When vein doctors use the term “less-invasive,” people who are living with varicose veins may wonder what that really means.  Some of us may have heard stories in the past about people having very difficult experiences after undergoing what’s known as vein stripping or vein ligation.  That procedure was used for 40 years – during that time it was the only procedure vein doctors had available for treating varicose veins.  Today you have other options for varicose vein treatments.

“Less-invasive treatment” normally means that doctors have perfected an operation, and that now it doesn’t take so long to recover, or it doesn’t hurt as much, or there are fewer complications, or all the above.   In the case of varicose vein treatment, it means all those things and more because vein doctors have discovered an entirely new way to eliminate unattractive, painful, swollen or otherwise distressing varicose veins.

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