What Is Varicose Veins????????

Most commonly known are the varicose veins as the big bulging veins you see protruding along the side of the legs. They can also be further inside. Basically, the blood has trouble flowing back to the heart and the pressure on the veins makes them bigger. This leads to swelling in the legs, especially around ankles and feet, but also eventually open ulcers. Any bruises and stuff won't heal for a long time, because the blood flow to the problem area is not proper. The condition can be very painful. First signs are usually that you tire more quickly when walking for a long time, your feet ache earlier than usual, and you feel fatigued due to that. Eventually, you'll notice swelling and eventually first signs of pain. The treatment methods vary. For some people support stockings bring relief. For some the condition is too advanced. They require some sort of surgical intervention. The most common method used to be that the vein was pulled. They made a small cut at the bottom and top of the leg and pulled the vein out. Venous closure is a newer method that doctors seem to prefer more and more. They stick some sort of wire along the vein and send radiowaves through it. That closes the vein, which essentially kills it off, and the vein will eventually be absorbed by the body. Another method is to close the vein through injection of some stuff, I forgot what it is called. That method is usually used on small areas, and preferred on spider veins. There also seems to be some sort of laser treatment now, which also closes the vein but doesn't require any cuts. In all cases one needs to wear tight bandages for a while after the treatment and observe some sort of rest/walking treatment. The length varies by treatment method. The pulling method is usually done in hospitals, while the rest of the treatment options I listed can be done in the doctor's office, and you go home right afterwards. You not only can have a varicose vein in the leg, but also the stomach (that's where my mom had it). Anyhow, make sure your mother is fully informed before she makes a decision on a treatment choice.