Best Venous Insufficiency Test Available
Are you afraid that you might have venous insufficiency?
Since you’re reading this article, it’s possible that you are. Perhaps you’re afraid that you have venous insufficiency because you have spider veins or varicose veins. Maybe you’re concerned because your legs have started feeling heavy.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency is a serious vein disease in which natural blood circulation in the legs is obstructed. This occurs when your vein valves malfunction, causing your blood to pool in the veins below the valves.
Venous Insufficiency is an extremely under-diagnosed disease because its signs and symptoms often resemble signs of aging.
However, if left untreated and undiagnosed, venous insufficiency can be extremely dangerous. It can lead to bleeding, skin infections, ulcers, and even death (possibly) under extreme circumstances.
If you are even slightly concerned that you might have venous insufficiency, you should take no risks. Consult a local vein specialist in NY or vein specialist in NJ immediately so you can be tested.
In this article, we will explore who’s the best candidate for a chronic venous insufficiency test and which is the best and most accurate venous insufficiency test available.
Am I the Right Candidate for a Chronic Venous Insufficiency Test?
You should go for a venous insufficiency test if you have recently started experiencing one of the following signs or symptoms:
- Considerable development of spider veins may be an indication of underlying venous insufficiency.
- Development of varicose veins is a sure sign of venous insufficiency.
- Discoloration of the skin with red and brown stains and patches.
- Non-healing or slow-healing ulcers and wounds on your legs.
- Sudden heaviness and aching in the legs.
- A gentle throbbing sensation in the legs.
- Restless leg syndrome.
- Swelling experienced in the legs and ankles.
These symptoms will usually be worse at the end of the day, especially if you’ve spent most of the day sitting or standing still.
Anyone with significant spider veins or varicose veins is a good candidate for a venous insufficiency test.
If you have a medical history of blood clots in the legs, you are a lot more likely to experience venous reflux, which, in turn, leads to venous insufficiency. In this case, even if you experience one of the seemingly harmless or mild symptoms of vein disease, you are a good candidate for a chronic venous insufficiency test and you should go to a vein treatment clinic immediately.
The Necessity of Chronic Venous Insufficiency Test
Going for a chronic venous insufficiency test is extremely important for the following reasons:
- Feeling Self-Conscious: Venous insufficiency can lead to serious varicose veins that look ugly, causing increasing self-consciousness. Most patients with varicose veins report a desire to avoid going to parties, beaches, or to socialize in general.
- Unstoppable Bleeding: If you have venous insufficiency, even the tiniest of scratches can lead to profuse unstoppable bleeding for which you need to go to an emergency room.
- Skin Conditions: Venous insufficiency can lead to terribly unappealing and uncomfortable skin conditions like eczema, leg ulcers, a stiffness of skin, and many others.
- Deep Vein Thrombosis: This is the most dangerous risk associated with venous insufficiency. Basically, if you have venous insufficiency, blood clots may form in your veins. If these blood clots break, they can get carried to your lungs. This can lead to a potentially life-threatening condition called pulmonary embolism.
- Return of Spider Veins: Some people treat their spider veins without addressing the underlying venous insufficiency. This is a temporary band-aid solution. If you don’t detect and address the underlying venous insufficiency, the spider veins will simply return no matter how many times you get rid of them.
For all of the aforementioned reasons, it is absolutely necessary to go for a chronic venous insufficiency test even if you have minor surface spider veins or a few seemingly harmless signs of vein disease.
Best Clinical Tests for Venous Insufficiency
There are a number of clinical tests for venous insufficiency available. These are some of the most popular tests.
Duplex Ultrasound
Duplex Ultrasound is the most effective venous insufficiency test available.
It combines Doppler (to determine the speed and direction of blood flow) with traditional ultrasound to produce a visual image of the veins.
The duplex ultrasound test for venous insufficiency takes less than 30 minutes. There is no radiations or injections involved and it’s completely painless.
In 99% of the cases, this is the only venous insufficiency test necessary.
Magnetic Resonance Venogram
Magnetic Resonance Venogram is a form of MRI scan that can be used to detect venous insufficiency. It is more invasive than duplex ultrasound because the patient needs to be anesthetized and an IV is inserted into the vein.
This venous insufficiency test takes approximately 60 minutes.
CT Venogram
CT Venogram is a venous insufficiency test conducted via X-rays. This test is also fairly invasive because a contrast dye needs to be injected into the patient’s veins via an IV.
This chronic venous insufficiency test takes around 45 minutes. It is rarely used because duplex ultrasound is usually enough to detect venous insufficiency.
The Best Clinic for Venous Insufficiency Test
Duplex Ultrasound is the venous insufficiency test of choice in most cases. However, in some rare cases, one of the other tests may be necessary.
In order to get tested for venous insufficiency, you should go to a well-reputed vein treatment clinic that favors non-invasive tests over the more invasive alternatives.
At VIP Medical Group, we have a number of Ivy-league educated vein specialists that can diagnose venous insufficiency using the most effective and non-invasive tests available.
As we have already mentioned, venous insufficiency often goes undiagnosed and that can be very dangerous. So if you notice any signs or symptoms of venous insufficiency, book an appointment with your local vein specialist today!