Varicose Veins Treatment | Causes, Symptoms & Self-Care Tips!

Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that look blue or purple that commonly appear on the legs and feet. They develop when the valves within veins become weak or damaged, leading to blood pooling and increased venous pressure. While you can't completely get rid of varicose veins, there are treatments that can make them look better and ease symptoms like pain, aching, and heaviness.

Managing and Treating Varicose Veins

Self-care Tips:

Initial treatment often involves lifestyle modifications and some easy techniques:

Compression Stockings: These garments apply consistent pressure to the legs, promoting blood flow toward the heart and reducing swelling. They are particularly beneficial for managing symptoms and preventing the progression of varicose veins.

Lifestyle Changes like

• Maintaining a healthy weight helps blood flow and reduces pressure on your veins
• Walking and exercising makes your leg muscles push blood back to your heart. Heavy lifting might make varicose veins worse, so check with your doctor before starting any exercise routine.
• Not standing or sitting for too long. When sitting, raise your feet to lower the pressure in your veins. Lying down with your feet above your heart for a few minutes several times a day can also help blood return to your heart. If you have to stand or sit for a long time, try to change positions often.
• Some shoes can affect blood flow in your legs, avoid high heels. If certain shoes make your varicose veins feel worse, wear them less often.
• Smoking damages your veins and makes varicose veins more likely, so if you smoke, quit smoking today.

Medical and Surgical Treatments

For more severe cases or when self-care measures are insufficient, medical interventions may be considered:

Sclerotherapy: This procedure involves injecting a solution into the affected veins, causing them to scar and close. Over time, the treated veins fade as blood reroutes through healthier vessels. Sclerotherapy is effective for smaller varicose veins and spider veins.

Endovenous Ablation Therapy: Utilizing laser or radiofrequency energy, this minimally invasive technique heats and seals off varicose veins. Guided by ultrasound, a catheter is inserted into the vein, delivering energy that causes the vein to collapse and close. This method is effective for larger veins and typically has a shorter recovery time compared to traditional surgery.

Ambulatory Phlebectomy: Suitable for surface varicose veins, this procedure involves making small incisions to remove the affected veins. It is usually performed under local anesthesia, and patients can often resume normal activities shortly afterward.

Surgery: This procedure is done to remove severe varicose veins. Though surgery can be more painful and take longer to recover it can often be done without staying overnight at the hospital, but you might need medicine to keep you asleep during the procedure.

It's important to note that while these treatments can effectively address existing varicose veins, they do not prevent new ones from developing.

Though, various treatment options are available for varicose veins, ranging from self-care measures to minimally invasive procedures. Early consultation with a healthcare professional can lead to effective management and improved quality of life.

Source:- https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/varicose-veins#:~:text=This is a medical emergency,usually occur in the legs.