If you are starting to see spider veins and varicose veins on your lower limbs or have been experiencing aching or tired legs, you may be dealing with a vein disease. Take note of the signs and symptoms you are experiencing, then click HERE to make an appointment at a vein treatment center with a specialist in venous medicine. This will help minimize damage to the veins and prevent further problems down the road.

Be sure to make an appointment at a vein center at a convenient location near you, so if you are located in New York, look for a “vein center in NYC” for easy access and travel to your appointment. 

Check-In

When you get to the vein center, you will be asked to check in with the administrative staff, who will get your insurance information, identification, etc. Before you book your appointment, you will have an opportunity on the Vein Treatment Center website to check your insurance coverage for treatment, but more often than not, the procedure comes under health insurance coverage, including Medicare.

Questionnaire

At your appointment, you will be asked to answer a few questions in regards to your symptoms, lifestyle, and medical history to help your vein doctor better understand your condition, identify the root cause, and develop an individualized treatment plan.

Some questions could include:

• What are the signs of vein disease that you are experiencing?

Spider veins, varicose veins, and stasis dermatitis are signs of vein disease.  These symptoms will escalate with time until the venous insufficiency that is causing them is treated, so arrange an appointment with a vein center as soon as you encounter them.

• What are the symptoms of vein disease you are experiencing?

Some symptoms of vein disease include heaviness or aching legs, leg fatigue or cramping, swelling in the feet or ankles, or varicose veins and spider veins

• How old are you?

Natural wear and tear on the valves of your veins occurs as you age, increasing the risk of contracting vein disease over time.

• Do you have a family history of vein disease?

You have a 90% risk of contracting vein disease if either of your parents have vein disease, and there are many contributing genetic factors for vein disease.

• Do you have a medical history of blood clots?

If you’ve already had blood clots between your legs, you’re more likely to have venous insufficiency. The valves of the veins may be seriously impaired by these clots, also known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

• Are you pregnant?

Pregnancy increases your risk of vein disease due to changes in hormone levels, blood volume, and blood pressure. Female hormones such as estrogen or progesterone relax vein walls, which reduces blood pressure and can lead to venous insufficiency.

• What do you do for a living?

If your occupation or daily activities require you to sit or stand for long periods of time, it can put you at greater risk of vein disease.

• What are your diet and exercise habits?

Carrying excess weight puts too much strain on the veins, resulting in spider veins and varicose veins. Increased estrogen levels are also caused by fat deposits, which relaxes and enlarges vein walls, making them more noticeable on the skin’s surface.

Diagnosis

At your appointment at a vein treatment center, the vein doctor will check your large and small saphenous veins for issues with the valves. These problems may cause venous insufficiency, or blood flow in the wrong direction.

The doctor will most likely do a Duplex ultrasound imaging exam, which takes approximately 30 minutes. It produces images of blood vessels that appear on a screen display attached to the transducer, which is non-invasive so there is no radiation or drug injection.

Treating the Root Cause – Saphenous Veins

The diagnostic scam will help the vein doctor develop an individualized treatment plan, and most vein disease treatment plans begin with the closure of saphenous veins, which feed all other veins. Previously, the only method for treating varicose and spider veins was surgery, but technological advances have made it easier to treat varicose and spider veins with minimally invasive procedures.

Minimally invasive treatment requires just a tiny incision instead of a large surgical opening, meaning both the procedure and recovery take less time. VenaSeal, Radiofrequency Ablation, and Varithena are some of the vein care options available, and they all serve to close off the diseased vein and redirect blood flow through healthy veins.

Treating Spider Veins

To treat the appearance of spider veins, most vein specialists use sclerotherapy, which is another minimally-invasive treatment. The medicine used in Sclerotherapy is called a sclerosant, and is injected by a vein doctor into the damaged veins to seal them off, eventually rerouting blood into healthier veins to promote better circulation. Over time, the parts of the vein injected with medicine will shrink due to a lack of blood flow. This reduces the appearance of spider veins, and the closed vein is eventually reabsorbed into the body.

Recovery

Minimally-invasive treatments actually have little to no recovery time, because the needles are small and cause little to no pain, so there is no anesthesia involved. You can return to work, school, or home immediately after your appointment at the vein center, and resume normal activities without skipping a beat. Not only do all of the minimally invasive treatments only take an hour or less, but the treatment works quickly as well.

If you are ready to get started on your vein treatment journey, you now know exactly what to expect, from the diagnostic evaluation to check for valve damage and venous sufficiency to the treatment and recovery. Book your appointment at the Vein Treatment Center New York in Manhattan or Long Island and go into your appointment at a vein center in NYC feeling more prepared and informed about your diagnosis and treatment options!