Varicose veins are swollen, raised, and twisted. Some of them can be very big and dark blue in color. Most of the time, these ugly veins show up on the legs, but they can also show up on the hands, face, and breasts. About 30 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 70 have varicose veins, and half of them get blood clots, phlebitis (vein inflammation), or sores. Varicose veins can also cause pain, swollen ankles, and leg cramps at night.
Now that you know what varicose veins feel like and look like, it’s time to find out what causes them.
Varicose Vein Causes
All veins have one-way valves that help keep blood moving toward the heart. When these valves are weak or broken, blood flows backwards and pools in the veins. This makes the veins swell up and turn into varicose veins.
Damage that leads to varicose veins can come from many different places. On this list are things like family history, age, gender, pregnancy, being overweight, being a couch potato, and leg injuries. If you are worried about your varicose veins, make an appointment with a doctor who knows how to treat vein problems. He or she will use a special ultrasound to map the flow of blood in the veins and find the places where blood is pooling and backing up (reflux). This test can tell your doctor what’s wrong and help him or her choose the best way to treat you. Your doctor may suggest that you wear compression stockings for a short time to see if the symptoms go away before moving on to stronger treatments.
Treatment Options for Varicose Veins
In the past, the only technique to get rid of varicose veins was through invasive vein stripping and ligation surgery. During this procedure, the major vein in the leg (the great saphenous vein) is either excised or tied off (ligated), depending on the patient’s specific case (stripping). These large operations are often reserved for patients who have varicose veins that are quite severe.
The process of vein stripping and ligation can take anywhere from sixty to ninety minutes, and it is occasionally necessary to need general anesthesia. A significant recovery period is also required, which typically lasts between two and four weeks depending on the number of veins that were stripped and the locations of those veins.
The cost of vein stripping operation in Dubai ranges anywhere from 7000 AED to 12,000 AED. This pricing may not take into account any additional costs that may be imposed by the hospital or surgical facility, which may lead to a significant rise in total cost.
An other procedure for the removal of varicose veins is known as an ambulatory phlebectomy. Your physician will make very small incisions in your skin in order to remove small varicose veins. These veins are often the ones that are closest to the surface of the skin. The vein stripping and ligation operation is believed to be significantly more intrusive than the one that is performed in the doctor’s office under local anesthetic.
The price of an ambulatory phlebectomy can range anywhere from 4000 AED to 11,000 AED each leg depending on the severity of the condition and the number of veins that need to be removed.
Laser Therapy for Varicose Veins
The troublesome vein is heated using laser or high-frequency radio-wave radiation, which then causes the vein to seal off. Varicose veins can be treated with laser therapy. Because the veins are not removed, there is far less chance of bleeding and bruising. In addition, there is no cutting involved in the process. Laser vein surgery produces cosmetic results that are comparable to those achieved with ligation and stripping, but patients report substantially less pain throughout the procedure. These operations are carried out under the discretion of the attending physician under the influence of local anesthetic. Immediately following the treatment, you will be able to leave the clinic and go for a stroll.
Endovenous laser or radiofrequency ablation can cost in Dubai anywhere from 15,000 AED to 25,000 AED on average. The price range is determined on how much of the vein has to be treated as well as the location of the practice.
Sclerotherapy for Varicose Veins
In sclerotherapy, a solution is injected directly into the varicose vein. This solution irritates the lining of the blood vessel, which ultimately leads to the destruction of the blood vessel. The vessel eventually transforms into scar tissue and disappears as this process continues. Sclerotherapy is not an option for treating varicose veins in every patient who has them. In addition, the therapy is not often indicated for the great saphenous vein since it has a high recurrence rate and frequently requires numerous treatments throughout the course of a patient’s course of treatment.
In the past, sclerotherapy injections were exclusively administered in liquid form; however, currently, foam versions of these injections are also available. Sclerotherapy can also be performed using foam, which is created by combining the same solution with air or carbon dioxide.
Late in 2013, the Food and Drug Administration gave its blessing to a novel foam sclerotherapy called Varithena, which was manufactured by BTG. The fact that it can displace the blood already present in the artery being treated is the primary benefit of foam sclerotherapy. When this happens, the solution stays in direct touch with the wall of the vessel for a greater amount of time compared to when working with a liquid solution. The agent is able to operate more effectively as a result of the improved contact between the solution and the vessel wall. Ultrasound, which plays an important role in guiding and monitoring the treatment, also enables the foam to be seen.
Sclerotherapy injections can cost in Dubai anywhere from 2000 AED to 2500 AED depending on the severity of the damage to the veins that are treated and the price of the graduated compression stocking, which must be worn following treatment in order to achieve the best possible results and typically costs around 500 AED.
Depending on the number of vessels that need to be treated, the cost of a Varithena foam injection might range anywhere from 5,500 AED to 12,000 AED.
The good news is that there are a number of therapies that are successful for treating varicose veins that are accessible today. Find a trained doctor who has expertise treating varicose veins and who can advise you on which treatment option is ideal for you depending on your cosmetic or functional objectives, your ability to stick to recovery instructions, and your budget.