Laser in Varicose veins
Dr. Mahesh Krishna specializes in advanced laser treatment for varicose veins, offering a minimally invasive, pain-free solution with faster recovery and effective results. Say goodbye to discomfort and regain healthy legs with expert care!
Laser in Varicose veins
Varicose veins are swollen veins that appear just under the skin in your legs, feet, or ankles. When your vein walls are weak and your valves are not working right, blood backs up in your vein. This causes blue and purple bulges. Treatments can work, but varicose veins can return. For most people, varicose veins are not a significant problem.
What are varicose veins
Varicose veins are swollen, engorged blood vessels that bulge just under your skin’s surface. These blue or purple bulges usually appear in your legs, feet, and ankles. They can be painful or itchy. Spider veins, which may surround varicose veins, are smaller red or purple lines that appear close to your skin’s surface.
Symptoms
The most recognizable sign of varicose veins is a gnarled, blue, or purple vein under your skin’s surface. Varicose vein symptoms include:
Bulging veins: Twisted, swollen, rope-like veins are often blue or purple. They appear below the skin’s surface on your legs, ankles, and feet. They can develop in clusters. Tiny red or blue lines (spider veins) may appear nearby.
Heavy legs: Your legs’ muscles may feel tired, heavy, or sluggish, especially after physical activity.
Itching: The area around a varicose vein may itch.
Pain: Your legs may be painful, achy, or sore, especially behind your knees. You might also have muscle cramps.
Swelling: Your legs, ankles, and feet can swell and throb.
Skin discolorations and ulcers: Without treatment, varicose veins can cause skin discoloration, and severe ones can cause venous ulcers (sores).
Cause of varicose
As your vein increases, the weakened walls allow it to get bigger. As your vein stretches, the valves that keep blood moving in one direction can’t work as they should. Sluggish blood backs up or pools in your vein, causing it to swell, bulge, and twist.
Vein walls and valves can become weak for several reasons, including:
Normal aging.
Standing for prolonged periods
Hormones.
Excess weight.
Risk factors for varicose veins
Anyone can develop varicose veins. Certain factors increase your chances of developing a varicose vein, including:
Age: As we age, vein walls and valves don’t work as well as they once did. Veins lose elasticity and stiffen.
Hormones: Female hormones can allow the walls of the veins to stretch. People who are pregnant, taking the birth control pill, or going through menopause have a higher risk of varicose veins because of changes in hormone levels.
Family history: You can inherit this condition if it runs in your family.
Lifestyle: Standing or sitting for long periods decreases circulation.
Overall health: Certain health conditions can increase pressure in your veins.
Tobacco use: People who use tobacco products are more likely to develop varicose veins.
Weight: Excess weight puts pressure on blood vessels.
serious complications of varicose veins
Most people do not have complications from varicose veins. However, an untreated varicose vein can cause ulcers (open sores), bleeding, inflammation, or skin discoloration in some people. Severe varicose veins may indicate chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which affects the veins’ ability to pump blood to the heart.
You may be more likely to develop blood clots if you have varicose veins. It is important to tell your healthcare provider about varicose veins so they can evaluate and monitor you for clotting disorders. These include:
Superficial thrombophlebitis: Blood clots can form inside varicose veins, causing superficial venous thrombosis. Thrombophlebitis is painful but not usually dangerous, and it is also treatable.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): If you have varicose veins, you have a higher risk of deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in a vein deep inside your body.
Pulmonary embolism: A blood clot in your body (usually from DVT) can get into your lung. Pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate treatment.
varicose veins diagnosis
Varicose veins are close to the surface of your skin and easy to see. Healthcare providers can diagnose the condition during a physical examination. They will examine your veins while you are sitting and standing. They may also ask you questions about your medical history and your symptoms.
Tests done for diagnosis of varicose
Providers usually do not need additional diagnostic tests to diagnose varicose veins. Your provider may recommend an ultrasound to see detailed images of your veins and check for complications. This safe, painless test uses sound waves to produce pictures of tissues inside your body. Ultrasounds can show blood clots and how your valves are working.
Treatment of varicose veins
Elevation: To increase blood flow and decrease pressure in your veins, you should elevate your legs above your waist several times throughout the day.
Elastic stockings: Supportive stockings or socks compress your veins and reduce discomfort. The compression stops your veins from stretching and helps blood flow.
Injection therapy (sclerotherapy): A healthcare provider injects a solution into your vein during sclerotherapy. The solution causes the vein walls to stick together. Eventually, your vein turns into scar tissue and fades away.
Laser therapy: In a minimally invasive procedure called endovenous thermal ablation, healthcare providers use a catheter (a long, thin tube) and laser to close off a damaged vein.
Ambulatory phlebectomy: A provider makes multiple cuts or punctures in your skin next to the varicose vein. Then, they tie off and remove one section of vein at a time.
Vein surgery: During these procedures, also called ligation and stripping, the surgeon ties off your affected vein (ligation) to stop blood from pooling. The surgeon may remove (strip) the vein to prevent varicose veins from reappearing.
Management and Treatment
Elevation: To increase blood flow and decrease pressure in your veins, you should elevate your legs above your waist several times throughout the day.
Elastic stockings: Supportive stockings or socks compress your veins and reduce discomfort. The compression stops your veins from stretching and helps blood flow.
Injection therapy (sclerotherapy): A healthcare provider injects a solution into your vein during sclerotherapy. The solution causes the vein walls to stick together. Eventually, your vein turns into scar tissue and fades away.
Laser therapy: In a minimally invasive procedure called endovenous thermal ablation, healthcare providers use a catheter (a long, thin tube) and laser to close off a damaged vein.
Ambulatory phlebectomy: A provider makes multiple cuts or punctures in your skin next to the varicose vein. Then, they tie off and remove one section of vein at a time.
Vein surgery: During these procedures, also called ligation and stripping, the surgeon ties off your affected vein (ligation) to stop blood from pooling. The surgeon may remove (strip) the vein to prevent varicose veins from reappearing.
Complications
Scarring.
Skin burns (rare).
Numbness (rare).
Infection.
Injury to a nerve (rare).
Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in a vein deep inside your body (rare).
Redness or bruising for a few days where a needle went into your skin.
Changes in color (for several months) on the skin where the needle touched.
Lumps or hardness for a few months.
Stroke (rare).
Recurrence
Although treatments are effective, varicose veins can return. They are more likely to come back in people who become pregnant after treatment. You have a higher chance of varicose veins reappearing if you have obesity (a BMI, or body mass index, over 30) or a sedentary lifestyle.
Prevention
You may not be able to prevent varicose veins. However, you can reduce your chances of developing them by living an active, healthy lifestyle. Healthcare providers recommend many of the same measures to prevent and treat varicose veins:
Avoid long periods of standing: To encourage blood flow, take regular breaks to stretch and walk around, especially if you have a job that requires you to be on your feet.
Elevate your legs: Raising your feet above your waist helps blood flow to your heart.
Maintain a healthy weight: Getting rid of excess pounds reduces pressure inside your blood vessels.
Quit tobacco use: Smoking damages blood vessels, decreases blood flow, and causes a wide range of health problems.
Stay active: To improve circulation, move frequently and avoid sitting still for prolonged periods.
Try compression stockings: Support socks and pantyhose compress your veins and help blood circulate. This can prevent varicose veins from getting worse.
Wear clothes that fit correctly: To encourage blood flow, make sure your waistband is not too tight.
When should I see my healthcare provider
Although varicose veins are not usually dangerous, you should visit your healthcare provider for an exam. If you are concerned about how varicose veins look or if they are uncomfortable, treatments can help. You should see your provider as soon as possible if the skin or veins are:
Bleeding.
Discolored.
Painful, red, or warm to the touch.
Swollen.
Millions of people live with varicose veins, which don’t cause serious health problems for most. Lifestyle changes and at-home remedies can relieve symptoms and prevent them from worsening. Talk to your healthcare provider about safe, minimally invasive treatments that can reduce pain and improve the appearance of varicose veins.
Take home message
Varicose veins may keep you from wearing shorts and even cause you discomfort. The good news is that many people do not have complications from the condition. If varicose veins bother you, you can try home treatments that may help. You can also ask your healthcare provider about different available treatments. Remember that varicose veins can happen again, even after treatment. Talk to your provider about.
