It's often considered the treatment of choice for small varicose veins. Sclerotherapy involves injecting a solution directly into the vein. The sclerotherapy solution causes the vein to scar, forcing blood to reroute through healthier veins. The collapsed vein is reabsorbed into local tissue and eventually fades.
What is the best treatment for varicose veins?
WHAT IS THE BEST TREATMENT FOR VARICOSE VEINS?
- Effective Treatments For Varicose Veins. Doctors may first recommend self-care at home for varicose vein treatment, such as the use of compression stockings, regular exercise, dietary changes, and avoiding standing ...
- Vein Treatment Options. ...
- Insurance Coverage. ...
Which surgical procedure is used to treat varicose veins?
How do I get ready for endovenous laser varicose vein surgery?
- Your healthcare provider will explain the procedure to you. ...
- You may be asked to sign a consent form that gives permission to do the procedure. ...
- Your healthcare provider will ask questions about your health history. ...
- Tell your healthcare provider if you have a history of bleeding disorders. ...
How can varicose veins be treated without surgery?
Varicose veins
- Diagnosis. To diagnose varicose veins, your doctor will do a physical exam, including looking at your legs while you're standing to check for swelling.
- Treatment. Fortunately, treatment usually doesn't mean a hospital stay or a long, uncomfortable recovery. ...
- Lifestyle and home remedies. ...
- Alternative medicine. ...
- Preparing for your appointment. ...
Should I see vascular doctor for varicose veins?
“Varicose veins do not pose a health threat,” says Adam B. Levitt, M.D., a board certified vascular surgeon at Vascular Specialists of Central Florida. “Why should someone see a vascular doctor for varicose veins? People may not like the way their legs look and want something done. That’s a very valid reason to have your veins treated.”
How long do varicose vein injections last?
Small veins will usually disappear more quickly than larger ones. Spider veins will disappear in around 3-6 weeks, and larger veins will respond in about 3-4 months. If your veins respond to treatment, they won't reappear.
What is injected for varicose veins?
Sclerotherapy is a medical procedure used to eliminate varicose veins and spider veins. Sclerotherapy involves an injection of a solution (generally a salt solution) directly into the vein. The solution irritates the lining of the blood vessel, causing it to collapse and stick together and the blood to clot.
What can I expect after varicose vein injections?
Some patients develop bruising or red areas at the injection site. Redness generally disappears in a few days, while bruising is gone in a few weeks. If you were treated for large varicose veins, they may become lumpy or hard before they finally disappear.
How effective is sclerotherapy for varicose veins?
Sclerotherapy can effectively treat up to 80 percent of damaged veins with each session, while fewer than 10 percent of patients report no improvement in their condition. For patients suffering from pain with spider veins, it can alleviate pain.
Do varicose vein injections hurt?
One of the first questions many people have when it comes to medical procedures is, “Does it hurt?” Well, we're happy to inform you that no, sclerotherapy does not generally hurt. The slight pinch of the needle is likely all you'll feel during your treatment.
What are the dangers of sclerotherapy?
Major complicationsSystemic allergic reaction and anaphylaxis.Tissue necrosis and cutaneous necrosis.Large tissue necrosis: inadvertent intra-arterial injection.Neurological complications.Venous thromboembolism.Superficial venous thrombosis.Nerve injury.Temporary swelling: edema and lymphedema.More items...
Do and don'ts after sclerotherapy?
For 48 hours after your procedure, follow these guidelines:Avoid aspirin, ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory medications. ... Don't take hot baths or sit in a whirlpool or sauna. ... Wash the injection sites with mild soap and lukewarm water.Don't apply hot compresses or any form of heat to the treated areas.More items...•
Should you walk after sclerotherapy?
You'll be able to get up and walk around soon after the procedure. Walking and moving your legs is important to prevent the formation of blood clots. You'll be asked to wear compression stockings or bandages — usually for about two weeks — to maintain compression on the treated veins.
What happens if you don't wear compression stockings after sclerotherapy?
This injection will cause the vein to collapse and eventually disappear. Overexertion and heavy physical activities are best avoided for a few days up to a week following the treatment. Swelling and bruising due to sclerotherapy can be minimized through the use of stockings.
How many injections do you need for sclerotherapy?
This varies depending on the size of the veins and the extent of spider vein spreads. Most clients take two to four treatment sessions to get to near-complete results.
How long does it take for veins to heal after sclerotherapy?
After a sclerotherapy treatment, patients should notice their smaller spider veins beginning to fade or disappear in about 3 – 4 weeks. Larger veins, including varicose veins, may take up to 4 – 6 months to fade after sclerotherapy.
What is the success rate of sclerotherapy?
There have been several studies reporting the results of sclerotherapy in small series of patients. The majority of these show clinical success rates of 80–90% for the resolution of injected vessels.
What is the treatment for varicose veins?
If you don't respond to self-care or compression stockings, or if your condition is more severe, your doctor may suggest one of these varicose vein treatments: Sclerotherapy. In this procedure, your doctor injects small- and medium-sized varicose veins with a solution or foam that scars and closes those veins.
What is the procedure to remove varicose veins?
Endoscopic vein surgery. You might need this operation only in an advanced case involving leg ulcers if other techniques fail. Your surgeon uses a thin video camera inserted in your leg to visualize and close varicose veins and then removes the veins through small incisions.
How to prevent varicose veins from getting worse?
Self-care — such as exercising, losing weight, not wearing tight clothes, elevating your legs, and avoiding long periods of standing or sitting — can ease pain and prevent varicose veins from getting worse.
What to do before a varicose vein appointment?
What you can do in the meantime. Even before your appointment, you can begin self-care. Try not to stand or sit in one position for a long time, elevate your legs when you're seated, and avoid uncomfortable footwear and tight socks or hosiery. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Varicose veins care at Mayo Clinic.
How to close spider veins?
Laser treatment. Doctors are using new technology in laser treatments to close off smaller varicose veins and spider veins. Laser treatment works by sending strong bursts of light onto the vein, which makes the vein slowly fade and disappear. No incisions or needles are used.
How to diagnose varicose veins?
Diagnosis. To diagnose varicose veins, your doctor will do a physical exam, including looking at your legs while you're standing to check for swelling. Your doctor may also ask you to describe any pain and aching in your legs. You also may need an ultrasound test to see if the valves in your veins are functioning normally or if there's any evidence ...
What is the ultrasound test for blood clots?
You also may need an ultrasound test to see if the valves in your veins are functioning normally or if there's any evidence of a blood clot. In this noninvasive test, a technician runs a small hand-held device (transducer), about the size of a bar of soap, against your skin over the area of your body being examined.
What is the treatment for varicose veins?
Some physicians providing treatment for varicose veins may recommend injection with a solution that causes these veins to clot. When the chemical, a sclerosant solution, works as planned, it results in thrombus (clot) formation within the varicosities.
What is the best way to remove varicose veins?
That is why at Dallas Vein Specialists, the preferred way of removing bulging varicose veins of the legs is cosmetically conscious microphlebectomy.
How long does it take for a bruise to heal after a microphlebectomy?
Bruising may occur and clears within three to four weeks. Picture taken one week after microphlebectomy of varicosity. Picture taken five months later, now healed after removal of the varicosity. Of course, patients with varicose veins should be evaluated, as the underlying cause of the varicosities must be dealt with lest they return after removal.
How long does it take for hemosiderin to fade?
This unattractive look is called hemosiderin staining and may take months to years to diminish and completely resolve. In some few unfortunate cases, the stain is permanent. While there are laser treatments that may slowly improve the appearance, it is by no means certain to improve.
How long does it take for a syringe to heal?
The healing is excellent, and there are no adverse cosmetic skin changes such as skin staining. Bruising may occur and clears within three to four weeks.
Do varicose veins stay closed?
This effectively stops the veins from bulging with blood, and instead they bulge with clots. These bulging clotted varicose veins may or may not stay closed, as some may reform as varicosities. But if they remain clotted, they are firm, and often quite tender.
Diagnosis
Treatment
- Treatment for varicose veins may include self-care measures, compression stockings, and surgeries or procedures. Procedures to treat varicose veins are often done as an outpatient procedure, which means you usually go home on the same day. Ask your insurer if varicose vein treatment is a covered expense. If varicose vein treatment is done only to i...
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- Lifestyle and home remedies for varicose veins include: 1. Exercise.Get moving. Walking is a great way to encourage blood flow in the legs. Your health care provider can recommend an appropriate activity level for you. 2. Manage weight.Shedding excess pounds takes unnecessary pressure off the veins. 3. Avoid salt.Follow a low-salt diet to prevent swelling caused from water retention. 4. …
Alternative Medicine
- Though they haven't been well studied, a number of alternative therapies claim to be helpful treatments for chronic venous insufficiency. This is a condition associated with varicose veins in which leg veins have problems returning blood to the heart. Alternative therapies for varicose veins may include: 1. Horse chestnut 2. Butcher's broom 3. Grape (leaves, sap, seed and fruit) 4. …
Preparing For Your Appointment
- Your health care provider will need to look at your bare legs and feet to diagnose varicose veins and figure out what treatment might be best for your condition. Your primary care doctor might recommend that you see a doctor who specializes in vein conditions (phlebologist), a vascular surgeon or a doctor who treats skin conditions (dermatologist or dermatology surgeon). In the …