Sclerotherapy – Painless and Effective Treatment for Varicose Veins

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• Sclerotherapy Painless and Effective Treatment
  for Varicose Veins

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According to medical research statistics,
varicose veins affect 3 out of every 10 people
around the world. Thankfully, advances in medical
practices now enable these people to choose from
different, non-surgical procedures designed to
diminish the appearance of varicose veins. So
here is a look into some of these innovative
procedures.
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What causes varicose veins? As a result of
weakening of valves in superficial veins, blood
is not properly emptied from the vein. Over time,
the pressure within this vein increases, leading
to stretching of vein walls and making the vein
look knotted right under the skin. This condition
is known as varicose veins.
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Non-invasive treatment options for varicose veins
involve endovenous sclerotherapy for varicose
veins, ultra sound assisted foam sclerotherapy
and endovenous laser ablation. Compared to
conventional surgeries, these procedures have
several advantages that include Outpatient
treatment so that no hospital stay is involved
Local anesthetic No damage to nerves or
lymphatic system No large incisions and
therefore no risk of scars Immediately resume
normal physical activities
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Understanding sclerotherapy Endovenous
sclerotherapy for varicose veins simply refers to
the procedure of injecting a chemical known as
sclerosant to reduce the appearance of varicose
veins. Sodium tetradecyl sulphate, that is often
used as sclerosant, is available in different
strengths based on the size of varicose vein to
be treated. The sclerosant results in
inflammation of vein walls, leading to the
collapse of these veins. Over time, the vein
gradually shrinks until it is nothing more than a
thin thread under the skin.
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Another version of this treatment is ultra sound
guided foam sclerotherapy (UGS). Instead of the
sclerosant being directly injected into the vein,
the chemical is agitated with water to form foam
and then guided by ultrasound - injected in the
case of foam sclerotherapy. This version produces
better results than conventional sclerotherapy,
especially when it comes to recurrent treatment
or treating larger varicose veins. An average of
two treatment sessions is usually necessary to
reduce the size of veins, with each session
consisting up to six injections.
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How effective are these treatments? Before the
treatment, tell the eyelid surgery doctor at
Westminster about your medical issues, allergies,
recent illness and details of medications if you
are taking any. You will probably be advised not
to take anti inflammatory drugs or aspirin.
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Do not expect the veins to shrink in size almost
instantly. Depending on the size and number of
varicose veins, you may have to go in for more
than two treatment sessions. With each session,
the veins will visibly shrink in size. Since
the procedures usually involve the use of local
anesthetic, you can go home the same day.
However, doctors advice against driving on the
day of the procedure since you may experience
visual problems. Although some people may face
side effects such as inflammation and
discoloration, these effects usually clear up
with a few weeks.
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