When to see a vascular doctor?

When to see a vascular doctor?

Vascular doctors, officially known as phlebologists, are medical professionals responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular problems and vascular conditions, such as spider veins, varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis, and chronic venous insufficiency. You should generally consult vein doctors if you have the signs and symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency, which is the root cause of most vascular problems.

Chronic venous insufficiency is a medical condition wherein your vein valves collapse or malfunction. Vein valves generally act as one-way doors to facilitate effective blood circulation towards the heart, often against the force of gravity. When your vein valves collapse or malfunction, blood flows backward and eventually accumulates in the leg veins, eventually leading to numerous vascular conditions, such as spider veins and varicose veins.

You should consult vein doctors if you notice any of the signs or symptoms of vein disease. You should consult vein doctors in these situations: 

When you have varicose veins…

Varicose veins are large blood vessels that protrude from the skin’s surface, looking like masses of tangled, twisted, and knotted ropes. They usually appear on the lower extremities of the body, such as the legs, thighs, and buttocks. If you have varicose veins, you must contact vein doctors as soon as possible because they’re indicative of advanced vascular conditions. Excessive dilation can also lead to burst varicose veins and profuse bleeding.

When you have advanced complications…

If left untreated, chronic venous insufficiency may lead to several advanced vascular conditions. The lack of effective blood circulation may lead to skin discoloration, and it may prevent wounds from healing properly, leading to leg ulcers. The breakdown of blood cells may lead to rust-colored patches on your skin. And you may eventually develop blood clots in your leg veins (deep vein thrombosis) that can travel into your lungs, inducing a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism.

Why would you see a vascular doctor?

You must see a vascular doctor to address the root cause of your vascular conditions. Generally speaking, patients visit vascular doctors for three reasons — cosmetic, emotional, and medical.

Cosmetic reasons to consult vein doctors…

Spider veins and varicose veins look hideous. Spider veins are dense clusters of web-like blood vessels that expand outwards from a central location, and varicose veins look like dense, discolored ropes bulging out of your skin. Furthermore, they only grow larger with time, so you eventually won’t be able to conceal them underneath your clothes. As such, you must consult vein doctors to restore your legs’ original beauty and remove the abnormal veins.

Emotional reasons to consult vein doctors…

The presence of ugly, abnormal veins can lead to severe self-consciousness and social anxiety. Patients with spider veins and varicose veins often avoid social gatherings that would necessitate wearing swimsuits or dresses. That pretty much rules out beaches and most social events. Months or years of self-imposed social isolation can also lead to general social anxiety and self-consciousness, affecting your quality of life. As such, you should consult vascular doctors to feel better about yourself.

Medical reasons to consult vein doctors…

As mentioned previously, spider veins and varicose veins are usually symptomatic of chronic venous insufficiency. This is a dangerous circulatory disorder wherein the collapse of your vein valves makes blood accumulate in leg veins, leading to numerous vascular problems. If left untreated, you may eventually experience skin discoloration, skin disease, leg ulcers, and deep vein thrombosis. These conditions are dangerous and necessitate vein treatment.

What can I expect at a vascular appointment?

During your vascular appointment, your vein doctor will carefully examine your leg veins to identify the signs of chronic venous insufficiency. They will also ask if you’re experiencing the symptoms of vein disease, such as leg heaviness, frequent leg cramps, and restless leg syndrome. The vein doctor will also review your medical history to determine the likelihood of vein disease.

The vascular consultation will be followed by an ultrasound diagnostic test, known as duplex ultrasound. During this phase, the vein doctor will use ultrasound tests to visualize the blood flow in your leg veins and determine if you have chronic venous insufficiency. They’ll curate a personalized treatment plan based on your symptoms, diagnosis, cosmetic goals, and numerous other factors.

If you have chronic venous insufficiency, the vein doctor may recommend radiofrequency ablation, endovenous laser ablation, or venaseal. These procedures involve using thermal energy, laser energy, or medical adhesives to collapse/ shut the diseased vein, rerouting the accumulated blood into healthier leg veins. If you don’t have vein disease, the vein doctor will remove the superficial varicose veins and spider veins.

Minimally invasive spider vein and varicose vein treatments usually conclude within an hour, following which you can resume your daily activities and work. The vein doctor will provide some aftercare tips and guidelines, such as wearing compression stockings, and you can leave the vein clinic.

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