Common Cures for Varicose Veins

There are several common cures for varicose veins. There are several surgical methods with good success rates, but the surgeries can be somewhat traumatic for patients and leave very visible scars. Non-surgical methods are generally preferred. These all have very good success rates, but aren’t necessarily as long term of solutions as surgeries. The patient could also self treat with supportive stockings and leg elevation. When considering the long term, there may not be a complete cure. Most treatments will relieve symptoms and are considered permanent, but there are no guarantees that the varicose veins won’t return.

The two common surgical methods for curing varicose veins are CHIVA and stripping. Saphenous stripping involves removing the entire trunk of the affected vein, from ankle to hip. This surgery is generally successful, but is considered one of the more painful procedures. However, it is considered to be a permanent solution and recurrence in the same area is very rare.

CHIVA is a similar surgery, but only pieces of the trunk are removed. Smaller veins attached to the trunk are systematically selected to be removed in addition to the sections of the large trunk that are removed to allow maximum blood circulation through the area. This systematic selection also allows the affected veins to strengthen themselves as the area rebuilds. As the veins strengthen and circulation improves, the effects and appearance of varicose veins disappears.

Non-surgical options are often preferred even though symptoms can return after 6 months to several years. Although the treatments are called permanent, they don’t provide a true cure to the problem. They merely remove the symptoms by treated the superficial veins. New veins will eventually grow back in the same place and may suffer from the same problem.

However, non-surgical treatments such as EVLT and endovenous radio frequency ablation report a much higher success rate than surgical procedures. EVLT claims a 95-100% success rate while radio frequency is only slightly lower. Both treatments have a smaller risk for severe side effects than surgery and most side effects are not as severe.

Home based treatments generally do not provide a complete cure for varicose veins, but can provide some relief from the swelling and discomfort from the malady. Because varicose veins generally get worse over time, it is wise to talk to your doctor to make sure that additional complications aren’t likely to arise from the varicosities. If you do decide to self treat, usually leg elevation for 15 to 20 minutes each day combined with supportive stockings can relieve most symptoms.

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