How to find the Best Varicose Vein Clinic for your Vascular Health!
Are all vein clinics created equal? No they are not!
Med Spa -
You can turn on the television or radio at any time of the day and hear countless advertisements for “quick” or “painless” vein treatments. Go to this clinic or that medspa, and they assure you that your legs will look great in no time. Sounds great, but is it true? Is vein treatment that simple? Not necessarily…at least not for most people. Like most health conditions there is a broad spectrum under the umbrella of vein health. If you picture veins like branches of a tree; some veins are small like spider veins or the leaves of the tree, and others are large like varicose vein or the arms of a tree. One can certainly pull leaves off of a tree, but they eventually grow back. Similarly, many places offer cosmetic treatments for spider veins, however, like leaves on a tree, the treatment may work for a short period of time, but eventually, if you have a larger underlying venous problem, they will return.
Most medspa’s offer cosmetic vein treatments such as surface laser or sclerotherapy. Oftentimes offering “packages” of treatments varying in number of treatments and price. Usually there is a “special” or deal that goes along with buying a certain amount of treatments. Sometimes these treatments are successful, but only if there is not an underlying issue that caused these veins in the first place.
For most patients, varicose veins or venous insufficiency is a genetic problem, either a parent or grandparent passed this down, and now as you get older, your legs are starting to look and/or feel like theirs. Treating the underlying problem is the key to long term success. Here at Advanced Vein Institute of Arizona we are certainly biased, but we would suggest continuing your search for the best varicose vein doctor for your vascular health.
General Medical Clinics -
There are also many clinics that offer vein treatments such as laser or radiofrequency ablations, vein stripping, or phlebectomy in addition to other services or health conditions that are treated at their facility. Questions to ask yourself; do they specialize in venous disease? Are they recognized by national organizations in venous health? Do they have extensive experience in complex vein conditions, or treating complications associated with venous disease? Are they on the cutting edge of current technologies? Do they have competent, compassionate staff who will take the time to evaluate your specific concerns, and offer the most complete assessment of your venous health?
Vein Specialist -
Regardless of whether you have spider veins or varicose veins, and you do not like the appearance of, or have leg pain or other varicose vein symptoms that are concerning to you, it's important to keep the big picture in mind. Seeking out treatment from a provider who is qualified to not only treat your areas of concern, but also has the expertise and understanding of the entire venous system so you have options that are realistic and effective, will be well worth your time in the long run.
A vein specialist should have the knowledge, and be willing to take the time, to thoroughly evaluate your lower extremity vascular condition. Taking the time to educate you regarding your varicose veins and full vascular health should be a given. The highest priority should be placed on giving the most appropriate treatment options, while still listening to your concerns and valuing your input. You should never be "sold" on unnecessary treatments or interventions. A good vein specialist will be adamant about keeping you and your venous health at the center of your care plan.
Question: I have spider veins on my legs and they really hurt to the touch. Can that be dangerous to my health? Answer: In the large picture, pain associated with spider veins is not life threatening. It would be worthwhile to have an evaluation by a qualified provider to see if these spider veins are…
Read MoreI am scheduled for a right leg radiofrequency ablation. I have venous insufficiency in the saphenous vein and have had a blood clot before. Question: In 2006, I underwent an artificial lumbar disk implant. This failed causing artificial disk to move into the spine. While surgeon removed the artificial disk implant, he nicked the liac…
Read MoreMy doctor said my vein is too large to have sclerotherapy performed first, is this true? Question: I have a few visible spider veins on my lower leg that I want treated with foam sclerotherapy. However, the doctor wants me to do endovenous laser treatment before the sclerotherapy. According to him, my vein is way…
Read MoreI’m having the same pain that I had before my ablation procedure, except it is in a different new location. How long will this go on? Question: It’s been 2 months since my GSV endovenous laser ablation procedure. I have the same pain that I had before the procedure, except it’s in a new location.…
Read MoreI recently had the VNUS procedure done (both legs, multiple veins). Is it normal to have open, circular wound with redness and slight weepiness? Question: All of the other areas are healing nicely, but the area on my shin (a bit off center) has a much larger wound. It has been quite red in the…
Read MoreQuestion: How big of a size do compression stockings come in? Answer: Compression socks should be comfortable and supportive. If the stockings are making your symptoms worse, it is likely that they do not fit you correctly. There are numerous companies that make standard sized compression stockings. Some make 7 to 8 different sizes. Additionally,…
Read MoreQuestion: WHAT CAN I DO TO GET RID OF MY VARICOSE VEINS? Answer: There are numerous options to treat varicose veins. Some are considered medically necessary, while others are strictly cosmetic. Larger veins are treated in a myriad of ways depending on the provider you consult with and their proficiency in a given intervention. The…
Read MoreQuestion: I knelt down the other day and injured the large varicose vein over my knee. It bruised quickly and felt very sore, so I put a pressure bandage on it. Since then, the vein bruise has spread and is now about 12″ up my thigh. It is very red, and I’m not sure what…
Read MoreQuestion: What treatment options are available for my CVI? I can’t sit or stand in one place and I have heavy, aching legs all of the time. I started to have achy, heavy leg feelings about a month after I sprained my right ankle and scratched my left knee last April. I was diagnosed with…
Read MoreQuestion: During the EVLT laser procedure I really didn’t feel well, especially when the laser was on. I felt dizzy and the smell of “burning” freaked me out. Even after I was done, it took me couple hours to feel normal again. Is that normal? Answer: The “odor” and sometimes a taste is normal during…
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