Varicose veins can cause pain in the legs, especially over time. Fortunately, there are treatment options for varicose veins that can take care of this problem. Keep reading to learn about two treatment options available to you.
Endovenous Ablation
With endovenous ablation, the varicose veins are closed off, so they stop growing. To do this, the doctor inserts a needle inside the varicose vein and then uses a laser to destroy the tissue inside the vein, which will then cause the vein to close. The blood supply from the closed vein moves to other veins in your legs automatically.
Endovenous ablation can be done in the doctor's office, and how long it takes will depend on how many veins you are having worked on. This procedure is quite painful, so you may be put under anesthesia or take strong pain medication. Because of this, it might be a smarter idea to take someone with you to drive you home. After the treatment, you may start feeling pain, and you will likely start seeing bruising in the area. The doctor will ask you to wear compression socks for a certain amount of time after the treatment.
The doctor will also have you come back in a week or so for follow-up treatment. The doctor will look at the area to make sure it is healing properly.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is a treatment option that will eliminate your varicose veins, as well as any spider veins you may have. The doctor injects a solution directly into the varicose vein. The solution causes the vein to collapse which makes the blood clot. In the beginning, you will still see the vein, but over the next few weeks, it will disappear completely.
When you first visit the doctor's office, they will first ask you many questions to make sure you can have this treatment. If you have had blood clots in your legs in the past, they will then have to decide if you are eligible for the procedure or not. They will ask you to see a vascular doctor in most cases to see if you are eligible for the treatment.
During the treatment, you will have a little discomfort, such as a few cramps in the leg for a few minutes. This is especially true if the varicose vein is very large. The treatment will take approximately 30 minutes to an hour in most cases, but this does depend on your personal situation.
Your doctor can go over this information with you in much more detail. For more information, contact a local endovenous laser ablation service, such as Advanced Vein Center, to learn more.
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