| Varicose
Veins, A Common Circulation Problem
 |
The
condition is usually the result of
problems with valves within the veins
of the leg. When one or more of the
valves fails to close properly, the
veins conduct blood back
into the leg instead of up to the
heart. As blood accumulates, abnormal
pressures dilate the superficial vein
system, causing the veins to bulge
and become visible. |
Treatments for varicose veins:
Approximately
25 percent of women and 15 percent of men
in the United States have varicose veins.
The condition is usually the result of problems
with valves within the veins of the leg.
When one or more of the valves fails to
close properly, the veins conduct blood
back into the leg instead of up to the heart.
As blood accumulates, abnormal pressures
dilate the superficial vein system, causing
the veins to bulge and become visible. The
tendency to get varicose veins is commonly
hereditary and occurs more commonly in women
than men.
Depending on the severity of the condition,
initial treatment is usually a compression
stocking worn while the patient is up and
about. The stocking may relieve the symptoms
and delay the progression of the condition
somewhat, but does not cure the underlying
problem. The definitive treatment is to
stop the flow of blood back into the legs
by surgically destroying the varicose vein.
Varicose
Vein Risks
While patients often try to ignore varicose
veins, treatment is important to prevent
dilated, twisted veins, episodes of aching
pain, and leg ulcers on the surface of the
skin. If left untreated, varicose veins
can lead to more serious complications.
Early treatment is highly recommended to
help prevent the varicose veins from becoming
very advanced.
Old Varicose
Vein Treatments
The old technique for Varicose Vein treatment
was known as the hook method, a painful
and less effective method that actually
is still in practice in some areas. There
is a new advanced technique called The TriVex
System, being practiced in Los Angeles by
Doctor Marius Saines, offering patients
a minimally invasive procedure allowing
patients to be virtually pain free within
a couple of weeks.
The
Trivex System makes varicose vein removal
more effective and less traumatic for the
24 million Americans suffering from them,
by reducing the number of incisions required
to perform the procedure, which not only
reduces the pain associated with varicose
vein removal, but also reduces the potential
for post-operative infection. The varicose
vein surgery is generally performed in less
than one hour. The
TriVex System uses a unique illumination
feature that lights the area beneath the
skin so the vein is clearly visible. This
allows the surgeon to quickly and accurately
target and remove the vein and then visually
confirm its complete extraction. The
cause of varicose veins are either broken
valves in the main superficial vein system
or the vein communicating with deep veins
in the leg. Its
important to differentiate between the types
of varicose veins because the treatment
for varicose veins is different for each.
Causes
of Varicose Veins:
Varicose veins are not something that happen
overnight. Usually it takes years for them
to develop to a stage where symptoms occur.
Varicose veins are commonly inherited although
its important to note that anyone can get
them. Often times varicose veins are common
in people who have had certain types of
injury to the leg or an episode of deep
vein clots. Varicose veins became more frequent
as more people in todays society began working
standing still or sitting down, which in
turn deprived their veins of regular circulatory
flow of the leg muscles. Lack of exercise,
restrictive clothing, weight gain can add
to the strain on the veins.
The
following are sources of Varicose
Veins:
- Incompetent
saphenous veins (greater or lesser)
-
Incompetent perforator veins
-
Incompetent branches of the saphenous
veins
In
the first two categories it is important
to treat the source of the problem otherwise
varicose veins will recur. For incompetent
saphenous veins the procedure of choice
is ligations stripping from the groin to
the knee. The vein can be occluded (blocked)
with laser or radiofrequency, but the groin
branches in this case will be left open
so the recurrence rate is higher.
For the incompetent perforators the minimally
invasive procedure is called SEPS (sublascial
endoscopic perforators surgery). All these
procedures are performed on an outpatient
basis!
Please
Note:
The main superficial vein in the leg is
the Saphenous vein. Communicating veins
between the Saphenous vein and the deep
veins system, are called Perforators veins.
Varicose
Veins During Pregnancy:
It is common for women to develop varicose
veins during their pregnancy. The main cause
of this is due to the hormone changes in
the womans body. There are increased levels
of progesterone which cause the blood vessels
to relax. This problem can be increased
due to the fact that the enlarged womb may
pressure the major veins that pass through
the pelvis which results on pressure in
the veins of the legs. Varicose veins during
pregnancy are more likely to affect women
who have an inherited tendency of varicose
veins in their family.
Its
important to note that varicose veins may
disapear after pregnancy however after each
subsequent pregnancy varicose veins are
more likely to appear and become more visible.
For women who had varicose veins in previous
pregnancies its important you take precautions
if you become pregnant again.
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