Category: Blog

The Importance of Leg Vein Health and Available Treatments

Leg vein health is an essential aspect of overall well-being, often overlooked until problems arise. Healthy leg veins ensure that blood circulates efficiently from the lower extremities back to the heart, preventing complications like blood clots, swelling, and varicose veins. When these veins malfunction, it can lead to chronic conditions that affect mobility, cause discomfort, and even escalate into life-threatening issues.

Understanding Leg Vein Health

Veins in the legs contain one-way valves that help push blood against gravity toward the heart. If these valves weaken or become damaged, blood can pool in the veins, leading to chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) or varicose veins. This condition can cause swelling, pain, and visible vein distention. Over time, it may also result in skin changes, ulcers, or even deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a dangerous condition where blood clots form in the deep veins.

Consequences of Poor Leg Vein Health

The effects of poor leg vein health extend beyond cosmetic concerns. Varicose veins, which appear as twisted, enlarged veins just under the surface of the skin, may cause aching, itching, or burning sensations. These veins can worsen over time, leading to skin discoloration, open sores, and an increased risk of infections.

CVI, when untreated, can reduce quality of life, causing heavy legs, throbbing pain, and difficulty standing or walking for prolonged periods. Blood clots, particularly DVT, pose a significant risk of pulmonary embolism (PE), where a clot breaks off and travels to the lungs, potentially becoming fatal.

Treatments

Fortunately, several treatment options are available to improve leg vein health and alleviate symptoms:

Lifestyle Modifications: Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and elevating the legs can help improve circulation. Wearing compression stockings is another common non-invasive approach to help blood flow.
Sclerotherapy: This minimally invasive procedure involves injecting a solution into the affected veins, causing them to collapse and fade over time. It is commonly used for smaller varicose veins and spider veins.
Endovenous Ablation Therapy: This treatment uses radiofrequency or laser energy to close off larger varicose veins, redirecting blood flow to healthier veins.
Surgical Procedures: In severe cases, procedures like vein stripping or phlebectomy may be necessary to remove or tie off damaged veins.

Summary

Maintaining leg vein health is critical for overall circulatory wellness and mobility. Early detection and treatment of vein-related issues can prevent serious complications, allowing individuals to maintain an active, pain-free lifestyle. If symptoms of poor leg vein health arise, seeking medical advice promptly is vital for managing and preventing long-term damage.

Please contact me to arrange a consultation.

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Your Brisbane Varicose Vein Treatment Clinic

There are a range of treatments available for Brisbane varicose vein sufferers. But first, what are varicose veins? Varicose veins are the larger, usually bulging blue-green veins visible on many people’s legs. They are usually concerning due to their appearance, but can also cause concern through leg aches, swelling and more severe skin changes to the lower legs.

There are a broad variety of venous problems that can occur and some of the most common presentations are discussed below.

Varicose Veins
Varicose veins occur due to failure of valves within the veins, allowing “reflux” or downwards flow in the veins as a result of gravity acting on the blood within the veins. Because there is greater blood flow when you are hot or exercising, varicose veins become more prominent at these times, and may become more painful. Elevating the legs and using compression stockings tends to help these symptoms.

Treatment is aimed at removing the veins which are not functioning normally. Modern treatments are very effective with minimal trauma when used correctly.

Surface Veins
These can appear anywhere on the legs and are usually treated due to their cosmetic appearance. Treating surface veins successfully can have an enormous benefit on quality of life, allowing you to feel more confident to wear clothes which do not cover your legs completely. However these veins can be difficult to treat successfully, and require care, close attention and an experienced operator.

Advanced Venous Disease
Varicose Vein-related skin changes on the lower part of the legs can include darkening of the skin, inflammation and itchy patches, hardening of the skin, and large sores known as venous ulcers. Any of these changes are indications that underlying varicose veins need to be managed by a doctor specialising in venous disease.

Types of Brisbane Varicose Vein Treatment

Modern varicose vein treatments are vastly less painful and traumatic than treatments of old. The treatments are mainly delivered in an outpatient setting, through largely minimally invasive solutions.

Direct Vision Sclerotherapy

Direct Vision Sclerotherapy (DVS) is used for treatment of fine surface veins and involves the use of very fine needles to inject small amounts of sclerosant into veins.

Endovenous Laser Treatment

Endovenous Laser Treatment has largely replaced stripping surgery for treating large “truncal” varicose veins. It is usually performed as an outpatient procedure and it is very rare for anything stronger than panadol or nurofen to be required for post treatment discomfort. Dr McMaster has been using Endovenous laser treatment regularly since 2003.

Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy

Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy (UGS) is also used to treat larger varicose veins. This technique allows veins to be treated at their source and in experienced hands is simple and very effective. It is often used in combination with endovenous laser

Compression Therapy

Compression Therapy is an essential component of modern varicose vein treatment. Modern compression stockings are more comfortable and less intrusive than previously.

Vein Glue

Vein Glue is occasionally used for very specific circumstances when other methods of treatment are ineffective or inappropriate.

The successful treatment of your veins often involves a combination of treatment methods, which are most effective in the hands of experienced well trained clinicians. Dr McMaster has vast experience with leg vein problems and has treated thousands of Brisbane varicose vein patients, and from throughout Queensland, over the past 20 years.

Should I Have My Varicose Veins Treated?

Should I have my varicose veins treated? This is probably the question that I hear most often from patients attending my practice.

There is no one correct answer to this question, and every individual with their unique circumstances needs to be assessed and considered to respond appropriately to this inquiry.

Often a patient with bothersome veins has been told not to have them treated as “they will come back”, or that the veins may be required in the future in the case of the person requiring CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) surgery.

In some circumstances the answer is simple. If there are skin changes of advanced venous disease, such as venous ulceration, varicose eczema (itchy patches of skin on the lower parts of the legs), lipodermatosclerosis (hardening and scarring of skin in the lower legs), then treatment of underlying venous disease is essential to achieve the best health outcomes. Often people suffer for years with aching and swelling of the lower legs before coming forward for treatment.

Equally, if your unsightly leg veins are affecting your quality of life by restricting the clothing that you wear for fear of receiving comments or looks at your legs often from your children or grandchildren, then it is entirely reasonable to have varicose veins treated. If you feel self-conscious about wearing shorts or knee-length dresses or skirts, then your quality of life is being impeded by your veins.

And yes, recurrence of veins following treatment does occur, so that further treatment in the future may be necessary, but this is not a reason to avoid managing your leg health, just as with managing other ongoing medical problems.

With regard to spare parts for coronary artery grafting – firstly varicose veins are generally considered unsuitable for use in this circumstance, and there are alternative blood vessels that cardiac surgeons can access, such as arteries from the forearm.

Treatment for Varicose Veins

Modern treatments for venous disease are largely delivered in the outpatient setting, providing a minimally invasive solution to leg vein problems. Without the need for sedation or general anaesthesia, most patients can be managed in a truly ‘walk in, walk out’ fashion. With the correct training, an experienced clinician can provide the most appropriate management plan for your circumstances.

Treatment methods include:

Direct Vision Sclerotherapy (DVS)
Endovenous Laser Treatment
Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy (UGS)
Compression Therapy
Vein Glue.

Generally, treatments are tailored to the type of vein problem you have, including the size and distribution of your veins, but also from the findings of an ultrasound examination. Only after your initial consultation and scan is it possible to give an accurate assessment of the required treatment.

Please contact me to arrange a consultation.

Varicose Vein Treatment is Transforming Lives

One of the frustrations (but also joys) of working in the area of venous disease is seeing people come forward after many years of suffering from complications of varicose veins, and then seeing them benefit from varicose vein treatment.

This week I had a visit from a Brisbane woman in her late 40s who had finally been convinced by her daughter to seek medical advice. Jane had essentially tolerated living with heavy, aching, and swollen legs which had gradually worsened after the appearance of varicose veins in her second pregnancy 23 years ago. She had taken to always wearing long trousers and was self-conscious having her legs examined by a vein doctor, let alone being seen by friends and acquaintances. After one unsuccessful effort at vein surgery 20 years ago, she had given up.

What are Varicose Veins?

Varicose veins are the larger, usually bulging blue-green veins visible on many people’s legs. Not all visible leg veins are varicose, or “incompetent”, and ultrasound examination can help to define the nature of such veins. Varicose veins are of concern due to cosmetic appearance, but may also cause leg aching, swelling, and more severe skin changes in the lower legs.

Assessment of varicose veins consists of a review of an individual’s medical history and the symptoms associated with the veins. We also check for signs on the lower legs of progressive tissue compromise secondary to the varicose veins. Accurate venous ultrasound scanning helps to diagnose the source of the varicose vein problems and identify the most appropriate treatment approach.

Modern varicose vein treatment

Jane was pleased to learn during our consultation that there have been enormous advances in the treatment of varicose veins over the past 25 years, and that her venous disease, while quite advanced, is very treatable.

Modern techniques of ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy, endovenous laser, and vein adhesives make treatment infinitely less traumatic than the traditional methods of vein stripping. Certainly, in her circumstances she will require several visits for treatment and follow up to get optimum results, but the potential improvement in her quality of life is huge.

In my experience over the years, I have found that people in circumstances such as Jane find their quality of life, self-esteem and confidence can be improved enormously by dealing with their venous disease through modern varicose vein treatment. So, while it is frustrating seeing someone who has waited so long to take action, it is equally rewarding to observe the benefits of successful management of this chronic medical problem.

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