Vein Care - Getting Rid of Your Veins

The veins in your legs and feet work against gravity to return blood to the heart. Weak or damaged valves can lead to enlarged, twisted and bumpy varicose veins. These bulging, blue or purple-colored veins appear near the surface of the skin and may cause discomfort and pain. Center for Advanced Vein Care treatments can help eliminate these veins and ease the symptoms they cause.

The first step is to get medical treatment if your varicose or spider veins are causing pain and discomfort. Your doctor will examine your legs and visible veins to diagnose them, and might order an ultrasound test or a venogram. These tests use sound waves or a special dye to check blood flow through your veins.

Your doctor can also recommend simple self-care treatments that might help you relieve the pain of your varicose or spider veins. These might include wearing compression stockings, elevating your legs when sitting or lying down and avoiding crossing your legs. Regular exercise, especially brisk walking, might improve your circulation and tone your leg muscles to keep blood moving through them. And keeping hydrated by drinking water or fluids might help your body move blood more easily through the veins.

In some cases, your doctor might recommend a minimally invasive vein procedure to remove the varicose or spider veins. In this procedure, a thin tube is put into your vein through a small cut at the ankle or knee. Then energy from radio waves or a laser (radiofrequency ablation or endovenous laser treatment) is used to heat your varicose or spider vein, closing it off so that blood can't flow through it anymore. This procedure is performed in a hospital or clinic and usually requires local anesthesia.

If you do decide to have a minimally invasive vein treatment to get rid of your varicose or spider veins, it's important to find the right physician for you. Look for a specialist who is trained in this area and has experience performing the procedure. Many of these procedures are performed by dermatologists, interventional radiologists and vascular surgeons based in hospitals or medical centers. Some are also offered in specialized vein treatment centers.

Vein treatments are sometimes covered by insurance, but it's best to ask your insurer about the specifics of your plan. If you have a condition like chronic venous insufficiency, which might require treatment of your varicose or spider veins to reduce your symptoms, your insurance might cover it. But if you're getting the treatment just to make your legs look better, it's probably not considered "medically necessary," and your insurance might not cover it. In that case, you might be able to find a less expensive option or pay for it out of pocket.