Just Because You Play Hard Doesn’t Mean You Have To Suffer With Leg Veins

Just Because You Play Hard Doesnt Mean You Have To Suffer With Leg Veins

Spider veins are small superficial blood vessels that appear red or blue in the skin. They commonly occur on the legs, but can occur on other areas of the body.

Larger dilated blood vessels, called varicose veins, may appear raised above the skin surface. Patients can have pain that ranges from dull and throbbing to a burning sensation. Large veins are more likely to cause discomfort, although spider veins can cause pain as well.

The cause of leg veins is not completely known. They do run in families and appear more commonly in women but also occur in men. They may also appear after an injury.

Leg veins cannot always be prevented. Wearing support hose may minimize the number of veins that develop. Keeping your weight in a healthy range and exercising regularly, as well as eating a high-fiber diet and wearing low-heeled shoes are also helpful.

If leg veins are bothersome, they can be treated with many different treatment methods. The choice of procedure depends on the size and location of the leg veins. The injection method is called sclerotherapy. One of several kinds of sclerosing solution is injected directly into the vein with a very fine needle.

The solution irritates the lining of the vein causing it to swell, stick together, and the blood to clot. Over a period of weeks, the vein turns into scar tissue that fades, eventually becoming barely noticeable. A single vein may have to be injected more than once, weeks or months apart, depending on its size. A number of vessels can be injected in any one-treatment session.

Lasers can also be used to eliminate leg veins. Wavelengths of light are absorbed by the blood in the vein to destroy them. There are many types of lasers that can be used.

Varicose veins can be connected to spider veins. In such cases, the varicose veins should be treated before treatment of the smaller veins. Endovenous laser ablation is the newest technology available for treatment of varicose veins.

A small single needle incision is made in the leg and a fiber is inserted into the varicose vein. The laser is activated and the vein is safely closed as the fiber is moved through the vein, gently heating it. Once the vein is closed, the blood that was circulating through this vein is simply rerouted to other healthy veins and the varicose vein vanishes.

Endovenous laser is minimally invasive and performed in your doctors office. An ultrasound screening is used to determine whether you are a candidate for this procedure. Local numbing medication is used and there is little to no pain associated with the procedure.

No stitches are required and scarring is minimal, if at all. Your symptoms will begin to improve immediately. The leg is wrapped in a compression bandage and you will be up and walking the same day, resuming regular activity the next day.

Schedule a consultation with your vein specialist to see what treatment options are best for you.