Summer is a time for shorts and bathing suits to help beat the heat. On the other hand, any time of year is good for a ,little black dress. If you have varicose veins or spider veins, however, you may feel uncomfortable wearing these wardrobe staples. Or you may actually be having uncomfortable symptoms. These are all good reasons to visit a vein clinic. Here’s how a vein clinic might be helpful if you need varicose veins treated or spider vein removal, courtesy of Dr. Ken Stevens, at Premier Heart and Vein Care in San Luis Obispo, California.
What’s a Vein Clinic?
A vein clinic is a combination doctor’s office and treatment center. The focus is on the outpatient treatment of vein disease and related problems. Typical services include diagnostic procedures like Veinlite to find and map veins, or heart and vascular procedures like carotid ultrasounds and electrocardiograms. Most vein clinics offer treatments for varicose veins as well as spider vein removal with what are known as non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures. These procedures take only an hour or two and you can then go home to resume normal activities the same day or shortly thereafter.
What Conditions are Treated in a Vein Clinic?
The two most common conditions treated in a vein clinic are spider veins and varicose veins. The two conditions are actually the same thing; spider veins are just smaller and are found on the surface of the legs or face. Both result from the failure of tiny tissue flaps inside the veins called valves. The valves help prevent blood from flowing backward in between heartbeats. Varicose veins may cause symptoms like burning or a sensation of tiredness in the legs, but spider veins rarely cause symptoms. However, spider veins do affect your appearance, especially when located on the face. Some vein clinics also treat other vascular conditions related to the heart.
What Treatments are Available?
Every vein clinic is different and may offer different services. The two most common treatments are sclerotherapy and laser therapy, which are used for smaller varicose and spider veins. A special solution that irritates the veins is injected during a sclerotherapy procedure. This makes the veins swell and then collapse. Pressure dressings or elastic stockings are applied to make the vein scar closed. Laser therapy acts in a similar fashion but high-intensity energy is what causes the irritation, swelling and collapse of the veins. Another procedure is Venaseal, which uses a special adhesive to seal the vein closed. All of these procedures use only local anesthesia. Recovery time is short and, with the exception of vigorous exercise, you can usually resume your normal activities within a day or so.
No matter what your vein problems, a vein clinic offers state-of-the-art treatments and diagnostic procedures. The procedures can be performed at the clinic and take only a few hours at most. Please contact us if you have questions or to schedule an appointment.
