Treating Your Varicose Veins: What You Should Know About Endovenous Laser Therapy
When you begin to develop varicose veins, your first instinct is to just try and ignore them or cover them up and go about your business as if nothing has changed. And for a while that coping mechanism may work just fine for you. However, varicose veins do progress and worsen over time. Eventually, you will need to seek out more aggressive treatment to deal with the discomfort and pain of your varicose veins. One of the most popular forms of treatment for varicose veins is known as endovenous laser therapy. Before you panic at the unfamiliar and difficult-to-pronounce name, get to know the pertinent facts about this varicose vein treatment. Then, you will know what you are getting yourself into.
How Does The Procedure Work?
One of the most common causes of fear regarding any medical procedure is not knowing what is going to happen. When it comes to an endovenous laser therapy session, your doctor is going to insert a tiny optic fiber into one of your veins. This is done through the use of a catheter (small hollow tube).
Usually, doctors will insert this catheter into the great saphenous vein and then navigate to the varicose veins for treatment. The laser (concentrated light energy) is transmitted through the optic fiber and is used to close the affected veins, preventing further swelling and spreading of the varicose veins. The laser closes the veins as the fiber and catheter are withdrawn, making the procedure relatively quick and helping the veins to close off and heal themselves.
How Long Does The Procedure Take?
The duration of the procedure depends on a few factors. First, your choice of anesthesia affects how long you will be on the operating table. Endovenous laser therapy is usually performed using a local anesthetic. However, some patients do opt for general anesthesia, which means their operation will take longer overall.
Additionally, the duration of the procedure will depend on how extensive your varicose veins are. More veins to close means more work for your doctor. In general terms, however, you can expect for the procedure to last between one and two hours.
What Is The Recovery Time?
If you only use a local anesthetic for your endovenous laser therapy treatment, you will be able to walk out of your doctor's office shortly after the procedure is finished. You will be required to wear compression socks following the procedure.
These compression socks will help prevent leg swelling and will keep your blood flowing up out of the leg as you heal. You will wear these stockings for approximately one week, and then will have a follow-up exam with your physician to ensure the veins have closed properly.
Pain is minimal during recovery. You may experience some bruising or slight burning sensations in your legs, but you will be able to go about your normal life as you recover from the surgery and should recover quickly.
As you can see, the endovenous laser therapy treatment option for varicose veins is relatively simple and painless. It offers short recovery time and an effective remedy to painful and unsightly varicose veins. So, talk to specialists like the Vein Clinic Of Las Vegas as soon as possible to schedule your appointment.
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