How Treating Big, Blue Varicose Veins Can Improve Your Vascular Health

An estimated 40 million Americans have varicose veins. They’re the twisted, purple-blue veins that bulge out from the legs.

If you’re tired of wearing long pants to hide the enlarged veins or are losing your mobility because of heaviness or other varicose vein symptoms, you can find the help you need at Sierra Pacific Surgical.

Our skilled medical team offers several nonsurgical treatments for varicose veins. We also specialize in minimally invasive therapies, including radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to treat the root cause of diseased veins and improve your vascular health.

Why you have varicose veins

Varicose veins develop when there’s damage to the walls or valves inside the vein. In a healthy vein, valves control the directional flow of blood, so it moves in one direction.

A faulty valve can allow blood to move backward and pool in the vein, which results in the enlargement of the vessel. As the damaged vein grows bigger, it begins to protrude beneath the skin and can cause symptoms that range from mild to severe.

Factors that can increase your risk for developing varicose veins include hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy, and menopause. For these reasons, women develop varicose veins more often than men.

Other contributing factors for varicose veins include:

• Aging
• Obesity
• Inactive lifestyle
• Standing for long periods of time

You may also be more likely to develop varicose veins if you have close family members with the condition.

When to seek treatment for varicose veins

Many people seek varicose vein treatment because they feel self-conscious about the appearance of their legs. However, varicose veins can also cause complications that interfere with your mobility and quality of life, including:

• Leg heaviness
• Itching
• Swelling
• Muscle cramps
• Burning or throbbing pain
• Skin discoloration near the damaged vein

Untreated varicose veins can also lead to more serious medical issues, including blood clots and ulcers.

If you’re limited by varicose vein symptoms or are looking for solutions to improve your vascular health, speak with our medical team about your options for treatment.

Effective therapies to eliminate varicose veins

Early treatments for varicose veins may include noninvasive strategies that involve your lifestyle and diet. Getting daily exercise and following a heart-healthy diet can prevent vein damage from getting worse and make it easier to maintain a healthy body weight.

You might also benefit from wearing compression stockings that support efficient blood flow from your legs back to your heart.

When varicose vein symptoms are moderate to severe, our specialist may recommend:

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy involves injections of a chemical into the damaged vein. The chemical irritates the vein and eventually causes it to collapse, and blood naturally reroutes to healthier veins nearby to improve circulation in your legs.

Sclerotherapy may be appropriate for smaller varicose veins.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)

Radiofrequency ablation uses radiofrequency energy instead to permanently seal off a diseased vein. RFA treatments are suitable for larger veins that aren’t treatable with sclerotherapy.

Phlebectomy

Phlebectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a varicose vein through small incisions in the leg. You might be a candidate for phlebectomy if bulging veins close to your skin’s surface are raising your risk for ulcers and other complications.

Call Sierra Pacific Surgical in El Dorado Hills, California, today to learn more about treatment options for varicose veins, or request an appointment online for a vascular health consultation.