Treatments for Varicose veins
Treatment List for Varicose veins
The list of treatments mentioned in various sources
for Varicose veins
includes the following list.
Always seek professional medical advice about any treatment
or change in treatment plans.
Alternative Treatments for Varicose veins
Alternative treatments or home remedies that have been listed as possibly helpful for Varicose veins may include:
Varicose veins: Is the Diagnosis Correct?
The first step in getting correct treatment is
to get a correct diagnosis.
Differential diagnosis list for Varicose veins may include:
Hidden causes of Varicose veins may be incorrectly diagnosed:
Varicose veins: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers
Products, offers and promotion categories available for Varicose veins:
Varicose veins: Research Doctors & Specialists
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Research all specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.
Drugs and Medications used to treat Varicose veins:
Note:You must always seek professional medical advice about any prescription drug, OTC drug, medication, treatment
or change in treatment plans.
Some of the different medications used in the treatment of Varicose veins include:
Hospital statistics for Varicose veins:
These medical statistics relate to hospitals, hospitalization and Varicose veins:
- 0.4% (51,456) of hospital consultant episodes were for varicose veins of lower extremities in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
- 98% of hospital consultant episodes for varicose veins of lower extremities required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
- 34% of hospital consultant episodes for varicose veins of lower extremities were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
- 66% of hospital consultant episodes for varicose veins of lower extremities were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
- more hospital information...»
Hospitals & Medical Clinics: Varicose veins
Research quality ratings and patient incidents/safety measures
for hospitals and medical facilities in specialties related to Varicose veins:
Hospital & Clinic quality ratings »
Choosing the Best Treatment Hospital:
More general information, not necessarily in relation to Varicose veins,
on hospital and medical facility performance and surgical care quality:
Medical news summaries about treatments for Varicose veins:
The following medical news items
are relevant to treatment of Varicose veins:
Discussion of treatments for Varicose veins:
VARICOSE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS: NWHIC (Excerpt)
Medical treatment usually is not required for varicose or spider veins.
However, varicose veins can become quite uncomfortable as well as look
unattractive. Varicose veins usually enlarge and worsen over time. They
can cause the legs and feet to swell. Although severe leg pain is not
common, leg muscles may feel fatigued or heavy, or throb and cramp at
night. The skin on the legs and around the ankles also can itch or burn.
In some cases, varicose veins and spider veins can cause more serious
problems, and medical treatment will provide benefits. If the veins become
severe, they can cause a condition called venous insufficiency, a severe
clogging of the blood in the veins that prevents it from returning to the
heart. This condition can cause problems like a deep-vein thrombosis
(blood clot), or a severe bleeding infection. These usually are caused by
injury to the varicose vein. A blood clot can be very dangerous because of
the possibility of it traveling from the leg veins to the lungs, where it
may block the heart and lungs from functioning. Lastly, because the skin
tissue around the varicose vein may not receive enough nourishment, sores
or skin ulcers may develop.
(Source: excerpt from VARICOSE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS: NWHIC)
VARICOSE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS: NWHIC (Excerpt)
Remember these important questions when deciding whether to see your
doctor:
- Has the varicose vein become swollen, red, or very tender or warm to
the touch?
- If yes, see your doctor.
- If no, are there sores or a rash on the leg or near the ankle with
the varicose vein, or are there circulation problems in your feet?
- If yes, see your doctor.
- If no, continue to follow the self-care tips above.
(Source: excerpt from
VARICOSE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS: NWHIC)
VARICOSE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS: NWHIC (Excerpt)
should discuss which treatment options are best
for your condition and lifestyle. It is important to remember that not all
cases of varicose veins are the same. Doctors may differ in the ways they
treat you. Some available treatments or surgeries include:
- Sclerotherapy - Of all available treatments, this one is most
commonly used for both spider veins and varicose veins. It involves
injecting a solution into the vein that causes the lining of the vein
walls to swell, stick together, and eventually seal shut. The flow of
blood is stopped and the vein turns into scar tissue. In a few weeks,
the vein should fade. Although the same vein may need to be injected
with the solution more than once, sclerotherapy is very effective if
done correctly. The American Academy of Dermatology states that most
patients can expect a 50% to 90% improvement. Also, a new and improved
type of sclerotherapy called microsclerotherapy uses improved solutions
and injection techniques that increase the success rate for removal of
spider veins. Sclerotherapy does not require anesthesia, and can be done
in the doctor's office.
Some side effects may only occur at the site of the injection, such as
stinging or painful cramps; red raised patches of skin, small skin ulcers,
and bruises. Spots, brown lines, or groups of fine red blood vessels could
appear around the vein being treated. These usually disappear. The treated
vein could become inflamed or develop lumps of coagulated or congested
blood. These are not dangerous. Applying heat and taking aspirin or
antibiotics can relieve inflammation. Lumps of coagulated blood can be
drained. Health insurance coverage varies. If the treatment is done for
cosmetic reasons only, it may not be covered.
- Electrodesiccation - This treatment is similar to sclerotherapy
except the veins are sealed off with an electrical current instead of
the injection of solution. This treatment may leave scars.
- Laser surgery – Until recently, laser treatments mostly were used
for treating spider veins on the face. Varicose veins in the legs did
not respond consistently to this treatment, and some doctors doubted
whether laser treatment actually worked, and it was not covered by most
health insurance plans. Now, however, new technology in laser treatments
can effectively treat varicose veins in the legs.
Laser surgery works by sending very strong bursts of light onto the
vein that makes the vein slowly fade and disappear. Lasers are very direct
and accurate, and only damage the area being treated. All skin types and
colors can be safely treated with lasers. The American Academy of
Dermatology believes that the new laser technology is more effective with
fewer side effects. Laser surgery is more comfortable for patients because
there are no needles or incisions. When the laser hits the skin, the
patient only feels a small pinch, and the skin is soothed by cooling both
before and after the laser is applied. There may be some redness or
swelling of the skin right after the treatment, but this disappears within
a few days. The skin also may be discolored, but this will disappear
within one to two weeks. Treatments last 15 to 20 minutes, and depending
on the severity of the veins, two to five treatments are generally needed
to remove varicose veins in the legs. Patients can return to normal
activity right after treatment.
There are several types of lasers that can be used to treat varicose
veins and spider veins on the legs and face. Although your doctor will
decide which type is best to treat your condition, some of the lasers used
to treat veins include yellow light lasers, green light lasers, and other
intense pulsed light systems. Again, health insurance coverage varies. If
the treatment is done for cosmetic reasons only, it may not be covered.
- Closure Technique – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in
March 1999 approved this new procedure for use in the United States.
Although it is not as widely used as sclerotherapy, some doctors feel it
may become the standard for treating varicose veins. It is not very
invasive and can be done in a doctor’s office. This method involves
placing a special catheter or a very small tube into the vein. Once
inside, the catheter sends radiofrequency energy to cause the vein wall
to shrink and seal shut. Healthier veins surrounding the closed vein can
then restore the normal flow of blood. As this happens, symptoms from
the varicose vein decrease. The only side effect is slight bruising.
Surgery is used mostly to treat very large varicose veins. Available
surgical options include:
- Surgical Ligation and Stripping - With this treatment, the veins are
tied shut and completely removed from the leg. Removing the veins will
not affect the circulation of blood in the leg because veins deeper in
the leg take care of the larger volumes of blood. The varicose veins
mostly removed through surgery are superficial or surface veins, and
collect blood only from the skin. This surgery requires either local or
general anesthesia and must be done in an operating room on an
outpatient basis.
Serious side effects or complications with this surgery are uncommon.
However, with general anesthesia, there always is a risk of cardiac and
respiratory complications. Similar to the risks of sclerotherapy, bleeding
and congestion of blood can be a problem, but the collected blood usually
settles on its own and does not require any further treating. Wound
infection, inflammation, swelling and redness also can occur. This surgery
also can leave permanent scars. A very common complication is the damage
of nerve tissue around the treated vein. Small sensory nerve branches are
difficult to avoid when veins are removed. This damage can cause numbness
in small areas of skin, burning, or a change in sensation around the
surgical scar. The most serious, but rare, complication of surgery is the
creation of a deep vein blood clot that may travel to the lungs and heart.
To be safe, many surgeons give injections of heparin, a drug that reduces
blood coagulation, for one to two days before the surgery. However,
heparin also can increase the normal amount of bleeding and bruising after
the operation.
- Ambulatory Phlebectomy - With this surgery, a special light source
marks the location of the vein. Tiny incisions are made in the vein, and
then with surgical hooks, the vein is pulled out of the leg. This
surgery requires local or regional anesthesia. The vein usually is
removed in one treatment. Side effects and complications are similar to
those of ligation and stripping. The most common side effect is slight
bruising. Compared to traditional surgery, ambulatory phlebectomy allows
the removal of very large varicose veins while leaving only very small
scars. Patients can return to normal activity the day after treatment.
(Source: excerpt from
VARICOSE VEINS AND SPIDER VEINS: NWHIC)
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