Summer is almost here, and with it comes plenty of opportunities for adventures in the warmth and sunlight that you’ll want to enjoy in your favorite cut-offs or sports shorts. But what if you’re trying to hide your varicose veins? It might be time for you to review and try ClariVein vein ablation to get rid of your twisted, enlarged veins. And for all your vein needs, you can go to Commonwealth Vein Center in Colonial Heights, VA.
Before we learn about how this treatment works to get rid of varicose veins, it’s important that we understand more about what these veins are, how they form, and how you can help to prevent them.
Varicose veins can happen anywhere in the body, but they are most likely to happen in the legs. While they can lead to complications, they are not, for the most part, a serious condition. Most individuals who choose to get their varicose veins ablated do so for cosmetic purposes.
As our heart pumps blood, it moves through our body through veins, capillaries, and arteries. Veins do the job of taking deoxygenated blood back to the heart to be filled with nutrients so it can continue to nourish the body.
The blood moves through the veins back to the heart through one-way valves. These valves open to allow blood through the veins, then close again to make sure it doesn’t flow backward. When the valves become weakened or damaged, blood can escape the valve and collect in the veins. Over time, the pooled blood forces the veins to become enlarged. This most commonly happens in the legs, because standing or sitting for long periods of time increases the pressure in the veins, which can weaken the walls of the veins or damage the valves.
Plenty of people who develop varicose veins do not deal with any symptoms and choose to have a vein ablation simply as a cosmetic treatment. However, there are some common symptoms that may arise if you have varicose veins.
You may feel an achy or heavy feeling in your legs, or a burning, throbbing, muscle cramping and swelling in your lower legs. You may notice that you feel worsened pain after you have been sitting or standing for a long period of time. You might have an itchy sensation around one or more of your veins or notice that the skin around a varicose vein is discolored.
While varicose veins generally do not lead to complications, it is possible.
It is possible for painful ulcers to form on the skin near varicose veins: especially near the ankles. You might notice a discolored spot on the skin before the ulcer forms. If you think you are developing, or have developed, an ulcer, you will want to see your doctor immediately.
Veins that are deep within the legs can sometimes become enlarged, which often causes the affected leg to become very painful and swollen. If you experience any persistent leg pain or swelling, you should see a doctor immediately, because it may indicate a blood clot, which is also known as deep vein thrombosis.
Occasionally, varicose veins that are very close to the skin can burst. This generally only causes minor bleeding, but it’s important that you are seen by a doctor immediately.
There are some factors that can increase your likelihood of developing varicose veins.
Your risk of developing varicose veins increases as you age. This is because everything in your body begins to wear down as you grow older, including your veins and valves. Eventually, this wear and tear can cause your valves to be less effective and allow some blood to flow back into your veins and collect.
Women are more likely to develop varicose veins. Female hormones tend to relax vein walls, which can make veins more susceptible to becoming varicose veins. The hormone changes that happen during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can weaken the veins, as can hormone treatments like birth control pills.
Pregnancy can increase your likelihood of developing varicose veins. Part of this is due to the hormonal shifts that occur during pregnancy, but it also happens because the volume of blood in your body increases when you are pregnant. The increased pressure can cause enlarged veins that eventually become varicose veins in the legs.
If members of your family have varicose veins, you have a higher likelihood of developing them as well.
Being at a higher weight can put increased pressure on your veins and increases your risk for developing varicose veins.
If you often have to stand or sit for long periods of time, this can increase your likelihood of developing varicose veins because your blood doesn’t flow well when you stand in the same position for long periods. Crossing your legs while sitting can also increase the pressure in your legs and lead to a higher likelihood of developing them.
While there is nothing you can do to guarantee that you do not develop varicose veins, you can do certain things to reduce your likelihood of developing them. These same steps that can be used to prevent varicose veins can also be used to reduce the symptoms of varicose veins that already exist.
Staying in one position for a long time makes it harder for the blood in the veins of your legs to travel against gravity, which causes the pressure in your veins to rise. Eventually, blood can pool around your ankles and your feet and calves can get swollen and achy.
Moving around can help decrease the pressure and improve your blood circulation. Even if you’re stuck at a desk all day, there are things you can do to help. Try peddling your feet, stretching your ankles, and taking time out of your day to stretch and bend your knees. Try elevating your legs at least three times for better circulation and less swelling.
Compression hosiery is available in various types and at different levels of compression to best suit your needs. They help to keep your vein valves in the right position, making it easier for the veins to properly function and reducing blood pooling and its accompanying swelling and pain.
There are several parts of developing a healthy lifestyle that can help prevent the development of varicose veins. One of the leading causes of varicose veins is a high weight because it puts added strain on the veins. Keeping a healthy weight can reduce your risk and help to keep your blood pressure low.
Eating a high-fiber diet based on complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats is important. Keeping an eye on your sodium intake and trying to eat low-sodium foods can help to reduce your blood pressure and help your veins and valves stay healthy. It’s also important to drink enough water throughout the day because it helps support healthy blood circulation.
The most beneficial exercise to help prevent varicose veins is walking. If you can make time each day to go on a walk and get some fresh air, you’ll be making important steps to keeping your veins healthy. Yoga is another great option because there are many inversions that bring your feet higher than your heart, reducing the pressure in your legs. Cycling and swimming are other great options for keeping healthy and reducing the likelihood of developing varicose veins.
Wearing high heels is uncomfortable for a whole host of reasons. Your toes are shoved into a tight space, your heels ache, and it forces a tension in your calves. If you’ve worn high heels before, you know that wearing them is basically an all-day calf exercise, because you have to continuously tense your calves to safely balance on the heels. But this also raises the pressure in your lower legs, increasing the likelihood of your developing varicose veins.
Endovenous vein ablation is the most effective way to get rid of varicose veins. It means that the ClariVein doctor is able to close the vein by going inside the vein. There are many methods by which this can be done, and ClariVein the best choice.
ClariVein is an ultrasound-guided treatment, meaning that the physician uses the sonar capabilities of an ultrasound machine to create an image of what the affected area looks like so they can safely treat the damaged vein.
Once the doctor has a clear picture of what is going on, they will make a small incision in the skin, through which the catheter can pass and enter the vein that is to be treated. The catheter used with this treatment is two or three times thinner than those used in other forms of vein ablation, and it has a rotating tip that is designed for a controlled, 360-degree dispersion of a medical-grade sclerosing agent.
The sclerosing agent immediately adheres the vein walls to one another, collapsing the damaged vein. All the blood is then rerouted to other, healthier veins that can more effectively pump it back to the heart. The tissues making up the varicose vein are then reabsorbed by the body. Within a year, even an MRI will not be able to detect the treated vein.
Why should you choose this ClariVein treatment option above any other vein ablation?
With this treatment, no tumescent anesthesia is required, unlike other vein ablation procedures that need to numb the vein before treating it. Despite not requiring anesthesia, patients still experience no discomfort during the procedure. And afterward, you can expect to experience no post-procedure bruising or pain!
When you compare this to the after-effects of comparative vein ablation treatments, it’s clear why people choose ClariVein.
Don’t let your varicose veins hold you back. Don’t keep dealing with the pain and swelling, or the embarrassment that comes from baring your legs and letting the world see your varicose veins. There are safe, painless, and effective methods for getting rid of varicose veins that are available to you. It’s time for you to feel comfortable in your body and comfortable wearing what you want, or as little as you want. It can be hard to do that with varicose veins, so it’s time to ditch the varicose veins and get ClariVein.
If you have any questions about ClariVein treatment, or if you would like to schedule a consultation, call us at Commonwealth Vein Center in Colonial Heights, VA.
