“My Doctors Told Me Not To Worry About My Veins”
Many patients who come with more advanced venous disease tell us that their physicians told them to not worry about their spider veins and varicose veins until they became severe.
There are a number of problems with waiting until your vein and leg symptoms worsen before seeking help. Here is what can happen:
- Your problem gets worse.
- Visible spider veins, bulging varicose veins and leg swelling become more pronounced.
- Leg pain, heaviness, cramps, fatigue and restless legs progress.
- As your symptoms get worse, you become less active.
- Inactivity leads to deterioration in your health, as you begin to gain weight.
- Weight gain adds pressure to your veins increasing your risk for other health concerns.
- Over time, your risk of skin problems (including ulcers), blood clots and bleeding veins increase.
In light of these findings does taking a “wait and see” approach make sense to you?
“I Thought It Was a Cosmetic Problem”
A common misconception is that varicose veins are only a cosmetic problem. You may have family with varicose veins or spider veins who never sought treatment. Maybe they did not understand that it was more than a cosmetic concern and that their insurance covers varicose vein treatments. Others did not understand that new minimally invasive treatments were now available for vein care.
Varicose veins are a medical condition affecting your health and quality of life. They should never be minimized as a health consequence. Quality of life matters!
Second, treatments have improved tremendously. Minimally invasive procedures can treat or remove the affected veins with little-to-no downtime. We use gentle local anesthesia and choose the best option to treat your diseased veins. Procedures are office based and walk in walk out. The VSS Protocol offers convenient treatments with long lasting results.
“I Didn’t Think Insurance Would Cover It”
Cost is a valid concern. It may surprise you that most insurance covers treatment for venous disease. They understand that early treatment can prevent more serious and costly care in the future.
If you do not have insurance, a health savings account may be used. We also offer financing for vein treatments in our practice. We believe no patient should be denied care due to an inability to pay. Please do not hesitate to reach out.
“I Wasn’t Worried About My Veins Until…”
Patients often tell us they weren’t worried about their veins, until something happened which made the condition unbearable. The most common reasons people give for seeking care include:
- I don’t feel comfortable wearing shorts or my swimsuit.
- My leg pain keeps me from playing with my children and grandchildren.
- I had to stop playing my favorite sports.
- My leg pain was affecting my work.
- I had to stop exercising.
- Restless legs and cramping keep me from sleeping.
These are great reasons to seek care. However, some patients wait until something even more severe happens.
Varicose Veins and Blood Clots
Recent clinical studies report that patients with untreated VV have an increased risk of blood clots in the legs (DVT). If the clot breaks free, it can travel to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE). Since 50% of patients with DVT are asymptomatic your first symptom may be a life-threatening PE.
Why wait until you have a blood clot in your leg or lungs to see a vein specialist? Living a healthy lifestyle and having your venous disease evaluated and treated can lower your risks of DVT/PE while improving your quality of life.
Vein Injury and Bleeding
If your bulging varicose veins are under high pressure, a simple bump or scratch can cause bleeding. If you treat your veins prior to such advanced bulging, you won’t have to worry about a simple accident causing severe bleeding.
Don’t Wait! In case you do wait and suffer a bleeding vein remain calm. Lay down, raise your leg above the level of your heart, apply direct pressure at the site of bleeding and call for help. If no help is available continue with elevation, pressure and call 911. In most cases a compression wrap is applied and left in place for at least 24-48 hours while you are referred to a vein specialist for further treatment.
If You Have Symptoms, We Can Help!
Whether it’s leg heaviness and aches or you have large, bulging varicose veins, you shouldn’t have to live with the discomfort, pain, and risk associated with venous disease. Our team of vein specialists have been here for over two decades offering focused evaluation and treatment of venous disease using conservative care and minimally invasive procedures with little-to-no downtime.
Don’t wait “until…” After all, as founding father, Benjamin Franklin, once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” What does this mean? It means that preventing or treating an ailment before it becomes severe is easier, faster, and less expensive than waiting “until” it gets worse.
