Also known as venous insufficiency, venous reflux disease is a medical condition where the valves in the veins of the legs malfunction, allowing blood to pool instead of being pushed back up towards the heart. Read on to learn about two of the most common treatments for this condition.
Conservative treatments
When the blood pools instead of being pushed back up toward the heart, varicose veins will form. Minor cases of venous disease can be treated conservatively. Patients may need to wear compression stockings to help support their weaker veins. Keeping your legs elevated or taking certain medications will help increase blood flow toward the heart.
For some varicose veins, treatment options such as endovenous laser ablation, radiofrequency ablation or sclerotherapy may be advised.
Endovenous laser ablation
Larger varicose veins must be treated with ablation methods. With endovenous laser ablation, a thin laser fiber is inserted into the vein through a small incision in the skin. Once in place in the vein, the laser is turned on and the fiber is withdrawn from the vein slowly. As it moves through the vein, the laser energy converts to heat, causing the vein walls to absorb the heat energy and collapse.
Radiofrequency ablation
With this method. A small catheter is inserted into the vein through a tiny incision. This delivers radiofrequency through the tip. When it’s turn on, the radiofrequency energy converts to heat and collapses the vein wall, similarly to endovenous laser ablation.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy consists of injecting a saline solution mixture into the vein, which irritates the vein walls, causing them to collapse. In larger varicose veins, this agent turns into foam to fill the vein before it becomes diluted and becomes less effective.
Often, varicose veins don’t present any symptoms. Sometimes they cause pain and discomfort such as bruising, heaviness, itching, or swelling. Whether it’s for cosmetic or medical reasons, you can get rid of varicose veins in a variety of ways. If you live in or around the Fort Worth area, call 817.893.2699 to schedule a consultation.