Vein Conditions Aren't Always Visible

Virtually all insurance providers cover some or all vein treatments. The reason they cover these treatments is because it’s a medical circulation condition. Our team will be responsible for clarifying that your condition is a circulation issue, and we will apply and obtain insurance coverage for you. We work to make sure there are no insurance surprises for our patients.

These are very patient-friendly treatments. Everyone’s tolerance for a treatment is different, but most of our patients say it’s easier than going to the dentist. Treatments are easy enough that you can walk out the door and resume all activities immediately. After treatment, most people take either Tylenol, Ibuprofen or Aleve as needed, if at all, for any discomfort. If you have specific concerns, bring them up with me or my staff.

A lot of people I talk to are worried about whether or not their circulation is normal, and if something bad could happen. It’s not unlike having good air circulation in your home – clean, quality air and a consistent temperature contribute to good health. The circulation in your body is similar. It’s a constant running cycle or loop with your veins responsible for carrying blood from the tissues back to the heart. If any one of these steps isn’t working like it should, circulation slows and blood pools in your lower legs. When that happens, it causes inflammation, and that results in any number of both visible symptoms and invisible ones.

Inside your veins are small valves responsible for helping make sure, as the heart pumps blood back up the legs against gravity, that there isn’t any backflow. However, sometimes these veins relax and quit working like they should. This is called vein reflux. A vein condition develops when blood pools in your lower legs. Your body responds with an inflammation reaction and causes the symptoms that are commonly characteristic of a vein condition – fatigue, feeling rundown and tired, legs that swell or ache in the evenings, and more. In some cases, a vein condition will occasionally show up with visible signs such as varicose veins, spider veins, skin stains or

Most vein problems – 90% – have a family history and are shared throughout the family from grandparents to parents to children. Many of my patients remember that their grandparents or parents suffering from legs feeling tired, heavy and achy? Did they seem to need to sit often and put their feet up? It’s highly likely that it was due to a vein condition. This is just one instance of how important it is to know your medical history – knowing that you’re not alone.

In virtually all patients I see, they are greatly relieved to know that a vein condition is something that happens to them – they haven’t brought it on themselves. There are, however, situations that can make an existing vein condition worsen or can trigger one to occur. It can be the result of a prior injury or trauma, or other major physical change like being hit by a softball or a sports injury. Do you sit all day, or are you on your feet all day? All of these can lead to vein issues. Once vein problems start, they will become more pronounced with time unless treated. The great news is that most people experience relief after the first treatment.

Being pregnant is one of life’s greatest joys, but being pregnant is naturally hard on a woman’s body. Common symptoms include swelling, painful aching legs and tender and enlarged varicose veins. Vein conditions tend to worsen with each additional pregnancy. With the patient-friendly treatments available today, there’s no reason to wait until you’re done having kids to get relief.

Absolutely, yes. It’s the most common scenario that I see in the office. The most common symptoms of a vein condition are invisible – it’s the veins under the skin that you can only see with an ultrasound. Only 20% of people who have a vein condition also have visible veins. For 80% of people with a vein condition, their legs look normal. The best indicator is in the pattern of how your symptoms occur, and in a vein condition, symptoms are always worse in the evening and at night. Our team knows these patterns and will look for them in you. The next step is to confirm with a vein ultrasound so that we can see the veins under the skin.

I hear this question a lot from people. When your symptoms are attributed to a vein condition, most patients experience relief after the first treatment. We have patient testimonials on our website as well as an explanation of how treatments work, but 95% of people we treat feel relief and get resolution of their symptoms. For some people, relief comes within a day or two and for others it may take a few weeks.

Everyone’s work situation is different, but treatments take about 15 minutes with total time in the office about an hour. People can return to work immediately after treatment and you don’t need to stay home after your treatment or the next day. Treatments are gentle and easy to recover from. Our team will work with your work schedule to minimize any disruption to your work schedule. We’ll provide a written excuse for your employer for the office visit if needed.