How To Get Rid Of Varicose Veins: Modern Methods That Simply Work

About one-third of all adults have varicose veins, which makes it a common medical condition. When you have varicose veins, your veins look swollen or twisted under your skin and look blue or purple in appearance. The good news is that varicose veins aren’t usually dangerous.¹ But in some cases, you may experience pain or other uncomfortable symptoms. You may even be concerned about how it looks.²

You can temporarily relieve a lot of the symptoms by yourself at home.³ But if you’re wondering how to get rid of varicose veins altogether, there are several modern treatment options that are considered safe, involve minimal downtime, and are highly effective. Here’s what you need to know about varicose veins and modern treatment options.

What Causes Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins occur when the walls of your veins start to grow weak. Vein walls can weaken due to factors like:

The way your hormones work
Growing older
Excessive weight
Sitting or standing for long periods of time, which can increase the pressure of the blood flowing inside the veins⁴

As the walls become weak, they stretch and grow larger. The blood doesn’t flow as easily as it should inside the vein. The blood can start to back up or pool inside your veins, making them swell, twist, or bulge.⁵

Symptoms – What to Watch Out For

In terms of physical appearance, varicose veins can show up as blue or dark purple-colored veins that seem twisted or bulging under the skin. They can look similar to cords.⁶

When varicose veins are present, you may sometimes feel pain or a sense of heaviness in your legs. The pain gets worse after sitting or standing for long periods of time. Sometimes you may have muscle cramping or swelling in the lower part of your legs. You may also feel burning or throbbing sensations in the lower part of your legs. Other symptoms include changes in the color of the skin and itching around your varicose veins.⁷

Diagnosis

Your vein specialist or healthcare provider will perform a physical exam and review your medical history before recommending treatment options.⁸ They may also perform an ultrasound of your legs before making their recommendations.⁹

Your vein specialist may ask you to do the following at home to help relieve the symptoms and make you feel more comfortable:

Elevate your legs above your waist frequently during the day.
Use gradient compression stockings, which help compress your veins, improve circulation, and prevent the condition from worsening.¹⁰

Modern Methods for Getting Rid of Varicose Veins That Work

In some cases, your vein specialist or health care provider may recommend any of the following modern varicose vein treatments that are considered effective for getting rid of varicose veins. Bear in mind that new varicose veins can come back after treatments, especially in the case of the following:¹¹

Pregnancy that happens after the treatment
Obesity
Lack of exercise or physical activity

All of these treatments are quick – they can be completed in less than an hour, and in most cases, you can get back to your normal activities after the procedure. You may also want to check with your insurance provider to discuss coverage.

Generally, all varicose vein treatment options have insurance coverage through most carriers, except ClariVein, which is the brand name for a treatment called Endovenous Mechanochemical Ablation (MOCA).

1. Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA)

During an Endovenous Laser Ablation, a laser is used to heat the walls of the veins, causing them to close. It’s a minimally invasive procedure that usually doesn’t need more than a small incision at the site of the vein.¹² A tube called a catheter is used to transfer the heat.¹³ The closed veins shrink and disappear on their own afterward.¹⁴ There is no visible scarring.¹⁵

Your vein specialist may suggest EVLA as a treatment option if your veins are sore, painful, swollen, inflamed, or irritated.¹⁶

2. Endovenous Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)

Endovenous Radiofrequency Ablation or RFA is similar to the EVLA procedure. The key difference is the use of radiofrequency heat instead of heat from a laser.¹⁷

3. Microfoam Injection

As the name suggests, Microfoam Injection involves injecting a substance called microfoam sclerosant into the diseased vein. It fills up the inside of the vein at the target site and treats the vein walls, causing the vein to collapse. The process is repeated for each affected vein.¹⁸

Unlike the EVLA and RFA procedures, there are no incisions or surgeries. Most people experience no pain at the injection site. Your vein specialist or healthcare provider will also check to see that you have no allergic reactions, although such reactions are rare.¹⁹

4. Cyanoacrylate

Cyanoacrylate, or VenaSeal, is a type of “superglue” that is used to seal varicose veins or glue them shut. The procedure also closes the vein like EVLA and RFA, except that it doesn’t use heat to seal the vein and you don’t need multiple injections of anesthesia to prevent pain and damage to the surrounding tissues.²⁰

Once the veins have been glued together, they start to harden and get absorbed by the body over time. With Cyanoacrylate, you don’t need post-operative care in the form of gradient compression stockings.²¹

5. Endovenous Mechanochemical Ablation (MOCA)

Endovenous Mechanochemical Ablation or MOCA is similar to the EVLA treatment, except there’s no use of heat. A type of drug called a sclerosant is injected through the catheter to close the vein. MOCA may be recommended as an option for you instead of an EVLA if your vein is too close to a nerve to prevent damage to the nerve.²²

6. Phlebectomy

In a Phlebectomy, your vein specialist or healthcare provider will use a type of hook to remove the varicose vein after they’ve made a small incision. The procedure is minimally invasive.²³

Wrapping Things Up

Living with varicose veins doesn’t have to be a challenge. If you find the physical symptoms hard to manage or want to improve how they look on your skin, these treatment options can help. They can also be of help if you experience a returning of the veins and you want ongoing care and management.

Medicus Vein Care is an established, patient-driven practice, dedicated to excellent care. If you’re feeling discomfort every day, call us! Meet with our vein specialist for a free consultation to understand why you have symptoms and what we can do to get you back on your feet again, comfortably.

SOURCES:

1. Cleveland Clinic: ” Varicose Veins.”

2. Mayo Clinic: ” Varicose veins.“

3. Cleveland Clinic: ” Varicose Veins.”

4. Cleveland Clinic: ” Varicose Veins.”

5. Cleveland Clinic: ” Varicose Veins.”

6. Mayo Clinic: ” Varicose veins.“

7. Mayo Clinic: ” Varicose veins.“

8. Johns Hopkins Medicine: ” Varicose Veins.“

9. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: ” Varicose Veins.“

10. Cleveland Clinic: ” Varicose Veins.”

11. Cleveland Clinic: ” Varicose Veins.”