Varicose Veins Treatment in Delhi, India

Common symptoms of Varicose veins include:

• Twisted, swollen, or lumpy veins
• Heavy legs, especially after physical activity
• Skin discolorations and ulcers
• Itching
• Swollen ankles
• Leg cramps while standing up
• Dark purple-colored veins
• Dilated & tortured veins
• Bleeding from leg
• Non-healing ulcer of the leg

Varicose veins occur when the wall of the veins weakens. Veins return the blood from the body to your heart so that it can be recirculated. Veins have tiny valves that open as the blood flows towards your heart and then close to prevent it from flowing backward.

If these valves are weakened or damaged, the blood could flow backward. This causes the veins to stretch or twist. Varicose veins usually occur in the legs, which are the farthest from the heart, and gravity makes it harder for the blood to flow upward. There could be some potential causes for varicose veins, including:

• Menopause
• Pregnancy
• Standing for a prolonged period
• Obesity
• Family history of varicose veins
• Age

Varicose veins can be classified into the following types:

1. Saphenous varicose veins: These varicose veins involve the saphenous veins in the legs. The veins swell up and become more significant than their intended size and bulge out from the skin. As a result, they appear very large and rope-like and are generally colorless.
   
2. Reticular varicose veins: The reticular varicose veins appear like a mesh and cover a wider area. The veins can be in red, purple, or green hues, and they don’t usually bulge out like saphenous varicose veins. It is usually 1-3 mm in size.
   
3. Spider veins: This is yet another type of varicose vein that is smaller in size and can occur anywhere on the body. Spider veins spread like a web shape and are generally thinner and smaller than other varicose veins. It is usually less than 1 mm in size.

In most cases of varicose veins, your doctor will recommend going for lifestyle changes. For example, if you are obese, then you should lose weight. Moreover, it would help if you did not sit or stand for a prolonged period. That said, if the condition is still causing you trouble, your doctor may recommend the following treatments:

1. Sclerotherapy: The doctor injects the veins with a solution or foam that scars and closes off the affected vein. A few weeks later, they should fade. The doctor may inject the solution more than once. It is indicated primarily for reticular & spider veins.
   
2. Laser treatment: This procedure is used to treat small varicose veins. In this procedure, the surgeon sends strong bursts of energy into the veins, making them disappear or fade slowly. During the laser treatment for varicose veins, there is no use of needles.
   
3. High ligation and vein stripping: This is an outpatient procedure in which the vein is tied off before it joins the deep veins and then removed surgically. Once the surgery is done, the patient needs to rest for one to three weeks and wear compression stockings for a speedy recovery.
   
4. Ambulatory phlebectomy:  In this procedure, the surgeon removes smaller varicose veins through a series of tiny skin punctures. It is indicated for below-knee perforations.
   
5. Endoscopic vein surgery: This procedure is performed on an outpatient basis. The surgeon uses a thin video camera inserted in your leg to locate and close varicose veins. The veins are then removed through small incisions.
   
6. Radiofrequency ablation: In this procedure, the varicose veins specialist makes a small incision either above or below the knee. The surgeon threads a narrow tube into the vein with the help of an ultrasound scan. The surgeon then inserts a probe into the catheter that emits radiofrequency energy. This heats the veins, which causes its walls to collapse and seals them shut.
   
7. Glue Embolisation: Glue embolisation is a painless procedure where glue is injected into the veins, embolisation is done to close the vein. The closure is around 94.5% at one year. The patient does not require to wear stockings after the procedure. It is a daycare procedure and the patient is discharged within a few hours.

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