Varicose veins are not difficult to diagnose. Your doctor will check the patterns on your feet, legs or other afflicted areas. They will also look for tender spots, ulcers, swelling, and changes in skin color. In most cases, spider veins and varicose veins don’t need treatment unless they lead to bleeding, ulcers, and phlebitis or if you want them removed due to cosmetic reasons. Doppler test and color duplex ultrasound scan are the common tests conducted to diagnose varicose veins. If there is soreness, pain, cramping or muscle fatigue, there are some measures you can take at home to reduce the symptoms.
Treatment options for varicose veins
- Support stockings – This is the simplest treatment for varicose veins and spider veins. Also known as compression stockings, they relieve pain and discomfort in the legs and improve circulation. They can be found in various styles such as pantyhose or knee-high at some pharmacies and surgical supply stores.
- Lifestyle changes – Walking regularly and losing weight can help ease the symptoms of varicose veins. If you have swelling, a low-salt diet will be helpful as it reduces water retention. As much as possible, elevate your legs with a recliner or pillow.
- Sclerotherapy – Medical procedures can eliminate varicose veins and spider veins. Sclerotherapy decimates 80% of treated veins. A solution is injected directly into the abnormal vein. The blood vessel is destroyed and then disappears. This procedure needs a high level of specialized training and technical skill. After this treatment, spider veins usually disappear in three to six weeks while varicose veins may respond in three to four months. The veins are not likely to reappear.
- Laser and light therapy – This therapy destroys the tiny spider veins and small varicose veins with the help of heat. Scar tissue forms due to the heat which closes off the vein eventually. This may be a favorable alternative to injections. Side effects include skin discoloration, blisters formation, and discomfort in the treated area. Laser therapy is a slow working therapy compared to sclerotherapy. More than one session is required to get the desired results, and it can take a year or two for the vein to completely disappear.
- Vein surgery – Surgery is usually the last option for people who do not respond to laser therapy or sclerotherapy. Ligation and stripping, which are common procedures are carried out by giving local or general anesthesia. If the vein is close to the skin’s surface, you can remove it through an incision which does not require stitches. Vein ligation and stripping has high success rates and removes varicose veins in most people. Hospital stay is not needed for this procedure. Most patients can return to work in just a few days.
- Endovenous laser – A new option for veins that were once only treatable by surgery. A laser fiber is placed inside the vein, then the pressure is applied, and eventually, the laser delivers laser light. The vein then collapses as a result. This treatment is very effective and patients report less pain and faster recovery than with ligation and stripping.
- Radiofrequency ablation – This is another alternative treatment for large varicose veins. Radiofrequency energy is delivered directly into the vein wall, which causes it to heat up and collapse. The vein disappears after a year. The results can be compared to vein surgery but there is less pain and risk involved in radiofrequency ablation.
