The Vein Center at Lam Vascular & Associates
What’s at the top of your holiday wish list this year? After such a challenging 2020, many of us are choosing to focus on the things that really matter; things like good health, quality time with those we love and planning for a better future.
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who deal with varicose and spider veins, you know this issue can affect all those areas. From your health and ability to be as active as you’d like to be to your level of comfort and confidence, varicose veins can rob you.
According to The National Center for Biotechnology Information, it is estimated that 20% of all adults will develop varicose veins at some point in their lives. And while they’re commonly a cosmetic concern, varicose veins can also be debilitating, causing leg pain, burning and swelling.
The Vein Center at Lam Vascular & Associates is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated entirely to the diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment of venous conditions. At The Vein Center, we know veins. We are your go-to for helping you fully understand your options and, with guidance from our team of specialists, choose the right varicose vein treatment for you.
What’s the Difference Between Spider Veins and Varicose Veins?
Spider veins are small broken capillaries close to the surface of the skin. They are mostly cosmetic in nature and rarely cause pain. Varicose veins or CVI (Chronic Venous Insufficiency), on the other hand, can cause leg swelling and pain, are larger (usually more than a quarter-inch in diameter), situated deeper under the skin and often bulge outward. They can be related to more serious vein disorders.
More than a cosmetic concern, varicose veins should not be covered up and ignored. Left untreated, they can cause significant discomfort, including pain, burning and swelling. They also pose significant risks to your health.
Varicose Veins: The Whole Story
Your veins have one-way valves to properly regulate blood flow back to the heart and lungs. When those valves are faulty, blood may leak backward and begin to collect or “pool” in the veins, causing varicose veins. Over time, varicose veins can lead to chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a more serious condition, where it becomes increasingly harder for the leg veins to pump blood back to the heart.
Symptoms of varicose veins can include:
- Large, very visible veins just under the skin’s surface
- Swelling in the lower legs or ankles
- Heavy or tired feeling in the legs
- Leg cramping, pain
- Achy or itchy sensation
- Changes in skin color and texture
- Development of sores, ulcers or open wounds
Anyone can develop varicose veins, but certain groups are more at risk, including women, those over the age of 60, those who are medically obese, anyone who stands or sits for long periods of time and those with a family history of varicose veins. In some cases, trauma to the leg can also cause varicose veins.
Varicose veins are diagnosed during a physical exam at The Vein Center. Your doctor will take a medical history, examine your legs and ask you to describe the pain and other symptoms. Additional noninvasive testing may be ordered, such as a venous doppler ultrasound, which can evaluate blood flow in the veins and identify whether there are blood clots and blockages.
Advanced Varicose Vein Treatment
At The Vein Center at Lam Vascular & Associates, we use advanced diagnostic testing and the very latest, proven methods for treating varicose veins. Our state-of-the-art center is completely dedicated to your vein health.
Heidi is a hard-working nurse who was dealing with leg pain after a long shift on her feet. She just assumed it was work-related, but an evaluation with Dr. Lam revealed significant venous insufficiency. After an in-office procedure called EVLT (more on that below), Heidi couldn’t believe how much better she felt! Read her full success story here.
Advances in technology have allowed for several minimally invasive treatments that enjoy excellent success rates and outcomes while offering you the comfort, confidentiality and convenience of an outpatient experience. Depending on the severity of your condition, we may recommend one of the following in-office procedures.
Endovenous Laser Ablation Therapy (EVLT)
The EVLT procedure is performed most often on veins that are relatively straight and untwisted. Using ultrasound to see, your Lam Vascular surgeon guides a catheter through the affected vein. A laser at the end of the catheter heats the walls of the vein, which closes it. This causes blood to stop flowing through the vein. As your body recovers after the procedure, circulation improves since blood is not flowing through a faulty vein, and the problem vein shrinks and fades.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is often the treatment of choice for small varicose veins. It involves injecting a solution directly into the vein, causing the vein to collapse and forcing blood to reroute through healthier veins. The collapsed vein is reabsorbed into local tissue and eventually fades. After sclerotherapy, treated veins tend to fade within a few weeks to a month or more. In some instances, additional treatments may be needed.
Your Next Step Matters
How do healthy legs for the holidays sound? Gift yourself or someone you love with a consultation at The Vein Center at Lam Vascular & Associates. Schedule today, and be sure to ask about our cash pay discount for individuals without insurance coverage and our Friends and Family Program.
