Many patients content themselves with living with varicose veins because they have misconceptions about treatment. Some believe that treatments are too expensive and that they won’t be covered by insurance. Or perhaps you’ve heard that varicose vein treatment is painful and invasive. When you contact the specialists at Metro Vein Centers, you’ll discover that neither of these common misconceptions is true.
In many cases, the treatments needed to eliminate varicose veins are covered in part or in full by insurance, and this included Medicare. This is especially true in cases where treatment is deemed medically necessary.
You might think that you’re only eligible for coverage if you suffer from pain or other physical symptoms, but the truth is that venous disorders can be extremely serious, even if you don’t necessarily have pain, and you need professional diagnosis to ascertain the severity of your condition. In other words, don’t assume treatment won’t be covered. Visit your nearest Metro Vein Centers location for a free consultation, followed by diagnosis so that you can find out if treatment will be covered by insurance.
There’s even more good news – you no longer have to succumb to invasive and painful surgical procedures that entail weeks of downtime for recovery. If you think you have no choice but to live with unsightly and painful varicose veins, it’s time to think again.
The aches, pains, itching, burning, cramps, and ulcers common to varicose veins could be a thing of the past when you contact one of several Metro Vein Centers locations across Michigan, New Jersey, New York, or Texas to schedule a free consultation. The board-certified physicians at Metro Vein Centers are trained and experienced in cutting-edge treatment options. What are these options? Here’s what anyone suffering from varicose veins should know.
Modern Varicose Vein Treatment
It wasn’t that long ago that the only option for treating varicose veins was an invasive surgical procedure known as vein stripping. Often, this procedure requires the use of general anesthesia, although spinal anesthesia may also be used. During the 1-2 hour-long procedure, incisions are made in the legs (or other areas where varicose veins appear) and a wire is used to pull affected veins out, essentially stripping them from the body.
As you can imagine, this could leave you suffering from pain afterward and require extensive downtime for healing. The good news is that modern technologies and techniques have yielded a variety of minimally-invasive alternatives that reduce risk, pain, and downtime for patients. Metro Vein Centers offers several appealing varicose vein treatment options, including sclerotherapy, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and endovenous laser ablation (EVLA).
When you schedule your free consultation, you’ll meet with an experienced professional that can tell you more about these procedures so you can make an informed decision about your healthcare and ensure positive outcomes. The physicians at Metro Vein Centers want to be your partners in personal care, and that begins with helping you understand your condition and the modern and minimally-invasive treatment options available to you.
Sclerotherapy
This is a popular treatment option in part because it is effective in eliminating both spider veins and varicose veins, and in part because of the many other benefits inherent to the procedure. It is the only varicose vein treatment that requires no form of anesthesia. This is because the procedure itself is quick and relatively pain-free.
Sclerotherapy is an outpatient procedure that could be completed in as little as about 10 minutes, although it depends on the severity of the case. During the procedure, a sclerosing solution is injected directly into affected veins, causing them to collapse and be reabsorbed into the body. In some cases, ultrasound guidance is used to map the veins and ensure precision injection. Once superficial veins collapse, blood flow naturally reroutes to healthier veins.
Following treatment, patients can return to normal activities almost immediately, although doctors recommend waiting a few days before resuming strenuous activity, allowing the body time to fully heal. Minor swelling and bruising are normal and should subside within a couple of weeks. Most patients see dramatic improvement within just a few weeks, although it could take several months or even up to about a year to see complete and final results.
In some cases, multiple sessions are required to treat all affected veins or to treat areas where new spider or varicose veins subsequently appear. Successive appointments for touch-ups can usually be scheduled about six weeks apart, but it will depend on your particular case and how fast your body heals.
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)
This minimally-invasive treatment option does require local anesthetic for patient comfort, but it is still an outpatient procedure that can be completed in about an hour. Using ultrasound guidance, a small catheter is inserted into affected veins, where radio waves are emitted, creating heat that seals veins and causes them to close. This leads to collapse, after which veins are reabsorbed into the body.
Within just a few hours, patients can expect to return to normal activities, and any lingering discomfort can be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen. As with sclerotherapy, patients can resume strenuous activity within about a week, and could see significant results in as little as a few weeks.
Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA)
Finally, there is EVLA, which is, in practice, similar to RFA. In both cases, local anesthetic is used to numb areas to be treated. For EVLA, a small optic fiber is inserted into affected veins to deliver a pulse of laser light that causes the vein to close and collapse, after which it can be reabsorbed into the body. Often, this treatment can be completed in as little as about an hour or less and normal activity can resume within 24 hours.
As with RFA, any discomfort following the procedure can be treated with OTC pain relievers and patients can return to strenuous activities within just a few days in most cases. Most patients achieve final results in a few weeks, although it could take as long as several months depending on the patient and the severity of the condition.
Benefits of Modern Varicose Vein Treatment Options
When you visit Metro Vein Centers to discuss cutting-edge varicose vein treatment options, the trained and experienced physicians can help you to choose the treatment that’s right for you from among the minimally-invasive procedures offered. They can also help you to determine what your particular insurance policy covers.
In addition, you will gain the benefits associated with partnering with specialists in their field. The board-certified physicians at Metro Vein Centers all have training and experience in the field of venous disorders, which makes them uniquely qualified to deliver the expert advice and targeted care that will make your experience as convenient and pain-free as possible.
The right varicose vein treatment can help you to regain control of your life, whether it means eliminating unsightly varicose veins that cause you to cover your legs, or you’re able to put an end to the pain and other physical symptoms that are holding you back from living your life to the fullest. You can regain your confidence and return to the activities you love without fear of embarrassment or pain. There’s no need to suffer with so many cutting-edge treatments now available from the specialists at Metro Vein Centers
