Have you noticed how your clothing choices have changed? More pants, fewer shorts. More long dresses, fewer summer-y skirts. Or you’re not doing some of your favorite activities—hitting the pool, swimming at the beach—because you don’t want people to see what you’re hiding.
The problem? Varicose veins. These ropy ridges of blue or purple that trail on your legs have you feeling less than confident. Plus, they can hurt, ache, cause a burning sensation, and get in the way of enjoying your day.
Your choice for varicose vein treatment in North Port is Florida Lakes Vein Center. Our team of highly trained specialists provides cutting-edge treatments for vein disease. We’ll help you get rid of your varicose veins so that you can get back to living the way you want to.
What are varicose veins?
You see them on your legs, you don’t like them, and they can hurt. But what are they?
Varicose veins—also called “varicosities”—are bulging, gnarled, enlarged veins that occur close enough to the skin’s surface to protrude. Though usually not a cause for health concerns, they can cause discomfort and possibly signal an underlying circulatory issue.
This is why it’s important to schedule a vein screening at Florida Lakes Vein Center. Though the varicose veins might not be a problem, let’s make sure they’re not the symptom of something worse.
Causes of Varicose Veins
Currently, scientists and doctors don’t know the exact cause of varicose veins. However, there are several factors that can contribute to their appearance and the necessity for varicose vein treatment in North Port.
Poor Blood Circulation
Any injury, condition, or medicine that contributes to improper blood flow or clotting can eventually cause varicose veins.
Damaged Veins
The one-way valves inside your veins keep blood moving forward, preventing it from traveling backwards. Damage to a vein, whether that’s from surgery, inflammation, infection, or other injury, can cause these valves to malfunction and not close properly.
When this happens, blood backs up in the superficial veins, eventually distending them. If they’re near the skin’s surface, they become varicose veins.
Risk Factors for Varicose Veins
Certain risk factors can increase your likelihood of developing varicose veins. Some are addressable, and others are inevitable factors that can be managed. These risk factors include:
- Aging
- Pregnancy
- Being overweight
Orthopedic surgery - Genetics/family history
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Hormonal medications
- Smoking
- General surgery
- Long periods of standing
As your vein care specialists in Wellen Park and North Port, our team can help you reduce/address factors and place you in a better position to minimize the occurrence of varicose veins.
Our Treatments for Varicose Veins
Florida Lakes Vein Center offers several non-surgical, minimally invasive options for varicose vein treatment in North Port.
Varithena
Our Varithena vein treatment focuses on addressing varicose veins without the need for general anesthesia, sedation, or incisions. Through a series of one or two injections over multiple sessions, Varithena fills the vein with a microfoam. This forces the distended vein to safely deteriorate and collapse.
Your blood automatically redirects to healthier veins, improving your circulation while reducing the visibility of the varicose veins and alleviating associated pain and discomfort.
VenaSeal
Our VenaSeal varicose vein treatment in North Port involves a single treatment with little downtime. Through a one-time series of injections, your specialist delivers an innovative medical adhesive into the varicose vein. This effectively seals it off, and blood flows to healthier veins. Over time, your body will absorb the now-inactive vein, and it will disappear.
Related topic: A closer look at VenaSeal in North Port.
Sclerotherapy
Our sclerotherapy treatment works similarly to the other treatments. It involves the injection of a special solution into the varicose vein. This sclerosant irritates the lining of this blood vessel, making it collapse and “stick together.”
As with the other treatments, your blood will now flow to healthier veins. Over time, your body will absorb the collapsed vein, making it disappear.
Wound Care
Patients who have varicose veins also have a higher risk of developing venous ulcers on their skin. When veins are damaged, bulging, and not circulating blood properly, the skin doesn’t heal as quickly as it should because blood doesn’t flow well to the injury site. This can cause a simple wound to become infected, forming a venous ulcer.
Our wound care can help you address both your varicose veins and any venous ulcers caused by the issue, resulting in healing on multiple levels.
The Goal: Stop Feeding the Vein
Our center is led by T.C. Lackey II, D.O., a top provider of vein treatment in Florida. His certification as a Varithena and VenaSeal trainer means you get comprehensive patient care from a compassionate vein specialist who has trained his staff to deliver superior care. The entire team utilizes sophisticated ultrasound facilities and cutting-edge vein therapies to address symptoms and stop the contributing factors.
Something feeds your varicose veins to keep them bloated, much like how a tree feeds the branches to keep them alive. If we can stop the damaged, problematic veins from being fed—i.e., shut down the trunk of the tree—we can stop that vein’s issue.
Schedule a free vein screening or come in as a new patient. Either way, let’s discover the cause and address the symptoms for total care.
No Cure for Varicose Veins
Varicose veins happen, and there’s no “cure” that completely stops them from showing up again. However, our varicose vein treatment in North Port makes the exhibiting varicose veins go away.
As part of your treatment, we’re going to also discuss your lifestyle, work habits, and other factors that may be contributing to the occurrence of varicose veins. We can suggest specific actions to take that lessen the chances, and we’ll discuss certain therapies that will support those actions and produce better results.
Related topic: Find more ways to improve circulation in North Port.
The Florida Lakes Vein Center Process
When you come in for your varicose vein screening and to discuss treatment solutions, we’ll go through a few steps that help us diagnose the issues, treat the varicose veins, and uncover any underlying/causative vein disorders that can be addressed.
Step 1: Getting to Know You
An accurate diagnosis doesn’t just come from a chart. It comes from getting to know our patients and understanding their whole situation, not just the symptoms. Your vein specialist will sit down with you to thoroughly discuss your symptoms, health history, activity levels, and other factors relevant to your situation.
We’ll look to understand more about the background behind potential causes of your venous insufficiency issue. This way, we can not only provide the best varicose vein treatment in North Port, but we can also help reduce contributing factors so that recurrence is minimized.
You can expect to be asked questions about whether or not you’ve ever had spider or varicose veins and what kind of symptoms you’ve experienced. Symptoms we ask about typically include:
- Leg heaviness or fatigue
- Restless legs
- Itching or burning skin
- Leg or ankle swelling
- Leg pain, aching, cramping, or throbbing
- Skin discoloration or texture changes
- Open wounds or sores
Because vein issues (including varicose veins) often have genetic origins, we’ll ask about your family history of venous insufficiency in addition to other risk-factor questions. Other lifestyle or work-related questions we’ll ask include:
- Do you sit for long periods?
- Do you stand for extended lengths of time?
- Do you smoke?
- Are you active or sedentary?
- Are you premenopausal/menopausal?
These, as well as other behaviors or factors that impact your likelihood of developing vein disease, will be asked about.
Step 2: Ultrasound Diagnosis
Now that we’ve got well-rounded knowledge of your history and other factors and have examined the varicose veins, your provider will use ultrasound technology to view the soft tissue and blood vessels in your affected area.
Together with your provider, you’ll have a clear visual assessment of the problem for an accurate diagnosis. What’s especially nice about this technology is that you won’t have to endure invasive X-rays or other methods of physical diagnosis.
Step 3: Your Treatment and Follow-Up
Our vein specialists offer varicose vein treatment in North Port that fits into anyone’s schedule or lifestyle.
Everyone’s personalized treatment plan will look a little bit different. Often, we’re able to move directly from your diagnosis into treatment, thanks to our minimally invasive and convenient treatment options. You may be treated on the same day you came in for your screening and consultation, if that suits both mutual schedules!
Your Florida Lakes Vein Center provider will make sure you have a complete understanding of what to expect from your treatment before it begins. This includes understanding whether you will need multiple treatments to achieve total relief as well as the steps you need to take at home to ensure success.
It’s great, but it’s not magic.
Our varicose vein treatment in North Port isn’t a magic eraser. Treating your varicose veins is a process. To address current varicose veins and reduce their occurrence elsewhere requires an investment of time and effort both here and at home. Before you leave from your appointment for varicose vein treatment in North Port, you’ll have everything you need to embrace a life with healthier veins.
FAQs
Are varicose veins something I should worry about?
Varicose veins generally don’t pose an immediate danger to your health. However, they can cause discomfort, pain, itching, and more.
Even if you don’t suffer anything more than the way they look, varicose veins themselves could be a symptom of a more serious underlying venous disease. It’s always important to have your veins assessed by a specialist for proper treatment so that you can choose to treat the appearance of varicose veins without worry.
How common are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are extremely common, with up to 1 in 5 adults exhibiting them. Millions of cases of varicose veins occur in the US each year. The biggest issue lies in the fact that too many people never have them examined.
This means underlying issues may not be addressed. It also means that these people won’t discover the effective, comfortable treatments available to them to get rid of the varicose veins and help reduce the chance of developing new ones.
If I have varicose veins, do I have heart problems?
Only a proper assessment can determine if your varicose veins are a symptom of heart issues. That being said, varicose veins in and of themselves don’t necessarily point to heart issues or systemic circulatory issues.
There are many different factors that contribute to the appearance of varicose veins. Your consultation at Florida Lakes Vein Center can help you determine what may or may not be causing your varicose veins. We can also determine whether other specialized assessments will need to be done.
Will insurance cover my varicose vein treatment?
In North Port and the surrounding areas, your insurance may cover your treatment if it’s for medical conditions. However, addressing the aesthetic appearance of varicose veins without an underlying medical cause is usually not covered by insurance.
Don’t “Skirt” the Issues. Have Your Varicose Veins Checked Today.
Get back to wearing shorts how you like them, dressing in skirts of any length you choose, and having the confidence to live the way you want without worrying about the look of varicose veins. Request a vein screening, or call us at 941.777.7771. Come to Florida Lakes Vein Center for varicose vein treatment in North Port—”It’s a No Veiner!”
About Florida Lakes Vein Center
Our team loves getting to know our patients, understanding all of their concerns and medical history to make accurate and effective individualized treatment plans. We have performed over 10,000 vein treatments to date. Let us show you what we can do for you today.