Although varicose veins look like they hurt, they often don’t, but you probably still don’t like them. Don’t let the appearance of raised, visible veins on your legs hold you back, because we can help.
At Osteopathic Center for Healing in Rockville, Maryland, Neil Spiegel, DO, and Jennifer Gularson, PA-C, and their team work to help you achieve an optimal level of health that allows you to live an active, healthy life. For us, that includes helping you feel great about how you look.
If you’re bothered by the appearance of varicose veins, or if you have heaviness, achiness, or pain associated with them, we can help you find a permanent solution for getting rid of them.
First, here are a few facts about varicose veins:
We call arteries and veins “blood vessels,” and they are, but they’re not empty tubes. Your blood is subject to the force of gravity, and though each time your heart beats, the force of it pumps blood toward your heart, there are moments between beats.
Those moments would allow the blood to fall back toward the earth if your veins were empty tubes.
To prevent this and keep your blood flowing in the right direction, your veins are filled with a series of valves. Between each beat of your heart, the valves close, preventing your blood from rushing back toward your extremities.
Over time, those valves can become damaged and begin to leak, allowing the blood to pool around them. When that happens, your veins become overfull and get bigger. Eventually, they get the ropey, raised, visible appearance that signifies varicose veins.
You can make a few key lifestyle changes that may help. For example, if you’re overweight or obese, losing some weight may help lessen the appearance of varicose veins. If you smoke, quitting will certainly improve your health, and it may also help your veins function better.
Some people find that wearing compression socks can help, especially if you sit or stand for long hours. Not wearing high heels can help.
Finally, physical activity may help. Activities like walking or other exercise keeps the muscles in your legs working well and can help lessen the appearance of varicose veins.
One word of caution, though: Some types of strenuous physical activity, like heavy weightlifting, can worsen varicose veins. Discuss your exercise routine with us for specific guidance.
If lifestyle changes don’t get rid of your varicose veins, a procedure called sclerotherapy could be a good solution. This minimally invasive procedure chemically closes the damaged veins.
Your blood flow isn’t affected because your body has plenty of veins, and it simply redirects the flow through different vessels.
We use a very thin needle to precisely inject a medication called Asclera® (polidocanol) into the targeted vein. The medication irritates the lining of the vein, and over time, scar tissue develops and the vein fades away.
After the procedure, you may need to wear compression socks, and you should expect it to take a few weeks to see full results.
Sclerotherapy isn’t appropriate for all cases of varicose veins. If you’d like to find out if it might work well for you, schedule an appointment at Osteopathic Center for Healing. We’re happy to evaluate your situation and make treatment recommendations based on your circumstances.
