Treating varicose veins
How are varicose veins treated?
There are now many treatments for varicose veins. We will examine the pros and cons of each below. No one treatment is right for everyone. The procedure or combination of procedures recommended by your specialist will be based upon the extent of your specific condition and your overall health and age. The specialist will usually recommend an ultrasound examination to assess the severity and extent of your vein disease, many of which may not be visible on the surface of the leg. Without an accurate ultrasound picture of your veins we cannot determine the source of the problem or treat it very effectively.
Is it OK to remove the veins?
Many people ask whether it is alright to remove the veins because they worry how it may affect their circulation. In fact removing the leaking veins often makes the circulation more efficient. There are 2 sets of veins in the legs, the superficial ones (dark blue) that become varicose veins and the much larger deep veins (light blue) that run near the bones in the leg.
These deep veins carry the majority of blood out of the leg. In patients with varicose veins the blood goes up the deep veins as normal but then leaks backwards down the superficial veins – this is obviously not very efficient.
These varicose veins are therefore contributing nothing to the normal circulation, in fact they’re making it worse, and so it is safe to remove them.
