When you are dealing with the unsightly tangles of enlarged and inflamed blood vessels, known as varicose veins, you may find yourself wondering if there is anything that you can do to improve your situation. And especially if your varicose veins are causing you pain and discomfort, you know that you need to do something about your condition. Get to know some of the ways that you can treat your varicose veins, from self-care and lifestyle changes to surgical procedures performed at your doctor's office. Then, you can get those varicose veins under control or eradicated completely as soon as possible.

Self-Care and Home Management

If your varicose veins are considered to be relatively small, your doctor may recommend that you give self-care methods a try before you begin medical interventions and treatments. First and foremost, if you are overweight or live a lifestyle that is not very active, you may want to make a few changes. Losing weight can help to improve the strength and effectiveness of the cardiovascular system.

A healthy diet and regular exercise can stop your varicose veins from growing larger and can prevent new ones from forming by preventing blockages and ensuring that the blood flows throughout your body with proper force and pressure. If this is not enough to improve your situation, you can also try wearing compression stockings. Compression stockings are designed to squeeze your legs to help promote healthy blood flow and movement. You will wear your compression stockings all day and should make sure that you have your doctor help you choose the right size and tightness so that you get the best results from this form of treatment.

Surgical Varicose Vein Treatments

If compression stocking and lifestyle changes are not working for you or your varicose veins are too large or painful to be effective, you may need surgical intervention to rid yourself of your varicose veins. There are numerous different surgical methods that you and your doctor may choose to use.

The majority of these methods are minimally invasive and only require a local numbing agent rather than full anesthesia. Sclerotherapy is a varicose vein treatment in which a drug is injected into the varicose vein bundle that scars the vein closed and helps to destroy it. Laser surgery on the other hand, uses a similar catheter to transmit high-heat light energy into the vein to seal the vein shut.

And now, there is a new surgical treatment that uses the same type of catheter and local anesthesia to place an adhesive on the varicose veins closing them off and forcing the blood to find another route through the legs. All of these methods are outpatient procedures and require minimal recovery times.

Now that you know some of the ways that you can treat your varicose veins, you and your doctor can decide which option is best for you. You will be feeling better before you know it. To learn more, contact someone like Alaska Vein Care.

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