Varicose Veins

Varicose Veins Q & A

What are varicose veins?

Varicose veins are swollen veins that lie under your skin. Due to inadequate blood flow, these vessels become engorged, dilated, dark in color, and oftentimes painful.

When the pressure exerted on a vessel is increased over a long period of time, its internal valves become weak and allow backflow of blood. This causes pooling of blood in the vessel, which builds up and engorges the vein.

Over time, engorged vessels become dilated, inflamed, and sore. Because walking and standing can place increased pressure on the veins of the legs, varicose veins are most often seen in the calf or thigh area.

What are the symptoms of varicose veins?

The symptoms of varicose veins result from insufficient blood flow and enlarged blood vessels. Being able to see or feel the veins in your legs, even if they aren’t enlarged, may be an early indication that blood flow is insufficient.

You may also have:

Pain and throbbing
Fatigue and heaviness
Burning and itching
Cramping or restless legs
Swelling

As your varicose veins worsen, you may notice:

Dark purple or blue veins
Twisted, bulging, cord-like veins
Pain and tenderness of the veins

These symptoms place you at higher risk for getting blood clots and skin conditions like venous ulcers. Getting treatment for your varicose veins is important to protect against these risks.

What treatments are available for varicose veins?

Treatment of varicose veins typically involves collapsing the problematic vessel. This naturally requires the body to reroute the blood flow to healthier veins.

Dr. Hunt offers a number of effective methods to achieve this goal:

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy uses a solution injected into the vessel to cause it to clot, scar, and collapse.

Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy

This therapy uses ultrasound guidance to inject a specialized foam solution into the problematic vessel.

Endovenous laser thermal ablation

This type of endovenous ablation is an in-office procedure that uses laser and heat technology to collapse an unhealthy vein.

VenaSeal™ closure system

VenaSeal is an in-office procedure that uses an injectable adhesive that closes the problematic vessel.

Varithena

Varithena is a prescription medication used to treat varicose veins. Varithena is used to treat a wide variety of varicose veins. Learn more about Varithena here.