Treatment Options for Varicose Veins: From Conservative to Surgical

Dr. Scott Grover and the staff at Cache Valley Surgical Consultants serve the community in and around North Logan, UT, offering comprehensive care for varicose veins, symptoms of venous insufficiency, wounds, and more.

What Are Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are veins, usually in the legs, which have become swollen and twisted. These veins normally lie directly beneath the skin and patients may be unhappy with their appearance. Varicose veins may be flesh-colored, red, or blue, often resembling small bulging lines beneath the skin.

Varicose veins may be accompanied by symptoms such as:

• Swelling and itching
• Throbbing, tiredness, or heaviness in the legs
• General leg discomfort

 These symptoms may be exacerbated by long periods of sitting or standing.

What Causes Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are caused by an accumulation of blood in the legs that puts too much pressure on the veins, causing them to stretch and bulge. This happens when the one-way valves in the veins stop functioning properly and some blood is left behind in the legs.

Patients are more likely to develop varicose veins if they are:

• Older
• Female
• Overweight
• Sit or stand for long periods
• Users of hormonal birth control medication
• Smokers
• Pregnant
• Someone with prior leg injuries
• Someone with a family history of varicose veins

What Are the Treatment Options for Varicose Veins?

If your varicose veins are not too severe, and you have mild symptoms, then you may opt for conservative at-home interventions including:

• Lifestyle changes
• Compression stockings
• Keeping your feet up to help the blood flow back to your heart

Surgical Interventions for Varicose Veins

Dr. Grover at Cache Valley Surgical Consultants is board certified in general surgery and holds a secondary certification in wound care. With advancements in medical technology, patients in North Logan, UT, can have varicose veins treated or removed in several different, minimally invasive ways.

The methodology relies on the severity of your varicose veins, the accompanying symptoms, your medical history, and general preference, but some options include:

• Endovenous ablation: a local anesthetic procedure performed using thermal ablation to close the vein, after which the body will reabsorb it
• Chemical adhesive: also performed with a local anesthetic using an adhesive to close the vein so that blood can no longer move through it.
• Microphlebectomy: a small surgical procedure to remove the varicose vein. It may be paired with endovenous ablation when required.
• Sclerotherapy: a chemical ablation procedure to force the collapse and reabsorption of affected veins.

Contact Details

For expert surgical care for varicose veins in North Logan, UT, from conservative to surgical, look no further than Dr. Grover at Cache Valley Surgical Consultants. To learn more about the surgical services we provide, call us today at (435) 752-7122.