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"Many people don't make the connection between varicose veins and legdiscomfort, when in fact, varicose veins may be the outward symptom of anunderlying problem that could potentially lead to serious healthcomplications," said Ted King, M.D., Medical Director of the Vein Clinics ofAmerica network. "Severe varicose veins put people at risk for a number ofconditions, from leg ulcers, bleeding, and phlebitis to blood clots which canbe life-threatening, thus treatment can be critical."
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Varicose veins, or twisted, enlarged veins near the surface of the skin,are most commonly seen in the legs and ankles. Varicose veins occur when veinshave trouble carrying blood from the legs back to the heart due to faultyvalves and weakened vein walls. Many people with varicose veins alsoexperience pain, swelling, numbness, and fatigue in the legs. Varicose veinsand related leg symptoms can have an impact on daily life, especially forpeople with occupations requiring long periods of standing or walking.
"Varicose veins and leg pain are thought to be a normal part of aging, butpeople shouldn't have a compromised lifestyle because of it," said Dr. King."Today there are safe, effective and minimally invasive treatment options withshort recovery time that won't keep people sidelined from their dailyroutine."
Newer treatments that are less invasive and have largely replacedtraditional surgical treatments include:
-- COMPASS(SM) protocol of Ultrasound-Guided Sclerotherapy: An advancedform of sclerotherapy, where a foam solution is directly injected into thevaricose vein, causing it to close off. The physician visually monitors thevein and injection on an ultrasound screen, allowing considerable control overthe area of the venous system being treated. This procedure is used primarilyto treat larger varicose veins. A typical treatment takes approximately 15 to20 minutes and will consist of multiple injections.
-- Endovenous Laser Treatment (ELT): A minimally invasive procedure thatuses heat from a guided laser to close varicose veins. A small optic fiber isinserted through a needle into the varicose vein under ultrasound guidance.The laser is then activated and as the optic fiber is removed from the vein itheats and closes the vein. This procedure does not require hospitalization orcomplicated surgery and typically takes less than an hour.
-- One in five Americans (20 percent) report that they have varicoseveins.
-- Nearly all those surveyed with varicose veins (87 percent) report thatthey have never sought treatment for their varicose veins.
-- Nearly half of those who have varicose veins (42 percent) reported thatvaricose veins may be unpleasant but they don't have real health risks.
-- Women were significantly more likely to report that they have varicoseveins than men (27 percent vs. 10 percent).
-- Nearly half of those with varicose veins were ages 35 and older (46percent).
The national StrategyOne Omnibus surveyed 1,006 people 18 and older. Thepurpose of the survey was to determine the prevalence of varicose veins andrelated leg pain/discomfort, measure awareness a
