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Varicose Veins
Overview

What are varicose veins?

Veins are the blood vessels responsible for carrying blood to your heart. Varicose veins, also known as varicosities, are dilated blood vessels formed due to increased pressure within the superficial veins close to your skin. They look like enlarged, torturous, or twisted red or purple veins bulging out from your skin’s surface in a mass of tangled knots. While varicose veins can appear anywhere on your body, they’re most likely to occur in your legs.

Studies show that varicose veins are extremely common, affecting 1 in 3 individuals in the United States, and they’re especially common amongst women. So you’re not alone in having varicose veins!

If you have varicose veins, there’s a strong chance you also have an underlying circulatory disorder known as chronic venous insufficiency. However, you can get rid of varicose veins with minimally invasive procedures that conclude within an hour without complications, harsh side effects, or downtime. You must seek timely varicose vein treatment in NYC to avoid potential complications.

What causes varicose veins?

Your varicose veins are most likely caused by chronic venous insufficiency. Venous insufficiency is a circulatory disorder wherein your vein valves malfunction or weaken. The vein valves are like one-way doors that allow blood to flow towards your heart but prevent it from flowing backward due to the force of gravity. When your vein valves collapse, blood falls back into the leg veins, leading to increased pressure in the superficial leg veins, making them swell and bulge outwards in the form of varicose veins.

You may also experience varicose veins because of рhlеbіtіѕ (vein inflammation) and congenital abnormalities, but those causes are relatively rare.

What are the symptoms of varicose veins?

Your varicose veins may cause mild pain and discomfort, but they’re usually asymptomatic. However, since varicose veins are caused by chronic venous insufficiency, you will experience the symptoms of the underlying vein disease:

  • Large, twisted, bulging, and tortuous veins
  • Swollen ankles and legs
  • Leg heaviness
  • Aching and tingling sensations
  • Spider veins in the same areas as varicose veins
  • Fatty deposits under the skin (lіроdеrmаtоѕсlеrоѕіѕ)
  • Skin discoloration near the ankles, calves, and shins
  • Skin dryness, itching, and redness (есzеmа)
  • Frequent leg cramps
  • Restless leg syndrome
  • Symptoms that worsen at the end of the day

You have a high risk of varicose veins if:

  • You are a woman (higher estrogen levels increase the risk of vein disease)
  • You are pregnant, have undergone multiple pregnancies, are undergoing hormone therapy, or are post-menopausal
  • You are a man over 50 years of age (the risk of vein disease increases as you grow older)
  • You have a family history of vein problems
  • You have a job that necessitates sitting or standing for long periods, such as driving, teaching, bursing, or a desk job
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What are the best varicose vein treatments in New York?

You have several varicose vein treatment options in New York. However, the best vein treatment option for you depends on the following factors:

  • The location and size of the diseased vein
  • Whether you have the symptoms of vein disease
  • Whether you have any swelling, ulcers, skin changes, or discoloration

Potential Treatments

  • Sclerotherapy: Your vein doctor in New York injects a foam or liquid solution into the diseased veins to seal them shut.
  • Ablation: The diseased veins are destroyed using radiofrequency energy, laser energy, or other methods.
  • Surgery: Also known as vein stripping or “ambulatory phlebectomy,” this procedure involves removing your varicose veins through small incisions on your skin.
  • Leg Elevation: When you’re sitting or sleeping, you should elevate your leg over your heart’s level to facilitate blood circulation in the correct direction.
  • Compression Stockings: Skin-tight compression stockings squeeze the leg veins, pushing the accumulated blood in the correct direction.

It’s worth noting that radiofrequency ablation and sclerotherapy are the ideal varicose vein treatment options in New York. They address the underlying vein disease and remove the visible varicose veins, providing lasting results. Meanwhile, leg elevation and compression stockings only offer temporary relief from the symptoms of vein disease without addressing the actual root cause.

Is varicose vein treatment safe?

Your varicose vein treatment in NYC will be safe, effective, and convenient. The emergence of minimally invasive vein treatment options, such as radiofrequency ablation, has significantly boosted vein treatment outcomes. However, you must visit a reliable vein doctor who carefully diagnoses and treats the root cause of your varicose veins to ensure lasting results without recurrence. Our varicose vein treatment center in New York is led by board-certified and Harvard-trained physicians who specialize in personalized and minimally invasive varicose vein treatments.

How does a vein doctor in New York diagnose varicose veins and venous insufficiency?

Your vein doctor in New York will discuss your symptoms, perform a physical examination, and review your complete medical history. They’ll ask a series of questions to understand your unique goals and concerns. If there’s a chance that you may have underlying vein disease, they’ll run a duplex ultrasound scan to visualize the blood flow in your leg veins. Based on the diagnostic results, they’ll curate the ideal varicose vein treatment plan for you.

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