment.

Of course there are other treatments for varicose veins that are available. Sclerotherapy veins treatment is an increasingly popular option. With this treatment, a physician causes the affected vein to close by injecting a special solution into it directly. No surgery is required, and the procedure is done in the office. Some veins may require multiple injections. This procedure is only done for small to medium-sized varicose veins. Laser surgery can have a similar impact on small varicose veins and does not require the use of needles.

The greatest health risks and most discomfort are normally associated with larger or deeper varicose veins. There are a number of treatments for varicose veins available for these cases as well. For example, a catheter can be inserted into the vein then heated. When the catheter is removed, the heat causes the vein to collapse.

Vein stripping and endoscopic vein surgery are two more significant treatment possibilities. With vein stripping, the vein is actually removed from the body through a number of incisions made near the affected area. With endoscopic vein surgery, the procedure is done in a similar way; however, an endoscopic camera is also inserted so that the physician can get a better look at the problem; usually, this method is only used when varicose veins have developed painful ulcers.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.