Varicose Veins

Overview Deep Vein Thrombosis Phlebitis & Thrombosis Varicose Veins Venous Ulcer Patient Instructions

Varicose veins happen when the blood vessels that manage flow through the veins don’t work properly. Blood collects in the veins, causing them to become swollen and twisted. Varicose veins appear large and bulge if left untreated along the surface of the skin. They can be painful and lead to venous insufficiency. If left untreated, varicose veins can cause swelling, increased pain, skin discoloration, and ulcerations of the lower legs that may turn into slow healing wounds.

Spider veins, a mild form of varicose veins, are a network of red or blue veins on the skin’s surface and can appear on the legs or face. They usually do not indicate a more serious problem but can be a cosmetic concern.

Risk factors include:

Prolonged periods of standing
Family history
Age
Gender
Obesity
Pregnancy
Previous blood clots or vein surgery

Recommended resource:
Vein Disease Education: Why It Matters and How It's Treated (Medtronic)
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Our team of highly-trained physicians, technicians, and support staff can assess the best treatment options for you. Screenings and treatments are offered at our convenient, state-of-the-art practice:

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Why choose CMC?

Our vascular physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and support staff bring extensive expertise and skill to each procedure, and take a personal interest in your well-being.

Screening

A visual exam of your legs is the most common way to diagnose varicose veins. An ultrasound can also help determine how well the valves in your leg are working. Our team of highly-trained physicians, technicians, and support staff can assess the best treatment options for you.

Lifestyle Adjustments and Medications

There are many non- and minimally invasive ways to treat varicose veins. Lifestyle adjustments like more moving more frequently, regularly elevating your legs, and wearing compression stockings can help alleviate swelling.

Spider Vein Treatment

Spider veins can be cosmetically treated in various ways including sclerotherapy, where the physician injects the vein with a solution that causes the vein to collapse and seal itself off.

Varicose Vein Interventional & Surgical Treatment

The expert team at CMC also provides a number of surgical procedures to eliminate or reduce the appearance of varicose veins. At CMC, we usually use a combination of treatments including laser and injection therapy. These include radiofrequency or laser ablation, which seals off the vein using heat; sclerotherapy, which uses a chemical injected into the vein to collapse it so blood no longer flows through; phlebotomy, a surgical procedure to remove the diseased vein. In all cases, blood in the leg finds another way to the heart through other, healthy veins.