Vein Care After Pregnancy: Managing Varicose Veins Safely

Vein Care treats varicose veins and related venous conditions, including uterine fibroids. Center For Advanced Vein Care specialized team provides physician-managed, personalized care and minimally invasive treatments like endovenous laser ablation, sclerotherapy and ambulatory phlebectomy.

Varicose veins are swollen, twisted, enlarged blood vessels near the surface of the skin. They are blue, purple or red in color and can be very uncomfortable. Varicose veins are caused by weakened walls of the vein and damaged valves. The weakened walls and valves allow blood to pool, which causes the veins to enlarge, bulge and twist. People with varicose veins are at increased risk of developing other complications, such as a blood clot in the deep vein in the leg (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT).

Symptoms of varicose veins include aching of the legs, swelling, and a swollen, lumpy appearance of the affected area. Some people may also develop ulcers (open sores) in the swollen areas. Varicose veins may be a sign of chronic venous insufficiency, or CVI, a condition that affects the way your body uses and treats its veins.

Treatment options for varicose veins include wearing compression stockings, nonsurgical procedures, and surgical procedures. These procedures are usually done as outpatient procedures. You will be given local anesthesia to numb the area. A healthcare professional will then insert a catheter into the affected vein using ultrasound imaging. A catheter is a thin tube with a tip that sends heat to the inside of the vein. The tip of the catheter closes off the affected vein. The collapsed vein eventually disappears as blood re-routes to other healthy veins.

The healthcare professional will also numb the area with a needle and inject a solution into the affected vein. This solution, called sclerotherapy, damages the lining of the vein and causes it to close. Over time, the varicose vein turns into scar tissue and fades away. You may feel a minor stinging or cramping when the solution is injected.

A sclerotherapy procedure can be repeated as needed to treat your varicose veins. We also offer a minimally invasive procedure called radiofrequency ablation, or RFVA. In this procedure, a healthcare professional uses a catheter to heat the wall of a diseased vein and close it off. The diseased vein then collapses and is reabsorbed by the body over time.

You can prevent varicose veins by losing weight, staying active and not sitting or standing for long periods of time, wearing support stockings, avoiding tight clothes around your waist and legs, and getting regular exercise. You can also improve circulation by raising your legs daily on pillows or by elevating the foot of your bed.

Varicose veins often occur in the calf and thigh veins. They are more common in women than men, and are more likely to develop during pregnancy and after childbirth. People who have a family history of varicose veins are at higher risk. Varicose veins can also occur in younger people, especially if they have an inherited condition such as familial venous reflux disease or a family history of venous insufficiency.

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