There are several methods of treating varicose veins, the choice depends on the advancement of the disease, the doctor's assessment, the patient's condition and your decision. However, only surgery can guarantee that you will get rid of varicose veins once and for all.
Medicines - support other methodstreatment of varicose veins , reduce the severity of symptoms and delay the development of the disease. Even if they are available over the counter, we should consult a doctor. They strengthenveinsand seal their walls, improve blood circulation in the capillaries, and have anti-inflammatory properties. They can be in the form of tablets or oral drops or in the form of ointments and gels.
Graduated compression ( kompresjoterapia ) - consists in uneven, decreasing from foot to groin compression of the leg with special elastic stockings or compression tights or with a special pressure band (bandage). It works well in the prevention of varicose veins and when they are small and in people who do not want or cannot undergo injections or surgery, as well as after operations. Put on tights or a bandage before getting out of bed. The tights have four compression classes, before you buy them, measure your leg circumference very carefully at different levels to find the correct size.
Obliteration (sclerotherapy) - is the injection of one of the special preparations into varicose veins with a thin needle, causing inflammation of the vein walls. After the injection, the varicose veins become painful and hard - the symptoms disappear after a few days. The vein becomes overgrown, the blood stops flowing and the varicose veins gradually disappear - the blood flowing through it is intercepted by the surrounding surface veins. After a dozen or so hours, you can return to normal life. About 15 percent patients may develop discoloration at the injection sites. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat the procedure. The downside is that often the problem comes back after a while.
Operation- is the most effective method of treating varicose veins. It is performed when varicose veins are very extensive, grow in size despite the use of other treatments, they are very disfiguring, bleeding, ulcerative, filled with blood clots and inflamed. The number of cuts depends on the size of the varicose veins and their location. Unfortunately, even after the best performed surgery, recurrences occur in about 40 percent of those operated on. Their cause is the appearance of valve regurgitation in the veins, which were still he althy at the time of the operation. Thoughthe descriptions below are quite drastic, in fact, varicose veins surgeries are not very painful, they are most often performed under epidural anesthesia. There are many methods that can be used to do this.
Saphenous vein stripping (Babcock's method)- this is the most commonly used method. The surgeon makes two incisions, one in the groin and one in the ankle area, and inserts a stripper in the shape of a thin cable or thread into the groin vein. It moves it to the level of the ankle, where it comes out through the second small incision. He then attaches it to the end of the diseased vein and pulls it out. It requires a short hospitalization, during which the patient begins to walk quickly. After the surgery, the incisions are not sutured but closed with plasters or single stitches, which leaves small, non-blemishing scars.
The cryosurgical method (freezing)differs from the Babcock method in that a probe is inserted into the vein, which can be cooled. After it cools down, the varicose veins stick to it and they can be easily removed or left, because freezing damages the vein, which leads to its overgrowth. Similarly, but with the use of high temperature, the method of coagulation works - the probe inserted into the vein heats up, the walls of the vein are damaged and the vessel becomes overgrown with time.
Laser- allows to close the lumen of a large vein without making incisions on the skin, which is impossible to obtain with traditional methods. Immediately after the procedure, the patient can stand up and walk - there is no need to lie down or be hospitalized.
ImportantSpider veins (telangiectasias) are capillaries in the skin widened to a diameter of about 1 mm. They most often appear on the upper half of the lower leg and lower thighs. They are not painful, sometimes itchy, and extremely rarely break, causing little bleeding. They are not dangerous, but are often the first symptom of chronic venous disease (CVD). They are eliminated by obliteration (injection) or with a laser.