Varicose veins can be unsightly. Above and beyond their cosmetic appearance, however, they can lead to swollen legs and ankles, leg pain and leg fatigue – not what you need this busy fall season.
Largely the result of aging and heredity, veins can lose their elasticity and become enlarged and prominent, leading to the development of varicose veins. The good news is that several new, minimally invasive treatments are available to safely and effectively eliminate varicose veins – more quickly and effectively than before. These procedures include highly specialized techniques such as sclerotherapy, endovenous laser treatment and microphlebectomy. Flower Mound vascular doctor, Dr. Robert Handley, is highly skilled and experienced in all of these modalities. No general anesthesia is required. All procedures are performed on an outpatient basis and patients are often back to work the following day.
What Flower Mound Residents Should Know About Vein Disease
The veins of our bodies are responsible for returning blood from our organs and tissues back to the heart. Blood from the legs must ascend against the force of gravity from our legs up to the level of the heart. Normally, our leg muscles contract and help to propel the blood upward. In addition, there are one-way valves within the veins that normally prevent the blood from backing up or reversing direction. When these valves malfunction, blood tends to pool or stagnate in the lower legs. The backup of venous blood increases the pressure against the vein walls and causes them to stretch. This process results in the formation of varicose veins. The increased pressure in the veins is also transmitted backward to the tissues themselves. The blood vessels in the tissues are very small and fragile. The increased pressure causes them to burst or rupture. When they rupture, they form a “sunburst” or “spider web” pattern. This is the reason they are called spider veins.
How You Can Get Last Year’s Legs Back This Fall
When conservative therapies such as exercise, diet, weight control and supportive leg garments are insufficient in controlling the symptoms of varicose veins and spider veins, minimally invasive surgical procedures are highly effective in eliminating them. One of the best vein doctors in Texas, Dr. Handley, offers several kinds of vein disease treatment in Flower Mound. Sclerotherapy refers to the injection of an irritant solution into the diseased vein. This causes the vein to close and disappear. Endovenous laser therapy uses an optical fiber placed within the diseased vein to apply laser energy to the interior walls of the diseased vein which, again, causes the vein to snap shut. Radiofrequency ablation uses radio-frequency energy to cause the vein to shrink and seal closed. Microphlebectomy is the surgical removal of varicose vein clusters through small skin incisions. The Flower Mound Vein Center offers professional, compassionate and affordable vein care. Their courteous and capable staff is available to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Dr. Handley urges sufferers of vein disease not to delay treatment. Unfortunately, vein disease is progressive, and early intervention promises the best results. Please contact the center at 972-410-5757 to meet with Dr. Handley for an initial consultation – and get last year’s legs back fast!
