Varicose Veins

What causes varicose veins?

1. The veins in your legs use one-way valves to keep the blood flowing toward your heart. When a valve is weak or damaged, blood flows backward, a condition called venous reflux.

The refluxing blood creates a segment of the vein that’s engorged with blood. Before long, the accumulating blood causes twisted, bulging, dark purple and blue varicose veins.

What symptoms develop due to varicose veins?

Your symptoms may only be cosmetic, but varicose veins often cause problems such as:

• Leg pain
• Leg swelling
• Aching or tired legs
• Burning or itching
• Discolored skin

Varicose veins inhibit normal blood flow, which creates a condition called chronic venous insufficiency. When the problem goes untreated, the pressure in your leg veins increases, which leads to potential complications such as venous stasis ulcers, stasis dermatitis, and deep vein thrombosis.

How are varicose veins treated?

Your vein specialist at Vascular & Interventional Associates diagnoses venous reflux using Doppler ultrasound. Doppler shows the real-time movement of blood through the vein.

Most of the treatments work by making the vein walls close and turn into scar tissue. Your body slowly absorbs the tissue, making the treated vein disappear. Then your body restores normal blood flow by diverting blood to healthy veins.

The team at Vascular & Interventional Associates offers the following varicose vein treatments:

Endovenous laser ablation

Endovenous laser ablation is done using a local anesthetic and ultrasound to guide the laser fiber through the targeted vein. After the fiber reaches the end of the varicosity, your provider turns on the laser and slowly withdraws the fiber, allowing heat from the laser to close the vein.

Radiofrequency ablation

This treatment is the same as endovenous laser ablation except that your provider uses radiofrequency energy instead of laser energy.

Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy

When your veins are too deep for ablation, your provider may inject a foam medication called VarithenaⓇ that expands to reach the vein walls and makes them stick together. Then you wear a pressure bandage to ensure the vein seals shut.

Microphlebectomy

This treatment is different from the others because your provider physically removes the veins. During a microphlebectomy, your provider applies a local anesthetic, makes a pinhole incision, and uses a special hook to gently pull the veins out.

If you need relief from varicose vein symptoms, call Vascular & Interventional Associates or book an appointment online. 

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