When Do Varicose Veins Require Medical Treatment?

Varicose veins are large, raised, and twisted blood vessels that can easily be seen through the skin. They occur when there is a collapse in the valves of your veins. Patients afflicted with these twisted and swollen veins often seek to have them removed for cosmetic reasons, but when do varicose veins become a medical concern? Dr. David Nabi in Newport Beach, California, specializes in painful varicose vein treatment. Varicose veins can result in moderate to severe pain and cause discomfort that interferes with your quality of life. 

When your varicose veins start to cause debilitating pain, it can be a sign that something more acute has developed, such as a blood clot, ulcer, or infection. If pain from your varicose veins is stopping you from enjoying your life, it is time to call a vascular expert.

Pain in your lower extremities caused by varicose veins can be attributed to inflammation, swelling, infection, deep vein thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, bleeding, or ulcers. Varicose veins can damage the lymphatic system and lead to problems such as lymphedema, which can lead to a serious skin infection known as cellulitis. When left untreated, varicose veins can result in venous insufficiency and lead to dermatological problems like stasis dermatitis and cellulitis. 

The great saphenous vein is most commonly affected by varicose veins. The great saphenous vein is the largest superficial vein in our bodies—that’s what makes it great! It runs from the foot to the upper thigh and groin area, and its main job is to guide blood flow where oxygen is lacking. It travels from our feet back to the heart, where it picks up oxygen and nutrients that are then delivered to the rest of our body. Varicose veins occur when the valves of the saphenous veins are simply not working the way they should. This results in veins that are not able to efficiently return blood back to the heart for oxygenation.

Older techniques, such as vein stripping of the great saphenous vein below the knee, have been abandoned in recent years to avoid the risk of injury to the saphenous nerve. Minimally invasive treatments—such as endovenous ablation using radiofrequency or laser for cauterization of damaged veins—are effective in treating varicose vein issues. Ablation treatments have a high success rate. A study published in PubMed showed that “technical success rates were 84.8% for endovenous laser ablation [and] 88.7% for radiofrequency ablation, as opposed to only 32.8% for ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy."

If varicose veins are causing pain that is affecting your daily life, consult with a specialist like Dr. David Nabi of NewportVascular.com to assess if you are a candidate for effective, minimally invasive procedures that will help restore the health of your veins—and improve your quality of life!