What are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are large, ropy veins that twist through your legs. Varicose veins are usually quite prominent on the surface of your legs. In addition to their unattractive appearance, varicose veins can cause some very uncomfortable and difficult symptoms.
If you don't get treatment for varicose veins, they can grow much worse, potentially extending to the deep veins that act as a main pathway to relay blood back to your heart. This leads to blood pooling in all of your leg veins, potentially causing:
- Leg pain
- Leg swelling
- Itchy skin
- Discolored skin (skin pigmentation changes like darkening)
- Achy legs
- Leg cramps
- Leg ulcers
If you have varicose veins, you're up to 430% more likely to develop deep vein thrombosis, a potentially life-threatening condition in which you develop a blood clot in one of your deep veins.
Although deep vein thrombosis is a rare condition, it's important to speak with your Dallas Vein Institute specialist to understand your personal risk level and how you can take steps to prevent it.
What causes varicose veins?
The main underlying cause of vein disease, including varicose veins, is venous reflux. If you have venous reflux, it essentially means that your vein valves don't work efficiently. This leads to blood flowing back down into your legs rather than up to the heart where it should be.
If untreated, venous reflux may eventually cause chronic venous insufficiency, also known as chronic venous disease. If you develop chronic venous disease, you can develop varicose veins and all the troublesome symptoms that go with them.
Certain factors, including aging, being female, being obese, smoking, and standing for long periods, can increase your risk for varicose veins and other vein problems.
What is the best way to eliminate varicose veins?
Dallas Vein Institute is a full-service vein treatment facility that offers state-of-the-art varicose vein treatments. Every treatment is customized for your needs and comfort, so your provider helps you decide which approach works best for you.
Although conservative management approaches such as exercise, weight loss, and compression hosiery can help reduce certain varicose vein symptoms, these measures don't actually treat the veins themselves. To effectively treat varicose veins, your provider typically uses minimally invasive procedures including:
- VenaSeal™
- Endovenous radiofrequency ablation
- Ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy
- Microphlebectomy
All of these treatment approaches are faster, easier, and considerably less painful than surgical techniques. Surgical procedures like vein ligation and vein stripping require many incisions and a long recovery period.
Book your appointment at Dallas Vein Institute online or call the office for varicose vein help now.
