A professional evaluation by a vein specialist using ultrasound guidance is invaluable.  It will tell you whether your condition can be helped by simply using compression stockings, or whether you may require some other type of treatment.

Today’s vein treatments are brief outpatient procedures that can deal with spider veins, varicose veins, and many other vein diseases.  Read more about these minimally invasive procedures here.  Why live with uncertainty when your health may be at stake?  Visit a qualified vein doctor in your area (most procedures are covered by insurance), and do the right thing for yourself.  You’ll probably be like most people–overjoyed at how much better your legs feel!

Barbara Payne
Vein-Treatment.com Blogging Team

Image credit: Vein-Treatment.com

1. Do you feel at ease when you visit the vein clinic or center where the vein doctor practices?  Do the facilities look clean and professional?  This is an important occasion for you and, even though you’re not going into a hospital, you should feel the same level of confidence about the place where you’ll have this work done.
2. Are you satisfied with the vein doctor’s credentials? (see more about vein doctor certifications here).  Be aware that many doctors may claim to be able to fix veins even though they may not be specially trained in vein treatment techniques.  Not everyone who claims to be an expert in these procedures has the kind of medical training or expertise you would expect a vein doctor to have.  You deserve the best.
3. Most importantly, are you comfortable talking to the vein doctor? You don’t want to be in a position of having this important work done to your body without feeling comfortable that you can ask as many questions as you like–and be completely satisfied with the answers you receive.

Barbara Payne
Vein-Treatment.com Blogging Team

Image credit:  www.Vein-Treatment.com

Worried about your varicose veins?  When you go to a vein doctor who is certified specifically in vein treatments, you’ll have the same–and sometimes more–treatment options and the same protection against any potential risk for complications.  Find a reputable vein clinic in your area and get some answers.  Why continue to live with a life-long problem when you might find relief?

Barbara Payne
Vein-Treatment.com Blogging Team

Image credit: Wikipedia

There are two main minimally invasive approaches available today for vein doctors to use on varicose veins: laser treatment (EVLT) and radiofrequency ablation (VNUS Closure).  Both use heat to shrink and close up diseased veins rather than the traditional method of having the doctor pull those veins out of the body via surgery.  Once veins are eliminated (collapsed) through one of these procedures, your body naturally re-directs the flow of blood into healthy veins instead.

According to vein doctors at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY, new less-invasive treatments represent a true breakthrough in treating painful varicose veins.  Patients do indeed experience less discomfort and fewer side effects, but the difference is even greater than that.  Because this approach does not require hospitalization or overnight stays, it means people often take little or no time off from work.  And the fact that vein doctors do much less cutting–in fact, the procedures can often be done using a small puncture rather than doing any actual cutting–patients are back on their feet almost immediately and back to normal levels of activity within a day or two.

It may seem miraculous to anyone who has previously experienced vein stripping surgery that patients today can be up and about so quickly from varicose vein treatment.  But rest assured, it’s happening every day in the clinics and offices of qualified vein doctors around the country.  If you are suffering from varicose veins or other vein problems, don’t hesitate another moment to contact one of the qualified vein doctors in your area. Here’s a list of reputable vein clinics across America.

Barbara Payne
Vein-Treatment.com Blogging Team

photo: Morrison Vein Center

• Growing older is a common cause.
• Being born with weak valves in your veins is a good indicator.
• Having family members who develop vein problems may be a sign that you will, too.
• Changes in hormone levels can affect valves.  For a woman, vein problems can begin when you reach puberty, during pregnancy, and/or at menopause.  Some medicines containing hormones, such as birth control pills, can raise the risk of developing spider veins or other vein problems.
• Pregnancy can cause veins to grow larger for two reasons.   The massive increase in blood circulating through your body can stress the veins.  Also, as the uterus grows, it puts pressure on the veins.
• Being overweight, injuring your leg, standing for long periods of time, and certain other factors can weaken vein valves.
• Even too much sun may cause some fair-skinned persons to develop spider veins on the face.

If you’ve got enough factors working against you, there may be no way to totally prevent spider veins.  But don’t worry.  Vein specialists today have extremely effective procedures for reducing the number and improving the appearance of spider veins for most people.  New, minimally-invasive procedures like foam sclerotherapy are generally pain-free, simple, and require only short visits to the clinic.  Read more about ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, and find a qualified vein specialist in your area today.

Barbara Payne
Vein-Treatment.com Blogging Team

Image credit: Vein-Treatment.com

The best part is that qualified vein specialists can be found throughout the United States in private vein clinics and centers.  Some hospitals may have vein specialists on staff, but because today’s procedures are so much simpler and less invasive, doctors don’t necessarily require the vast backup facilities of a hospital.  It often makes more sense to visit a reputable vein clinic in your area.

You’ll want to be sure that any vein specialist you see offers all the latest and most up-to-date treatments available for vein conditions, and that he or she has successfully treated many  patients before.  A vein specialist will give you a physical examination and recommend any extra special testing if needed before diagnosing your condition.  Be sure your doctor performs ultrasound-guided diagnostics as part of the evaluation process.

A qualified vein specialist who treats varicose veins can sometimes discover and treat hidden causes and thus prevent venous problems from developing into leg ulcers or other seriously debilitating conditions.  Check your insurance coverage–treatment for many venous conditions is covered in many policies.  Don’t wait to see whether your condition worsens.  Get an evaluation today by a vein specialist—and be confident that you will not have to worry later.

Barbara Payne
Vein-Treatment.com Blogging Team

Image credit: Wikipedia

These weak or faulty valves can be an inherited trait and are more common in women than in men.  The government reports that up to 55% of American women and 45% of American men will suffer with vein problems in their lifetime, and varicose veins affect one out of every two people over 50. Today’s vein doctors are treating a growing percentage of those afflicted.

Vein doctors have powerful technology-guided diagnostic tools like ultrasound to discover underlying causes.  And your vein specialist will be skilled in a number of minimally invasive procedures that can dramatically improve not only your comfort but often the appearance of problem leg veins as well.  And today’s treatments don’t require taking off work, result in only minimal discomfort, and quickly improve how you feel.

Why wait? Find a qualified vein doctor in your area today.

Barbara Payne
Vein-Treatment.com Blogging Team

Image credit: Advanced Vein & Laser

Phlebology is the area of scientific expertise that has to do with the study of veins and their diseases.  But official certification in that specialty has only been available for vein doctors for the past couple of years.  Doctors practicing several other specialties will many times have the necessary background for effective vein treatment.

Many expert vein doctors have backgrounds in other types of medicine besides Phlebology.  These specialties might include vascular surgery (using operative means to work on blood vessels), interventional radiology (using image guidance methods to gain access to vessels and organs), and even sometimes general surgery.

Remember, be sure you get your vein treatments from a certified vein doctor.  Here are some links for more information on each type of certification:

• Board-certified in Phlebology (see http://www.phlebology.org/ and http://www.americanboardofphlebology.org/)
• Board-certified in Vascular Surgery (see http://www.vascularweb.org/ )
• Board-certified in Interventional Radiology (see http://www.sirweb.org/)
• Board-certified in general Surgery (ACS) (see http://home.absurgery.org/)

Barbara Payne
Vein-Treatment.com Blogging Team

Image Credit: Wikipedia

1.    What are the main reasons a person with varicose veins should speak to a qualified vein doctor?

Varicose veins don’t get better by themselves.  Conservative approaches such as wearing compression stockings and making correct lifestyle choices can slow the progression.  But without treatment, the veins will continue to worsen—frequently to the point where they become symptomatic and more difficult to address.  Worst cases can lead to irreversible changes to the skin and the veins, and to some degree to the lymphatic system.

Besides potentially leading to leg ulcers and hyperpigmentation (discoloration), some cases may lead to superficial thrombophlebitis—clotting off of the veins.  That condition is associated with an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a potentially life threatening condition.  A recent study scanned the deep vein systems of people with the condition and revealed they had a substantial risk of DVT.  This can be true even if you are feeling no symptoms.  Because every person is unique, only a qualified vein doctor can give you an accurate diagnosis.

2.    How do people know if a vein center is reputable?

To evaluate the work of a vein center, first ask if they are able to perform a complete vein-mapping study.  That means it should be done with the legs down, while you’re standing up.  I don’t recommend having an ultrasound while you’re lying flat.  Your vein doctor should do a full mapping study with ultrasound to detect venous insufficiency.  It may also be helpful to do a flow augmentation maneuver, which means manually compressing your legs or using cuffs to check for backflow.

It’s also important to make sure whoever is performing the venous treatment is also able to treat the whole problem completely.  That is, the clinic shouldn’t just do EVLT or radiofrequency ablation on the greater saphenous vein (the vein most often afflicted).  The clinic should be able to perform follow-up treatments on smaller tributaries, procedures such as microphlebectomy or ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy.  These can take care of smaller branches that can’t be treated with laser.  Seventy percent of cases of varicose veins come from leaking of the greater saphenous vein, but there can be other veins leaking as well.  It’s important to treat all the vein issues.

3.    Many people with varicose veins hate the way these veins look.  How do you help?

Treating varicose veins for cosmetic reasons often ends up surprising people.  They may not have been having symptoms or may have had vague symptoms—heavy feelings, legs tired at the end of the day—and they didn’t realize the varicose veins were the cause.  Then after they treat the appearance of the veins, their legs suddenly feel much better—they’re more energetic and don’t tire as easily.  The primary goal in all vein treatments is to lower the pressure in the veins by closing off the incompetent veins.  Cosmetic improvement is a side effect.

4.    What do you recommend if a person has large varicose veins but they don’t hurt?

It is always a good idea to have varicose veins evaluated with an ultrasound and a full exam.  Meet with the vein doctor to talk about how severe the insufficiency is.  If it’s not very serious, your doctor may recommend therapy and observation to help slow the process of degradation.  Your condition may not need treatment, or you may want to treat one leg and watch the other.  Once we fix a bad leg, sometimes patients feel so much better that they notice symptoms in the other leg they hadn’t noticed before.

5.    What do you advise for people over 50 who have large varicose veins?

Evaluation is always valuable.  You may have minimal symptoms, but your skin could be changing.  Skin changes can lead to significant medical problems.  And even without symptoms, some situations may call for treatment if the reflux is severe.  Only a qualified vein doctor can tell you the right thing to do for your unique situation.

6.    How hard is it to find certified vein specialists in Dallas/Fort Worth?

It can be confusing for patients.  Treatment options have improved in the last 5 to 10 years, and a lot of patients aren’t aware of newer procedures.  In fact, most primary care physicians are not aware of the new options, let alone where to send people.  Frequently I have patients finding me through the Internet when their family doctor doesn’t know where to send them.  Sometimes patients get sent to someone who tells them the only option is to get surgical stripping—which is not true.  Even the medical community is not that well educated.  Patients themselves are savvier these days.  They’re getting online and finding vein centers like mine.  I’ve even had doctors find me through the Internet.  I’m treating a doctor who’s been wrapping his legs with ace bandages for 15 years.  He thought his only option was vein stripping, a difficult surgical approach that isn’t required for most cases today.

I am a board certified interventional cardiologist who also holds board certification in the interventional treatment of peripheral vascular disease.  Many people would not know to look for those types of qualifications.

7.    Which Dallas/Fort Worth and surrounding area hospitals are you affiliated with?

Baylor Plano (The Heart Hospital), Baylor Carrolton.  But all my venous work is done in my clinic, Bella MD Laser Vein and Aesthetic Center in Dallas.

8.    What’s endovenous laser treatment, and how long should people plan to be out of work after receiving it?

Endovenous laser treatment is a minimally invasive treatment done through an IV access site with local anesthetic.  Using laser energy we’re able to close the bad vein in an outpatient setting with minimal downtime for the patient.  The type of work you do will determine how soon you can go back to work, but almost everyone can resume normal daily activities immediately with only mild to moderate discomfort for 3 to 5 days.

9.    Does sclerotherapy really get rid of spider veins?

Yes, we use it for cosmetic spider veins, and we also use transcutaneous YAG laser treatment for small spider veins.  Which treatment we recommend depends on the size and the depth of the vessels.  Both are effective, and results improve with multiple treatments in a series of two to three, spaced about a month apart.  Most patients experience a 50 to 80 percent improvement.

10.    What advice do you give women who develop varicose veins during their pregnancies?

The most important goal is to have a safe pregnancy.  What we usually recommend is conservative treatment during the pregnancy—elevating your legs and wearing graded compression stockings for support.  Then three to four months after delivery, we re-ultrasound to see if there is a continued insufficiency and then decide whether something should be done.   Most of the time veins worsen during pregnancy.  Then they improve within a month or two after delivery but are usually worse than before the pregnancy.  Subsequent pregnancies will lead to continuing gradual deterioration.  But for most women, there’s no need to wait until childbearing is past to have their veins fixed.  Once they’re repaired, at the next pregnancy the varicose veins either won’t be there at all or will be less likely to become serious.

To learn more about Dr. Engleman and his practice, visit Bella MD Laser Vein & Aesthetic Center.

Barbara Payne
Vein-Treatment.com Blogging Team

Image credit: Bella MD, Laser Vein & Aesthetic Center

The best vein clinics are characterized by having staff members who are professional and experienced.  Of course, they’re headed up by a vein doctor who specializes in treating venous conditions.  To find out more about asking the right questions to get the answers you’ll need, click here.

Reputable vein clinics can be found in or near many major cities.

Barbara Payne
Vein-Treatment.com Blogging Team

Photo credit: Vein-Treatment.com