Many adults often have these blue-colored blood vessels that usually bulge out of their legs’ skin. These are called varicose veins, which is, unsurprisingly, a common medical condition that is characterized with weakened valves that deform the veins. They are formed as a result of numerous risk factors. In terms of gender, females are more likely to incur this condition. Certain risk factors associated with the condition include pregnancy, age, and having excess weight, which is a more glaring factor among women due to the lack of muscle mass (and existence of high body fat) to support the veins. Yet the most common risk factor as to why varicose veins appear is due to being subjected to long hours of sitting and standing, which is evident for those who work on jobs that require them to do so.
Treatment options for reducing the symptoms of varicose veins are plenty; some involve certain medical procedures such as spider vein treatment while some involve simple lifestyle changes. The latter, for instance, are often recommended to further prevent the worsening of the pain and discomfort associated with having varicose veins, as well as to stop the remaining working veins from becoming deformed and blue-colored. Losing weight is one of the prescribed changes, as well as not wearing high heels, taking a break from prolonged sitting and/or standing, and wearing compression stockings to pressure the legs a little bit.
However, medical procedures may be implemented if the symptoms are serious and/or there are certain complications that go along with the varicose veins. If the symptoms involve the swelling and pain on the person’s leg, certain changes to the skin around the damaged protruding veins, open sores or ulcers found in the ankle, blood clots, or fungal and bacterial infections, a certain medical procedure is conducted to either close the varicose veins or remove them completely from the body.
Nowadays, the medical procedures are surgeries that are considered “minimally invasive.” That is, doctors take advantage of certain techniques to operate in less time and less injury to the person’s body. They are surgical procedures that can be performed on outpatients and would usually involve general or local anesthetic, depending on the method. Indeed, there is no need for longer recovery time and confinement in a medical facility post spider vein treatment because a patient can go home immediately after a certain procedure is completed.
There are certain less invasive procedures that can performed on someone who has varicose veins. One of them is called endovenous ablation therapy, which is aimed to close off the deformed vein. In this procedure, a cut is made on the skin close to the vein. A catheter, which has a device on the end, is then inserted to that incision and into the vein. The device, which either emit laser or radio waves, generates heat until the vein is closed. Another procedure is called endoscopic vein surgery, which is the same as the endovenous ablation therapy but uses a surgical device at the end of the tube. It also aims to close off the varicose vein, and is usually performed in severe cases of varicose veins that cause skin ulcers.
Also, when there is an occurrence of phlebitis or inflammation in the veins, a surgical procedure is performed, but it makes use of general or spinal anesthesia in order to numb the whole body or the lower part of the body, respectively. This is called the vein ligation and stripping, which involves tying the varicose vein up and then removing it from the body. This is an outpatient procedure that takes about 1 or 1.5 hours to finish. The recovery time post-surgery is one to four weeks.
The choice for undergoing a surgical procedure can be made for cosmetic reasons, meaning that there are no complications that come with the varicose veins. However, the same could be made for serious reasons, especially if there are blood clots, skin ulcers, and other underlying conditions that accompany varicose veins.
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