When most people think of vein disease treatments, they usually envision long hospital stays and lengthy recoveries. That simply isn’t the case these days. Luckily, advancements in modern vein care have led to many new techniques for treating veins in minimal time, with low risk and little inconvenience to the patient.
What are the top vein disease treatments for Chicago, IL residents?
No matter what your vein concern is, there is a treatment that targets it. From conditions such as varicose veins to embolism, there are treatments that can relieve you of your symptoms, prevent future complications and improve the appearance of current varicose veins.
If you are suffering from very mild symptoms and your doctor has ruled out an underlying venous condition, your Chicago vein expert may recommend lifestyle changes. But if you’re experiencing more severe symptoms, it’s likely your doctor will suggest a medical procedure. Although there are many more methods for treating vein disease, some less invasive and other more aggressive, the following are the most widely performed:
Ablation therapy. There are a few different tools your doctor may use for vein laser surgery, but the implementation for each is similar. Your doctor will make tiny incisions in the skin just above the problematic vein, then insert a small catheter into the vein. The doctor will then insert a device that will use heat to close off the vein so that blood is no longer able to pool inside. Endovenous laser ablation involves using the heat from a laser, while radio frequency ablation utilizes heat from radio waves to accomplish the same task.
Sclerotherapy. This is ideal for patients who want to improve the look of their spider veins or minor varicose veins. During this procedure, your physician will inject a chemical solution into the abnormal vein. The solution may be saline, a liquid medical compound or foam. Some surgeons prefer to use an ultrasound device, which painlessly scans your internal vein structures and reflects them onto a screen so that your doctor can see the area in greater detail and clarity. The sclerosing solution tickles the vein walls, causing them to collapse and stick together, which creates a seal through which blood can no longer flow. Patients may need more than one sclerotherapy session in order to see improvement.
While each of these treatments go about treating vein disease in unique ways, they have quite a few commonalities. After the procedure, patients usually see an immediate improvement in their level of pain and discomfort, and you will see further improvement in the appearance of the veins and circulation as blood flow is redirected into healthier veins. All of these procedures are completed in your doctor’s office in less than an hour. They all use only local anesthetics, so even though you will be awake during the procedure, you will hardly feel anything and you won’t have to recover from the effects of a general anesthetic as you would with traditional surgery. Some patients may experience bruising at the injection sites or minimal scarring or bleeding for a couple days at the incision sites, but recovery is usually immediate. Patients are generally able to walk around again right away. The best thing of all is that these treatments are just as effective as more invasive surgeries.
When it comes to vein care in Chicago, patients can look forward to the latest and greatest in medical technology, education and care from the vein experts at Chicago Vein Care Center. Give us a call today at 773-283-7887. Our medical director, Dr. Ramon Castro, and his caring team look forward to hearing from you.