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3 Steps to Healthy Legs

            by Christina Teimouri, DPM

Step 1—

We gather information

Varicose veins are easy to see. However, to determine the location and extent of any valve damage, we perform tests at our ACR (American College of Radiology) accredited site using:

• Color duplex ultrasound scanning checks for any abnormalities in the structure of the vein and the blood flow through it.

• Doppler ultrasound test creates an image of the inside of the leg by using sound waves. This gives information about the direction of blood flow in the vein and can determine if the vein is refluxing.

Step 2—

Discuss your options

Do you suffer from:

• Swollen, aching legs
• Restless leg syndrome
• Itchiness, cramps, charlie horses
• Tired, heavy legs when standing
• Ropey, blue or purple lumps
• Bleeding during shaving

At the Advanced Vein Center, we offer many treatment options for problematic veins around the eyes, nose, hands, abdomen, thighs, calves, and even the pelvic area, that can cause pain and discomfort and heaviness in your back.

   By a certain age, varicose veins affect up to 30% of the population. Although these mostly occur in women because female hormones weaken the walls of the veins, however men can be affected too.

   Age or situations requiring a lot of sitting or standing, can increases your chances of forming varicose veins. Blood goes to your legs through arteries and returns to the

heart against gravity in your veins. During walking, the muscles around the veins in the legs pump the blood toward your heart. Valves in the veins keep the blood from going back down the legs. If these valves are not working properly, they leak and increase pressure like a backed up sink, blood then pools in the legs and the veins bulge and weaken, causing them to become varicose.

   Without treatment varicose veins get worse. The following symptoms may occur:

Venous Stasis Dermatitis - Brown or purple discoloration of the skin at the ankle.

Phlebitis - Inflammation or blockage of veins and calves that become painful and red.

Venous Ulcers - Blood leaks out of the varicose vein into the surrounding tissue causing the tissue to decline over time and break open.

Bleeding - Veins can bleed after shaving or bumping the leg.

You may not do anything more than wear compressive stockings. Or we may need to prescribe a more involved treatment plan for you including:

• External Laser Therapy is a cosmetic treatment for spider veins, and works magic on broken capillaries on the nose or noticeable veins in the face, thighs, and lower legs.

• Liquid or Foam Sclerotherapy is a small injection that closes the affected vein. Either liquid or foam is used according to the size of the vein. Sclerotherapy is a popular and effective treatment of problem veins around the eyes or on the hands, thighs and lower legs.

• Radio Frequency Ablation, also known as endovenous laser treatment, uses a high-frequency energy wave to heat the wall of the vein which causes it to close. This safe, quick, in-office procedure causes minimal irritation and causes no downtime. In fact, doctors encourage patients to resume normal activity immediately. Radio frequency ablation relieves swelling and other symptoms and prevents worsening of discoloration and bulging veins in the legs.

Step 3

Treatment

The Advanced Vein Center uses the latest technology to treat veins in a safe and comfortable way. Many of our treatments, which are performed by board-certified physicians specializing in vein care, are covered by most insurances.