Varicose Veins

Sclerotherapy For Varicose Veins: An Overview

Varicose veins are extremely painful and cause a lot of discomfort to the person who suffers from it. It has a lot of treatment procedures, so there is nothing much to worry. Sclerotherapy for varicose veins is one of the procedures that can be used for treatment of varicose veins. It is also very popular for those who have small or medium sized varicose veins.

In sclerotherapy, a hypodermic needle is used for injection of a chemical solution in the varicose vein at various points. This chemical solution is called by the name sclerosant. The chemical solution has its effects on the inner lining of walls of the veins.

The blood flow stops via the varicose vein, which also forces the blood to flow via other veins. Further, the varicose vein turns into a scar and fades away after several weeks. The patient may have to undergo the procedure many times. This depends on the severity of the problem and around six to ten injections are given during each session.

The procedure of sclerotherapy is performed without anesthesia. The patient is recommended to wear compression bandages around the area that is treated after completing the sclerotherapy procedure. Sclerotherapy is an alternative to invasive surgery which is minimally invasive. Your condition can be treated effectively if an experienced doctor performs it. About fifty to ninety percent of improvement can be observed in the condition.

There are various negative aspects related to Sclerotherapy. The first is that it is not successful in the treatment of actual causes of varicose veins i. e. vein walls and weak valves. About seventy percent of patients observe reappearance of varicose veins that were treated.

The people who observed this had a varicose vein which was very stretched out or had more than three millimeters diameter, which is quite large. Many studies have shown that sclerotherapy results in reappearance of the varicose veins when compared to other surgeries. There can also be a case in some patients in which the veins which are near the varicose veins also become varicose veins.

Sclerotherapy is also responsible to cause pain and tenderness that may be persistent for many days or weeks. Patches of yellow or brown discolored skin can be found at the site that undergoes treatment. One thing to remember is that obese people should not undergo sclerotherapy because the elastic compression bandages do not provide the right amount of pressure on the legs due to overweight.

The cost of sclerotherapy depends on many factors like the number of sessions and injections needed. Most of the insurance companies do not cover the costs of sclerotherapy. The sclerotherapy for varicose veins is the most commonly performed procedure but also has certain negativities associated with it. Therefore, it is important to consult your doctor before you opt for a therapy.