If you notice leg veins that have enlarged and twisted, they are varicose veins. They may appear dark purple or blue and be extremely visible. Due to varicose veins, you can feel fatigued, itchy, heaviness and pain in legs. Also called varicosities or varices, varicose veins tend to cause more serious complications: blood clotting, bleeding, ulceration, varicose eczema, and lipodermatosclerosis among others. If you want to prevent these complications, see a vascular doctor in NJ the soonest possible. When it comes to the treatment process, there are two stages involved. The first stage involves elimination of the refluxing saphenous vein and the second one entails getting rid of the easily detectable superficial varices. A vein doctor NJ will seek to preserve the saphenous vein with conservative treatment. This is to keep the vein healthy for future vascular surgery or heart surgery.
How do they form?
Varicosities develop when there are impaired valves in veins. Generally, blood flows from the heart’s left ventricle via the aortic valve and into the aorta that takes it to the rest of the body via blood vessels called arteries and capillaries. Then it becomes deoxygenated and returns to the heart via blood veins and in only one direction. Contraction and relaxation of the calf muscle is necessary because it squeezes the veins and boosts the pumping of blood back to the heart. As veins consist of one-way valves, blood does not flow in the wrong direction. But if the valves are weak, faulty or abnormal, they fail to operate smoothly.
This causes the blood to flow backward and pool in legs. As a result, the veins begin to become stiff, losing their inherent elasticity and ability to return blood to the heart. Areas affected by these faulty valves develop a condition called venous insufficiency or venous reflux disease. This disease has symptoms and the initials ones are abnormal leg veins like varicose veins. As blood continues to gather and lie dormant in veins, the disease will worsen and cause more complications. Before then, ensure that you visit the top varicose vein doctor NJ area.
Varicose veins are not spider veins
The most common problem between varices and spider veins is the latter. Most people, especially women, have spider veins and these are not as serious as varicose veins. You can see a vascular doctor in NJ to get rid of aching spider veins. But if they seem to disappear on their own, then you shouldn’t be alarmed. Spider veins, also thread veins, are small like blood capillaries and tend to form in clusters. Blue, red or purple in color, thread veins form a spider web pattern. They can affect an extensive area of the thigh or calf. They are sometimes described as the type of small varicose veins that are not serious. Larger varices are called trunk varicose veins because they are bigger than spider veins by far and have a swollen, twisted rope-like appearance. It is imperative to see a varicose vein doctor NJ when you notice that you have varices. If left untreated the underlying disease will continue to progress and trigger more complications.
How a vein doctor NJ will diagnose you
The first type of check up a vascular doctor in NJ does is physical examination. It is a visual exercise that helps a doctor decide the kind of varicose veins a patient has. So you will be asked to stand and then your varicose vein doctor NJ will look for signs of edema. There are two diagnostic tests that will be done to confirm your doctor’s thoughts. The first one is the Doppler test and it entails an ultrasound scan to confirm the direction of the blood flow in your veins. If there are blood clots inside the veins, this ultrasound scan will locate them. A color duplex ultrasound scan will provide color images of the inner structure of your veins. This helps the vascular doctor in NJ to locate and verify valve abnormalities and measure the velocity of the blood flow. As well as tests, there will be questions to answer concerning your symptoms and discomfort levels.
Treatment options
Sometimes there will not be symptoms or discomfort and you will wonder if you still need to seek treatment from a varicose vein doctor NJ. In such a case, treatment may be postponed until a future date, although being treated early is much recommended. On the other hand, varicose veins that are too serious that they are causing leg pain, swelling, heaviness, itch, ulcers and skin discoloration among other symptoms should be treated by the best vascular doctor in NJ. Besides improving your leg health, treatment will remove varicosities and make your legs beautiful. There are different ways of eliminating varices, and the most reliable varicose vein doctor NJ will provide the following options:
· Scelerotherapy – It is possible to get treated via sclelerotherapy if you have spider veins or moderate size varicose veins. The technique entails an injection where a varicose vein doctor NJ uses a certain chemical to collapse and close a vein. This is called a sclerosing agent and is available in different kinds. Foam sclerosing agent is rather famous these days and it is rumored to be more effective than any sclerosant used in traditional sclerotherapy. Depending on the amount of abnormal leg veins you have, you might require up to 3 sessions to end your problem. Sometimes sclerotherapy will backfire, requiring you to repeat treatment. To ensure it goes very smoothly and becomes successful, pick a varicose vein doctor NJ called Dr. Caroline Novak. She will ensure that you have fewer or no complications after the treatment by being extra professional and cautious when performing therapy.
· Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)-This technique is extremely popular nowadays and it is recommended by almost every vascular doctor in NJ State and elsewhere. The physician makes a small incision above or beneath the knee. Using the ultrasound scan as a guide, he or she will insert a narrow tube or catheter into the problematic vein. Then insert a probe into the catheter that release radiofrequency energy that will heat up the vein and cause vein walls to collapse and close. RFA is so effective when used to treat big varicose veins and requires administration of a local anesthetic to reduce pain. This is an outpatient procedure that takes a short time, although this will depend on the quantity of veins being treated. There is no waste of time recovering in bed too, as your varicose vein doctor in NJ will encourage you to resume walking immediately after the procedure. Avoid strenuous work and postures though, as well as mishandling your bruises to keep infections away. Wear compression stockings too to improve blood circulation and reduce your chances of enduring another RFA procedure.
· Endovenous laser ablation – Just like RFA and sclerotherapy, this is a minimally invasive procedure that is extremely good at removing abnormal leg veins. A local anesthetic drug is used to numb the area being treated to avoid pain. The vascular doctor in NJ will place a needle into the leg near your ankle or knee. Then a wire will be threaded through the vein and then ultrasound guide will be used to place it where it is needed. Laser heat is then delivered inside the vein where it collapses and closes its walls. EVLA is not invasive and does not leave scars behind. As it is also a procedure that is done in an outpatient basis, a long recovery period is necessary. A good varicose vein doctor NJ will only treat the affected vein, ensuring that the surrounding nerves or veins are not damaged. As it is one of the most successful ways to treat varices that aren’t so big and swollen, you should try it out.
· Transilluminated powered phlebectomy -This is done using a special light called endoscopic transilluminator which is threaded via a small cut under your skin to help the doctor see the vein that should be removed. The target veins are then cut and removed using a sunction device via the same incision. A vascular doctor in NJ will administer general or local anesthetic drug when doing this procedure to reduce pain.
· Vein stripping surgery (ligation) – When varicosities become too big and are not responding to the above-mentioned techniques, they should be removed surgically under general anesthetic to get rid of pain. If done by a good vein doctor NJ, vein stripping starts and ends safely. Sometimes surgery is required on both legs and this can cause a patient to be admitted rather than going home the same day. During the procedure, two tiny cuts are made where one cut is near the groin area at the top of the vein being targeted and the other one is made at the knee or ankle area. Then the vascular doctor in NJ will tie up and seal the top of the vein and then put a thin, flexible wire into the vein via the bottom point and then pull it out. As it comes out it will take the vein with it. A vein stripping surgery doesn’t need you to stay in the hospital after it’s completed. You can leave although side effects like bruising, bleeding and pain are expected. Sometimes deep vein thrombosis can result and you may need up to three weeks to recover. The recovery period can be shorter if you wear compression stockings.
Not seeing a vein doctor NJ can lead to complications
There is a risk of complications arising when blood circulation in legs is interrupted by varicose veins. In the majority of cases, varices do not cause complications and if they occur, they can be so painful. It is always important to see a vascular doctor in NJ before the situation worsens. These complications include the following:
- Thrombophlebitis -This can affect either superficial veins or deep veins. Superficial phlebitis mostly occurs along a peripheral intravenous line and is often accompanied by a fever. Deep vein thrombosis or thrombophlebitis causes swelling and pain in the affected leg, especially around the ankles and foot. Redness, paleness and warmth are also symptoms that can be noted when one has DVT. It can also cause cramping pain.
- Bleeding -Venous reflux disease causes skin on legs to become thin and bleed easily when there is an injury.
- Venous ulcers – If you don’t see a varicose vein doctor NJ when you notice early symptoms, you will end up with venous statis ulcers. These are painful sores that mainly develop around the ankles and lower leg area. These areas may swell and cramp and dull pain and heaviness may be felt. Pooling of blood can cause dark red, purple or brown spots on skin, which could harden as well. Itching and tingling can be felt too and the edges of the venous ulcers tend to be uneven. Different kinds of leg ulcers exist and some of them are not related to venous insufficiency or venous hypertension in veins. That’s why you need to see a vascular doctor in NJ as soon as possible to find out the types of ulcers you have.
- Varicose eczema – Also called stasis eczema or gravitational eczema, varicose eczema is a side effect of untreated varicose veins. It affects the lower leg and can stick there for a long period of time. If you notice that your leg skin is dry, flaky, swollen, itchy or crusty, see a varicose vein doctor NJ These signs show that there is an underlying condition that needs to be discovered and treated before it becomes so hard to treat.
- Lipodermatosclerosis – This is when the skin reddens and becomes tender, hard and too tight. This causes the lower leg to get thinner and thinner due to hardening of fat and feel a lot of pain.
Chronic venous insufficiency should be treated by a desirable vascular doctor in NJ to stop it from triggering more complications that cause a lot of pain and discomfort. If you address it early you will avoid painful cures like vein stripping surgery and improve your symptoms. Constant pain, itch, cramps and edema should not be taken lightly. It’s wiser to see a varicose vein doctor NJ as early as possible to receive your vein treatment before your symptoms worsen. Whether you will be put through sclerotherapy, RFA, EVLA, transilluminated powered phlebectomy or vein stripping surgery, the best thing is that you will be cured.