Varicose veins, while most notorious for being unsightly, can be more than just a mere cosmetic nuisance. Many people with varicose veins suffer from burning or throbbing pain, muscle cramping, and swelling in their lower legs. In some cases, varicose veins even rupture or cause blood clots or ulcers.
If varicose veins are starting to plague you and self-care measures, such as exercising, wearing compression socks, massage therapy, and taking dietary supplements, fail to provide adequate relief, your best bet is to visit a vein clinic, where you can get effective intervention.
A vein clinic is essentially a healthcare facility staffed with vein specialists—physicians who specialize in cardiology, phlebology, or vascular surgery and have extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of vein conditions. Vein specialists can perform various in-office procedures, which can restore the aesthetics of the skin and eliminate the discomforts and risk of complications associated with varicose veins.
Let’s explore the most common minimally invasive treatments performed at vein clinics.
Sclerotherapy
This method involves administering an irritating solution (sclerosant) into the passageway (lumen) of a diseased vein to cause inflammation, scarring, and shrinkage of the vein. This forces the blood to reroute to nearby healthy veins; the collapsed vein then gets reabsorbed into local tissue and eventually disappears.
Endovenous Thermal Ablation
This treatment technique utilizes either laser (laser vein ablation) or radio waves (radiofrequency ablation) to create intense local heat (up to 120°), which causes the vein/s to collapse and seal shut. Like what happens during sclerotherapy, the blood then gets rerouted to healthy veins nearby. Thermal ablation procedures are usually recommended for patients with larger varicose veins.
During the procedure, your vein specialist will guide a catheter into your vein using ultrasound imaging then use the tip of the catheter to apply laser energy into the walls of your vein to cause it to collapse and close.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Instead of using heat-emitting lasers, vein doctors can use sound waves to heat up and destroy varicose veins. This minimally invasive treatment is called radiofrequency ablation. For the procedure, your vein specialist will use a catheter to deliver heat through a small incision in the vein. After heating up the varicose vein, it will form scar tissue, and close up. Blood will be redirected through healthy veins.
Vein Clinic in Boca Raton, FL
No matter your vein problem, our highly skilled vein specialists here at Advanced Heart and Vascular Institute can help reverse it and greatly improve the appearance of your legs. We offer a vast range of innovative and minimally invasive treatment options for all types of vein conditions. We will first perform a thorough evaluation and, based on the results, will then recommend the most suitable solution for your vein problem.
To schedule a consultation with one of our vein specialists, call Advanced Heart and Vascular Institute at (561) 235-5621 or use our convenient online appointment request form. We look forward to serving you in our Boca Raton vein clinic.
