Ask Your Podiatrist about Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are a common condition, affecting up to 35% of…
What are Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are swollen, raised veins that appear near the surface of the skin. They generally show up in the legs and feet and have a twisting and turning appearance. These problem veins appear deep blue, red or purple. If you suspect that you may have varicose veins, you’re not alone. Approximately 25% of adults develop the condition at some point.
What Causes Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are caused by weak or malfunctioning valves inside the veins. Normally, these tiny valves help your body fight gravity to deliver blood to your lungs and heart. In some people, however, they start to leak, allowing blood to pool in certain parts of the veins. The increased blood pressure causes leg veins to swell, which is why varicose veins appear enlarged and twisted.
Many factors increase the risk of developing varicose veins:
- Age
- Gender
- Genetic predisposition
- Menopause
- Pregnancy
- Overweight
- Standing and sitting for long periods of time
Due to hormonal differences, women are more likely to develop varicose veins than men. Adults over the age of 50 have an increased risk as well. Also, employment that requires long periods of standing can potentially weaken or damage valves over time, leading to this condition.
What Are the Symptoms of Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are highly visible, enlarged, swollen, twisted veins on your legs and feet. Each individual may experience symptoms differently. The mains symptoms of varicose veins are pain, swelling, heaviness, burning sensation, itching, cramping, throbbing, skin changes, and a high percentage of people also experience restless leg syndrome.
It’s easy to notice the swollen, twisted veins on your legs and feet. Unlike spider veins, which have a smooth texture, varicose veins feel raised when you pass your hand over the skin.
Fortunately, today’s modern technology allows us to treat your varicose vein in our state-of-the-art outpatient clinic and offer you treatment options with minimal discomfort and no downtime.
What Types of Varicose Vein Treatment Are Available?
Varicose vein treatments involve three main techniques: ultrasound vein mapping, endovenous laser ablation, and sclerotherapy. Ultrasound vein mapping allows our team to see your veins and any problem areas clearly.
Endovenous laser ablation uses a tiny laser and catheter to seal problem veins from the inside permanently. Sclerotherapy involves injecting a solution or foam to close small and medium-size veins. These treatments can transform the health of your leg, restoring your active-lifestyle and rejuvenating the look of your legs.
Why Choose Us?
Dr. Gilvydis is the # 1 vein specialist in the region. The team at Gilvydis Vein Clinic brings the diagnosis and treatment of venous disease to the 21st century combining modern technology with advanced expertise focusing exclusively on vein care. Dr. Gilvydis and his team have performed more than 20,000 successful laser treatments.
Our clinic is locally owned, and we are known in our community for our reputation for excellence in vein care and for always providing the highest-quality, individualized care with the best possible outcomes for our patients.
Don’t let painful varicose veins bring you down. Get back to the best you this spring. For more information, contact us today.
Causes
Most of us have a genetic predisposition to developing vein disease, which means we have a family history of varicose veins or other vein diseases. Other causes of varicose veins include:
- Pregnancy
- Gender (women are affected more than men)
- Injury or other trauma to the leg
- Obesity
Symptoms
Symptoms of varicose veins occur mainly in your legs or ankles and can include:
- Fatigue or heaviness in the legs
- Aches
- Burning
- Itching
- Swelling in the legs or ankles
- Cramping
- Throbbing pains
- Sores or open wounds
- Restlessness in the legs
- Discoloration or strange texture of the skin
- Difficulty becoming comfortable
Eating healthy, maintaining a healthy body weight, avoiding sitting and standing for long periods of time and staying away from tobacco are some of the best ways to avoid or lessen your symptoms.
Treatments
Before we consider any kind of treatment, you will be screened to make sure we completely understand your symptoms. From there, our team of experts will perform ultrasound vein mapping, so we can see exactly where the problem veins are located. If treatment is needed, we combine our years of experience with the latest cutting-edge technology to provide the best possible outcomes for our patients – all with minimal discomfort, little downtime and no scarring. Gone are the old-school treatments of vein stripping and open surgery. In fact, our procedures are so much simpler that most patients typically return to their normal activities the same day.
Featured Patient
Long days of teaching exacerbated the burning and restless feelings in Kendra Brauer’s legs. The bruises and visible veins also provoked curious questions from her second-grade students if she wore anything shorter than full-length pants. Brauer first noticed a bruise on her leg when she was in her mid-20s. Slowly, more veins showed up and […]
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