Latest Treatments

The sooner you deal with your varicose veins the better. This seems only common sense, but unfortunately most people leave it as long as possible.

Varicose veins are often seen as inevitable, especially for pregnant women, and either because they don't want to 'bother the doctor' or worry about the costs, many women just put up with them.

Of course men get them too, but due to men's known reluctance to visit the doctor, even when they feel really sick, dealing with something that many see as only cosmetic, is not even on the agenda.

Clarivein Method

With today's modern treatments, which involve almost no 'down time', varicose veins seen early can be effectively treated very easily. The latest Clarivein catheter method, currently trialing, can be done in the doctor's office in about 15 minutes! This new procedure is minimally invasive, uses only local anesthetic and means that you can even go back to work the same day. It combines two methods, the first uses a small rotating wire inside the vein, and the second injects a chemical into the vein. This means that the physician can treat larger veins, e.g. around 8mm. The way the procedure works means that the doctor can eliminate using laser or radiofrequency energy. This obviously saves time and money. You will need to wear compression bandages for about 2 weeks and the pain and discomfort is minimal, compared to other procedures. This new procedure can be used for most types of great saphenous veins.

Asclera

Another treatment, recently given FDA approval, which is being promoted at the moment, consists of injecting small varicose veins with polidocanol, (Asclera). This works by damaging the linings of the blood vessels, causing them to close up. This technique however is only useful for small varicose veins of less than 3 millimeters, so that is another good reason for dealing with your troubling veins earlier rather than later.

As varicose veins can indicate serious health problems like blood clots, the sooner you let a specialist see them the better. This is especially true if you do a lot of flying, as flying is known to exacerbate deep vein thrombosis, which can be a life threatening condition.

Pregnant Women's Risk

Pregnant women need to be careful as well, as according to the latest research, they are more likely to develop a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in their left leg. This is of course the same side as the heart, and could lead to a pulmonary embolism, or blood clot in the lungs. If you are pregnant and suspect you have varicose veins, you should see your doctor as soon as possible to eliminate DVT as this could be dangerous for you and your baby. Just wearing support stockings isn't enough.

Remember it is better to see your doctor and be told that everything is alright, than put off going and then find yourself rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.

And with the latest medical procedures getting your varicose veins dealt with isn't the unpleasant and time consuming experience of yesteryear.

Check out the rest of our website for more information about those troubling veins.