For some people, spider veins and varicose veins are merely a cosmetic issue. They don’t look good, but they also don’t cause any medical problems. For others, varicose veins can cause symptoms and complications, ranging from burning and aching to bleeding and restless legs. Fortunately, a vein doctor can help people dealing with varicose veins and other vein problems. From determining the cause of your problem to performing varicose vein treatment, vein doctors are looking out for your well being.

What a Vein Doctor Can Do

Diagnose Your Condition

The first step to treatment is getting an accurate diagnosis from a doctor. Vascular surgeons diagnose varicose veins and other forms of venous disease by first looking at the legs, checking for signs of swelling and bulging veins. The doctor will most likely ask you to describe your symptoms and will usually ask if you have any burning or pain.

Since some vein problems are deeper than others and can’t be detected by the naked eye, vein doctors often use ultrasound imaging to look for blood clots or weakened valves and to evaluate how the blood is flowing through your veins.

Recommend the Best Treatment

After vein doctors have diagnosed your condition, the next step is for them to recommend the most appropriate treatment. Treatment depends on the severity of your vein issue and on what you would like to get from  it. For example, if you are dealing with small spider veins, treatment with sclerotherapy might work best.  Depending on the location of your varicose veins, a treatment such as ovarian vein embolization might be required.  Ovarian vein embolization is usually performed when a person is suffering from pelvic congestion syndrome, which occurs when varicose veins form in the uterus or ovaries.

The right treatment for you also depends on how long you can commit to recovery. Many vein treatments don’t require much downtime and allow you to return to work the next day. Depending on the vein treatment, you might need to go in for several sessions before you get the results you want.

Help You Make Lifestyle Changes

Along with performing necessary treatments, the doctors at a vein clinic can recommend lifestyle changes to keep your vein problems from becoming worse. For example, adding exercises to your daily routine can help keep varicose veins in check. Exercise improves blood flow and strengthens your muscles so that they are better able to push blood back up to the heart. Losing weight, if you are overweight, can also help keep your vein problems from becoming worse.

Dr. Raffi Krikorian offers a variety of vein treatments at St. Louis Vein & Endovascular in St. Louis. To learn more about your options and to learn more about how a vein doctor can help you, call (314) 272-4150 for a consultation today.