Six Things to Know About Varicose Veins
In India, as many as 20% of the adults suffer from varicose veins. Although more prevalent in adults, especially women who are over 50 years of age, numerous cases of varicose veins have already been reported in youngsters as well.
For a few patients, varicose veins may just only be an ugly sight, but for most others, these turn out to be truly painful and extremely discomforting. Let us learn more about varicose veins below:
- All leg veins are not the same
Veins are vascular structures that are responsible for carrying the used and deoxygenated blood from all different body parts back to the heart. When valves of certain veins deteriorate and do not promote, rather hinder, the blood flow back to the heart, it causes pooling of blood and results in varicose veins.
Veins lose their elasticity and become dilated thus leading to swollen and painful veins that are often seen bulging out from the skin surface of the legs. These are clearly visible to the naked eye and are accompanied by irritation and itching in the damaged area.
Varicose veins are largely different from spider veins. Spider veins are smaller and tubular blood vessels that are usually seen in treelike or spiderweb like form on the legs. Spider veins do not have severe symptoms and do not usually lead to any medical complications. - Some symptoms should not be ignored
If your varicose veins are not causing any discomfort or pain, you may not necessarily get them treated immediately, but there are a few symptoms which must be reported to the doctor as soon as possible. Please make a note of them below:- Itchy and dry skin around the affected area
- Redness on the damaged skin surface
- Hyperpigmentation on the lower leg and/or ankle
- Thickening and/or hardening of the skin of the affected area
- Skin ulcer that is an open sore and is not caused by an injury. It may or may not have pus fluid drainage.
All these are severe symptoms of varicose veins and you must seek medical care and treatment in a priority. In a few cases, varicose veins also develop due to Deep Vein Thrombosis (clots in the deep rooted veins) that may not have any symptoms for some people or may occur with severe leg pain and swelling in some other cases.
Another prominent symptom in cases of DVT is the pain in the calf of one leg that is usually accompanied by cramps and soreness. Your legs may also feel warm when you touch them. If you notice one or more of the above mentioned symptoms, you must not delay visiting a vascular expert.
- You will need an ultrasound
If you have any early symptoms of varicose veins or doubt that you might be suffering from a venous disorder, you must visit a vascular expert and get an ultrasound done. The Doppler ultrasound scan will help the medical practitioner analyse and evaluate your condition and its severity.
With the help of the doppler ultrasound scan, the vascular expert will be able to measure the amount of blood flow in your leg veins. These help the doctor to examine any abnormalities that may require treatment.
After the ultrasound scan reports, the vascular expert will suggest the best treatment option to cure the underlying medical condition.
The doctor will advise whether the affected veins can be treated by the latest laser ablation procedure or will necessarily require surgery.
- Painless treatment option is available
About 15 years ago, the only way to treat varicose veins was a surgery where the patient was given general anaesthesia and operated in an operation theatre. The surgical procedures are quite painful and require massive post-operative care. The patient is usually advised complete bed rest after the surgery.
With humungous advancements in medical technology, varicose veins can be effectively treated by the painless and minimally invasive laser technique. This process is quick and requires only local anaesthesia. Usually performed in the doctor’s office itself, there is minimal post-operative care and the patient can go back home on the very same day. - Diet and exercise can help
As we age, most of us will have ugly looking, prominently visible, abnormal, and enlarged veins on our legs and feet. Obesity, smoking, lack of exercise, and a job that requires you to sit or stand for longer durations at a stretch are the major risk factors of varicose veins.
There is little that we can do to prevent venous disorders and diet and exercise play a major role in it. A nutritional diet and a moderate exercise routine may not be able to prevent varicose veins but can definitely assist in delaying its onset and reducing the probability of varicose veins turning into a critical condition. - Varicose veins caused due to pregnancy may go away on their own
Some women develop varicose veins during pregnancy. The circulating blood volume increases in the woman’s body to take care of the foetus, hormonal changes also occur and cause dilation of the leg veins.
Women who suffer from varicose veins in their pregnancy term must wait for three to six months after delivery. If the varicose vein symptoms still persist, she must schedule an appointment with a vascular expert and seek expert medical assistance.
Varicose veins are not a very serious condition but can turn into a medical emergency if treatment is delayed. If you have visible but painless varicose veins in the lower leg region, immediate treatment may not be required but there are high chances of these varicose veins turning into highly painful and swollen veins in due course of time.
Thus, it is suggested to plan your medical check-up and treatment in a priority. Your search for a trusted and reliable vascular medical institution ends with Avis Hospitals. We have a team of internationally qualified and extensively trained interventional radiologists who specialize in the USFDA approved laser treatment of varicose veins.
The protocols that we follow are approved by the American College of Phlebology. We treat over 4500 patients every year and already have over 12,000 happy and satisfied patients with a whopping success rate of 95%
We also offer complete assistance to outstation patients with 100% price assurance at the time of admission itself. We have tie-ups with all leading insurance agencies of India and assist in quick Mediclaim clearance for one and all.
For the most trusted, reliable and efficient treatment of your varicose veins, schedule an appointment with us today!