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There is a common misconception that varicose veins are nothing more than a cosmetic injustice, a flaw. This fallacy certainly did not come from one of the 25 million Americans that are afflicted with Venous Reflux Disease also known as Venous Insufficiency or most commonly stated, Varicose Veins. To give a better understanding to this diagnosis the veins purpose in the circulatory system is to carry the blood to the heart. There are tiny valves that will keep the blood from flowing backwards. When the vein becomes diseased, worn out, or broke, the valve flops back and forth allowing a backflow of blood that ends up laying stagnant in the vein causing it to bulge. The primary symptoms of varicose veins are a heaviness in the legs that feels like a short flight of steps cannot be climbed. The legs can ache, throb, and cramp while some will have a burning or itching accompanied with fatigue or tiredness in the muscles as if you've worked out all day. To touch the site of a varicose vein can be warm, like it has a fever all its own. Your legs can be bruised or discoloured. Even the texture of that area can feel different. Women are more at risk than men because of hormonal changes pre-menstrual, through menopause, and the use of the birth control pill. High-risk individuals should avoid heavy lifting and standing for long periods of time. Obesity and even a mature age can be a culprit. All men and women are not created equal! Some of our systems wear out quicker than others. Treatment for Venous Reflux varies with the severity of the disease. The plan of treatment for milder case of Venous Insufficiency could include dieting, an exercise program, avoid long periods of standing, keeping legs elevated as much as possible and wearing compression stockings as ordered by the physician. For the more severe varicose vein cases, a minimally invasive surgical procedure may be necessary. For many years the procedure used was vein stripping and although it had a good success rate the procedure is now obsolete. Vein stripping required general anaesthesia while the surgeon surgically strips the vein from the patient's leg. The patient experienced substantial bruising, swelling, pain, and pressure accompanied by a lengthy recovery period. There are few treatment options to note for the relief of varicose veins. The most positively noted procedure is performed with a local anaesthetic, and on an out-patient basis. The VNUS ClosureFAST catheter is the only radiofrequency device on the market today. This technique is extremely successful and practically painless and less traumatic on the patient.
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