What are those red blotches on your legs? Do they look like a spider’s web but made of veins?
Are spider veins bad?
It is most likely that you are a little older, maybe in a job that requires you to sit most of the day or have recently added some extra pounds to your frame, when you notice red blotches that have appeared on your legs. As you examine them closer, you see a red spider web-like pattern. Now you are left wondering: What is happening to me? Do I need to make an appointment with a vein doctor? Where is the nearest Vein Treatment Clinic? Take a deep breath. There are many ways of dealing with spider veins.
Are spider veins bad? The simple answer is “that depends” on several factors. To understand their significance, you need to know a little more about what they are, how they are different from varicose veins, and where they come from. Only then will you appreciate the various options for treatment. Some interventions are within your control while other solutions may require medical procedures.
What Are Spider Veins?
Spider veins are veins close to the surface of your skin and present in a spiderweb pattern. The color of the web may be red, blue or purple. At first, for many people, they may have no other adverse symptoms other than their appearance. For some individuals, there may be pain or discomfort associated with these blemishes.
There is a physical explanation for the appearance of the veins on your leg, but you need some background knowledge about blood flow throughout your body to understand this phenomenon. In the normal vein, the blood flows in one direction from your feet up towards your heart. Within the veins there are one-way doors, known as valves, every few inches. The blood flows past a valve towards the heart, then the valve closes, preventing blood from falling back down towards the feet. Over time though, many valves becomes defective and leaky, allowing the blood to flow backward and pool, or collect, in the legs. This extra blood from poor circulation due to leaky valves puts pressure on the vein wall which causes the vein to bulge. Eventually this leads to the development of varicose veins and spider veins, unhealthy new veins formed by the body in response to high pressure in your normal veins over time. These veins are often noticeable on the surface of your skin. In some people, these veins press on the surrounding nerves in the skin and cause discomfort including pain, cramping, and restlessness. In many people, the excess blood in the legs causes the legs to feel heavy and fatigued. All of these symptoms tend to be worse at the end of the day and in the heat.
So, are spider veins bad? These small aberrations are unlikely to harm you, but they often indicate underlying health issues. You can view them as your canary in a coal mine.
The term medical specialist use for this condition is “venous insufficiency.” Just as the name itself suggests, the insufficiency of blood flow can lead to some more serious problems such as leg discomfort and leg heaviness. If the valves continue to deteriorate over time, the condition can worsen leading to bad varicose veins. Varicose veins are similar to the spidery blotches on a larger scale, but they can lead to serious complications such as bleeding and ulcers.
What Should You Do About Spider Veins?
Are spider veins bad? If they are causing significant distress and left untreated, they could lead to a serious condition. It is critical to make an appointment with a vein doctor New York or a vein doctor New Jersey or search out a clinic such as a Vein Treatment Clinic to evaluate your overall health.
At the clinic, vein doctors with specialized knowledge of the condition will examine your legs and likely perform additional testing. Usually, the doctors will perform an ultrasound to examine the veins in your legs for evidence of leaky valves and blood flow going in the wrong direction. A specialized vein doctor may suggest some lifestyle changes that include losing weight, getting more physically active, and elevating your legs during the day to increase the blood flow. All of these changes will help you prevent further damage. Of course, this will take time to change your overall health.
But these solutions will not remove the current varicose veins and spider veins from your skin.
The excellent medical staff at the Vein Treatment Clinic have many suggestions to address the problem. In many cases, the treatments are covered by insurance if the venous insufficiency is visible on ultrasound evaluation and the patient suffers from symptoms. These symptoms can cause you considerable discomfort, pain or make your legs feel tired on an ongoing basis. Both the indication of venous insufficiency combined with ongoing symptoms need to be present to qualify for insurance coverage.
What are the many Medical Treatments for Spider Veins?
As you have learned the answer to your initial question “Are spider veins bad?” is that the condition itself is an indication of a health problem and if left without treatment can progress into a much more severe state. But there are many suitable ways to address the condition as well as the appearance of the veins. The following four solutions are well documented, safe to perform, minimally invasive and are regulated by overseeing agencies. All of the caring staff at the Vein Treatment Clinic have the latest, comprehensive training in the various methods.
Radiofrequency Ablation – RFA
Radiofrequency ablation, RFA is a treatment in which heat energy is used to damage the vein to close the flow of blood entirely. This is completed through a small incision and a local anesthetic. The body reacts over time by absorbing the damaged vessel, and spider like blotches may fade or disappear over time. There are many advantages to this technique: the convenience in treating both legs at one time, a short recovery period, and minimal time off work- if any! Many patients go back to work the same day. Success rate is between 95 and 98%.
Sclerotherapy
In Sclerotherapy a small amount of a medicine is injected into the affected vein, resulting in a blockage of the vein that prevents the blood from circulating beyond the obstruction. Over time the area turns into scar tissue that fades over time, causing the vein to be no longer visible. This procedure is completed quickly and allows for you to return to normal activities immediately. Any complications can be discussed with the well-informed staff at the Vein Treatment Clinic. Success rates is between 60% and 80%.
Endovenous Laser Ablation – EVLA
Endоvеnоuѕ Laser Ablаtіоn, EVLA, uses laser energy to heat up a vein to close it and stop the flow of blood. Only a small incision is used to allow for the laser fiber to reach the affected location. The blood is rerouted through a healthy vein. After the procedure, the area is wrapped with a bandage, and follow up involves the wearing of a compression stocking for a week. The success rate of the procedure is an astounding 97%.
VenaSeal
The VenaSeal procedure involves a glue which is introduced into the vein blocking the flow of blood. The area hardens and then is absorbed by the body. It is a relatively new procedure that was approved in 2015. The recovery time is minimal and regular activities, including work, can be resumed in a very short time, if not immediately. The procedure has a stellar success rate that is close to 99% while having a low risk of complications.
Clinic Locations
These are just 4 of the more popular solutions available for spidery veins. When you book a consultation with any of the exceptional medical staff at the Vein Treatment Clinic, you will be able to delve deeper into all of the available procedures to decide what solution is most suitable for your condition and lifestyle. Whether you contact the vein doctor NY or the vein doctor NJ, there will be a Vein Treatment Clinic conveniently located near you.
