Treatment of Varicose Veins

Many varicose vein cases may be dealt with by self help; however, if they are painful, sore or bleeding, or if they affect normal daily activities or sleep, patients may be advised to undergo surgical treatment.

1. Self Help

The following self-help measures can help to ease pain and prevent varicose veins from getting worse:

• avoiding long periods of standing or sitting
• elevating the legs
• exercising
• losing weight
• avoiding tight clothes

Relief from discomfort can also be given by support (or compression) stockings. These work by applying steady pressure to the legs, helping the veins and leg muscles to move blood more efficiently. The stockings should be worn all day, as soon as the patient gets out of bed. Although putting these tight stocking on can be quite difficult, particularly for those people with weak hands or arthritis, there are a number of devices designed to make this process easier.

Varicose veins that develop during pregnancy generally improve without medical treatment within three months after delivery.

2. Surgery

If a patient's varicose veins don't respond to self-help or if they're more severe, there are a number of other treatments available. These different options depend on the sufferer's general health and how severe their varicose veins are:

Injection Sclerotherapy

A small, isolated vein can be treated with a chemical injection, which makes it scar and close once and for all. The blood is then forced to reroute to healthier veins. Although these injections can improve the appearance of the skin, the legs may still ache. Several treatments may also be necessary to ensure the vein remains closed. patients will need to wear pressure bandages for up to six weeks after the injections.

Ligation and Stripping

In this procedure, surface veins are tied (ligation) and pulled out (stripping) through a number of small incisions in the groin and leg. This procedure is usually done under a general anaesthetic and requires a few days stay in hospital. After a few weeks, the deep leg veins will have fully taken over from the vein that was removed. This operation usually has excellent results and can be more effective than other methods in the long term.

Laser and Thermal Ablation

Small, thin varicose veins may be closed off with laser or heat treatment (laser or thermal ablation). This works by sending strong bursts of light or heat onto the vein, which makes the it slowly fade and disappear. No incisions or needles are used.