Much Progress Made

Years ago, people who were bothered by varicose veins were all treated in the same manner. A doctor would examine the legs, consider the related symptoms such as pain, soreness and cramping, and decide whether or not surgery was needed. And smaller visible veins were commonly treated with painful saline injections.

Much progress has been made over the past several years that has opened up an array of minimally-invasive treatment options. More decisive methods are now available to determine if “venous insufficiency” is present, and to what extent.

Now, doctors can be certain what types of insufficiencies are causing the problems and exactly where they are located within the veins, lessening the areas in need of treatment. The diagnosis is made using a Doppler Duplex Ultrasound Scan. This technology, used in conjunction with the skill of an experienced surgeon, has saved many patients from having to undergo major surgery.

Now, with all the latest technology, vein procedures can be done in an office setting.

There’s More to Your Leg Veins than Meets the Eye!

Do you have a problem with leg veins? If so, you’re not alone. Nearly 50% of all women and 25% of men develop venous disease, eventually…with symptoms that include “ugly veins,” leg aches, swelling, restless leg, or in the worst cases, ulcers and blood clots.
But while some people-even professionals-may tell you that bulging blue veins or threadlike purple spider veins are “merely cosmetic,” the truth is that without an ultrasound scan, it’s impossible to know what is taking place in the hidden saphenous veins that spread like tree limbs through your legs. In venous disease, one-way valves in these veins may become defective and let blood pool in your lower legs-a process called “venous reflux.” Ultrasound scanning diagnoses this process, or proves that it doesn’t exist. If you have no venous reflux, you can safely proceed with simple cosmetic procedures to make spider veins and others disappear. But if you have venous reflux, ordinary cosmetic treatment may actually make your vein problem worse!