If you are suffering from varicose veins and have any concerns about what they are or what to do about them, the best person to speak to would be a vascular surgeon, but in the meantime, have a read through these frequently asked questions to get a glimpse into what your options might be. It is advisable to get in touch with a varicose veins surgeon before proceeding with any treatment.
Q: What are varicose and spider veins?
A: Varicose veins are enlarged and swollen veins that raise above the surface of the skin so you can feel and see a physical bump. They can be flesh-colored, dark purple, or blue and are commonly found on the legs, generally on the back of the calves or between the legs.
Spider veins are similar to varicose veins, but they are smaller and appear closer to the surface of the skin. They look like miniature tree branches or spider webs and generally appear blue or red. They can occur anywhere on the legs, and can cover either a very small or very large area of skin. There is no bump with spider veins, but they are much brighter and more obvious visually.
Q: What causes varicose veins?
A: Varicose veins result from issues within the walls or valves of the affected blood vessels. When the valves in blood vessels don’t work properly, blood then may flow backwards, causing the veins to enlarge and become varicose.
Q: How common are varicose veins and spider veins?
A: They are very common. Varicose veins affect 1 out of every 2 people older than the age of 50 and they also affect more women than men. A lot of what causes varicose veins is based on changes in hormones or increased age, so it isn’t a surprise that these two groups are affected the most.
Q: What are the risk factors for varicose veins and spider veins?
A: We do not know the causes of varicose veins and spider veins. However, in many cases, they run in families. They also seem to be more common in those with a more sedentary lifestyle, or who have jobs where they are spent seated and standing all day. Other factors that may increase your risk of developing varicose veins include:
- Increasing age
- Family history
- Pregnancy and hormonal changes
- Obesity
- Prolonged standing
- Prior deep venous thrombosis
Q: WIll it cause problems if you remove these veins?
A: Varicose veins and spider veins are unhealthy veins and are no longer functioning correctly. They are supposed to return the blood to the heart, but are instead holding onto it. At this point, the vein is functionally dead already, so once these veins are removed, your blood circulation will actually improve. Most people with varicose veins have healthy deep veins that function correctly, and these are the ones that transport most of your blood from the legs to the heart. Varicose veins are superficial veins under the surface of the skin. By removing the varicose veins, there is less pressure on the deep vein to perform, which causes an improvement in blood flow.
Q: Can I exercise during my treatments?
A: Walking is very good for the veins as it helps the calf muscle to pump the blood in the deep veins back to the heart. Walking while your varicose veins are being treated is highly recommended. Though any heavy exercise is advised against, running should be avoided, weight lifting with legs must be avoided during the treatments. If you have any questions about a particular type of exercise, please ask the varicose veins surgeon who will be performing the procedure. As a rule of thumb, you need to wait at least two weeks after the end of all your treatments before you can commence heavy exercise such as weight lifting or running.
Q: What are the main treatments for varicose veins
A: Sclerotherapy procedure
- This method involves the injection of irritant chemicals (sclerosants) into the affected vein. The irritant prompts the vein to spasm and then close itself up. In time, the walls of the closed vein will actually wholly heal and be sealed completely shut, at this point the sealed vein can no longer carry blood and will therefore no longer be able to varicose.
A: Surgery
- Your vascular surgeon will disconnect the vein and then physically pull it out. The surgery is performed by a trained varicose veins surgeon. Surgery was considered the gold standard in the years gone by, however there are now less invasive treatment methods available.
A: Venaseal Glue
- Venaseal Glue is a safe and very effective treatment for varicose veins. There is minimal discomfort during and after the procedure, not needing multiple needles, not requiring a hospital stay or anaesthetic, and a very rapid return to exercise and normal activities. This is the newest method of treating varicose veins and is likely to be recommended by any good vascular surgeon.
A: Radiofrequency ablation or endovenous laser ablation
- These techniques use a catheter that burns the vein from inside at very high temperatures. It requires ‘tumescent anaesthesia’, which involves the use ofneedles to inject saline and local anaesthetic along the length of the leg to prevent the heat from damaging the surrounding tissue. Since this involves many needles, practitioners who treat varicose veins should offer this procedure under sedation or anaesthetic – a vascular surgeon is a trained specialist who would be able to offer this to patients.
From a patient’s perspective, the most important thing is for you to consult a vascular surgeon who is able to offer a full range of treatment options. Only then can you be confident that you’re receiving tailored, appropriate care. For more information about how you can treat and prevent varicose veins, speak to a varicose veins surgeon today.
