Varicose veins affect roughly 50%-55% of American women and
40%-45% of American men, and it is reported that 1 out of 2 people over
50 years of age suffer from some form of the symptoms related to
varicose veins. This article provides free information regarding the
causes varicose veins, the various varicose vein treatment options
available, and the average prices for those treatments.
Most
people suffering from varicose veins seek treatment for cosmetic
reasons, but varicose veins are often more than just a cosmetic problem.
Varicose veins are very painful at times and will itch, sometimes
resulting in ulcers in the most extreme cases. In general, most people
only relate varicose veins to the legs, but in all actuality they can
occur anywhere on the body.
Spider veins are enlarged veins that are no
longer preventing blood from flowing in reverse. They can be different
colors under the skin like blue, purple, or a pinkish red. Sometimes
they are not chronic but related to pregnancy in women when spider veins
form in the birthing region.
Varicose Veins Causes
There
are many contributing factors believed to
cause varicose veins. Gravity
in combination with the pressure of body weight can cause varicose
veins to develop. The legs are generally the most common location for
the veins because they bear the brunt of the weight of the body, and all
the while still the heart must pump blood from the upper part of the
body to the lower parts.
Veins are designed with a type of "valve"
that only allows blood to travel one direction. When these valves
become weak, blood can then flow in reverse, back into these valve
veins, causing the
vein to swell.
Symptoms And Stages
Stage
C0- At this stage there are no visible signs of the disease. Symptoms
at this stage include general aches in the legs and a condition called
"heavy legs" that can be noticeably worse at night or worsened by
exercise.
Stage C1- Aches in the leg and the first appearance of
telangiectasia, sometimes called reticular veins or
spider veins, in the legs.
Stage C2 -
Varicose veins appear, ankle swelling, a brownish-blue shiny skin discoloration near the affected veins.
Stage C3 - Edema, redness, dryness, and itchiness of areas of skin -
termed stasis dermatitis or venous eczema, because of waste products
building up in the leg.
Stage C4a - Cramps may develop especially when making a sudden move
as standing up, skin changes due to venous disorders: pigmentation,
eczema.
Stage C4b- Cramps, skin changes due to venous disorders: lipodermatosclerosis, atrophie blanche.
Stage C5- The area may bleed more than normal and take a longer time
to heal. In some people the skin above the ankle may shrink
(lipodermatosclerosis) because the fat underneath the skin becomes hard.
As C4 but with healed ulcers.
Stage C6-
Restless legs syndrome, chronic venous insufficiency,
whitened, irregular scar-like patches can appear at the ankles,
otherwise known as atrophie blanche. Skin changes with active ulcers.
Non-invasive Treatment Methods
There
are several conservative methods for
treating Varicose Veins that are
available. One of the first options that a physician will have is to
treat with prescription medications. Some over the counter medications,
like anti-inflammatory medicines ibuprofen and aspirin can even help in
treating.
Some other strategies that do not involve any type of
surgery include compression stockings, that can correct the reverse
pressure in the blood flow. Also, weight loss and increasing muscle tone
have been shown in some studies to help. Compression stockings can be
purchased for between $30USD-$50USD per pair and generally can last
between 6 months and a year. Obviously the costs for these types of
treatment are going to be lower because surgery is not involved.
Non-Surgical Treatment
If
some of the more conservative methods are not effective then medical
providers will move on to other options. Before jumping right into an
open varicose vein surgery, there are a few other options that might be
available to a patient. Generally, these treatments are performed by
either a Plastic Surgeon or a doctor that specializes in vein care
called phlebologists.
Sclerotherapy- This is one of the most
common forms of
non-surgical varicose veins treatment and for spider
veins. It involves an injection of medicine into the veins themselves
which in turn causes them to shrink. Sclerotherapy costs can range
between $100USD to $400USD per session with your doctor. A patient
should plan on two to three sessions per month for at least two months
to achieve the desired results.
Endovenous Thermal Ablation - This
is a fancy name for Laser treatment of
varicose veins and spider veins.
Roughly three laser treatments will be required, scheduled at three
month intervals, to achieve the desired result. It will generally take
between two to six weeks for the veins to fade in color. Laser treatment
costs approximately $300USD to $500USD per session depending upon your
doctor.
Surgical Treatment
Depending upon
the severity of a particular person's case, a physician may decide that
open varicose vein surgery is required to treat varicose veins. Some of
the surgical procedures are outpatient procedures and minimally
invasive.
Vein Stripping- This is a surgical procedure where the
trunk of the varicose vein is removed. Minimal scarring is possible as
this will require an incision. Costs for this procedure depend on your
surgeon, and your insurance, but has been known to cost between $800USD
to $1500USD per leg and depending on how severe the case is. Check with
your doctor. Patients who receive this
varicose veins treatment
procedure have a recurrence rate of about 30%-60%.
Vein Ligation- A
piece of thread known as a suture is tied around the leaking blood
vessel preventing the blood from leaking backwards and swelling the
vein. Again the costs for any procedure depend on your doctor, but costs
generally range between $800USD and $1,000USD per leg. Patients who
receive this procedure have a recurrence rate of about 6%-80%.
Ambulatory
Phlebectomy- This treatment is similar to the vein stripping procedure,
but involves removing the entire vein with three small incisions. So
scarring can be an issue for this procedure. It is generally performed
as an out patient procedure under local anesthesia. Costs can be upwards
of $1000USD per leg. Check with your insurance company and your doctor
for their actual costs.