Utah varicose vein treatment is easier than ever. With a combination of three simple, in-office procedures; varicose vein treatment can you get you back to enjoying life’s simple pleasures. As with any medical procedure there are some restrictions following treatment. Fortunately, you may return to most daily activities the day of treatment!

Post-procedure restrictions depend on what varicose vein treatment has been performed. For all procedures, walking is encouraged. Walking keeps blood moving through normally functioning veins. This reduces the already small risk of developing blood clots. You will also need to wear a compression stocking on the treated leg for one week following each procedure. You may resume most daily activities with a few restrictions.

RF and Laser Ablations

After either radio frequency or laser ablation procedures, it is important to avoid strenuous exercise or activities for at least a week following the procedure. This includes jogging, running, cycling, crunches, etc. The increased pressure caused by bearing down can push blood into the treated vein, causing the treatment to fail. For this same reason, you need to avoid lifting anything over 20 pounds. There will be a small incision in your leg where the vein was accessed. It is important to keep this clean and dry after the procedure. After two days you may shower but soaking the treated leg should be avoided for 7 days following the procedure.

Ambulatory Phlebectomy

After ambulatory phlebectomy (removal of bulging veins) the same restrictions are in place. Strenuous exercise and heavy lifting should be avoided for one week. Along the course of the bulging vein, small incisions will be made. These incisions need to be kept clean and dry for 2 days. After that, it is important to not soak the incisions for 10 days after the procedure to minimize the risk of infection.

Sclerotherapy

Post sclerotherapy, it is also important to avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for one week. These activities can force the sclerosing medication out of the veins, making the treatment ineffective. Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time. Do not soak the treated leg for 48 hours after the procedure to reduce the risk of infection.

Don’t let the pain and appearance of varicose veins keep you from enjoying life. Come see your Utah varicose vein treatment experts at IVC^®. Schedule a free varicose vein screening today!

Bulging varicose veins are the most obvious and unsightly sign of vein disease. These large, distended veins appear right under the skin surface. When veins deeper in the leg become diseased and blood fails to return to the heart normally, these small veins near the surface begin to fill and stretch. This causes the veins to become large, twisted and gnarly. Not only do they affect the appearance of legs, but they can cause leg pain and achiness as well! So how do we get rid of these annoying veins?

Examination and Diagnosis

The first step to treating bulging varicose veins is a thorough examination and diagnosis. An ultrasound is performed to evaluate the veins in your leg. The bulging veins you see on the surface are caused by deeper sources of reflux. Reflux is the backward movement of blood, pooling in the legs instead of returning to the heart. Once all sources of vein disease are determined a diagnosis and treatment plan is made. Removing bulging veins is often the last step in the treatment plan. Think of it as a river and tributaries. You can’t shut down the tributaries without first stopping the flow in the river. This means ablations of large veins need to be performed before removing the smaller bulging veins on the surface.

Procedure

Bulging varicose vein treatment requires an in-office procedure called ambulatory phlebectomy. This procedure generally takes an hour to an hour and a half to complete. You will be offered medication to help you relax before the procedure. While you are standing, the bulging veins will be marked with a pen so the problem areas are apparent while you are lying. The leg will then be prepped in sterile-fashion to prevent infection. The physician will then anesthetize the area around the varicose vein. Once the area is numb, the doctor will make tiny incisions next to the vein. Through these incisions, the problem vein will be removed. Steri-strips are then applied to the incisions and a bandage and compression stocking will be put on the leg.

Post-Procedure

After the procedure, you are encouraged to resume normal daily activity. We ask that you avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for one week. It is best to keep the leg clean and dry for five days for proper healing and to prevent infection. To further prevent infection, you will be given an antibiotic to take for 5-7 days following the procedure. We also recommend taking ibuprofen three times a day following the procedure to help with post-procedure inflammation and pain. Typically recovery is easy and most patients will be fully recovered by two weeks. It is common and expected to have a fair amount of bruising in the area of treatment. It is also normal to develop small hard bumps under the skin where the vein was removed. This is caused by areas of trapped blood and will resolve within a few weeks after the procedure.

Risks and Complications

As with any medical procedure, there are potential risks and complications. Complications include:

• Local area of numbness
• Superficial venous thrombosis (SVT)
• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
• Infection

Though these complications are uncommon, inform your physician immediately if signs of complications occur.

The specialists at IVC^® have been performing varicose vein treatment in Utah for over 10 years! If you suffer from the pain and appearance of varicose veins, call us today for a consultation or a free vein screening.