How Can Endovenous Ablation Reduce My Leg Pain?

• 1 October 2019
• Dr. Obinna Nwobi

When leg pain develops, chances are your first thought isn’t, “Gee, I must have a vein problem.” But 24% of American adults have varicose veins and another 6% have complications from advanced venous disease. They’re all at risk for significant leg pain.

At Vein Health Clinics, we specialize in relieving vein-related leg pain using cutting-edge procedures such as endovenous ablation. Here’s what you need to know about vein conditions, leg pain, and how you can be pain-free in under an hour with endovenous ablation.

Vein conditions that cause leg pain

There are several vein conditions that can cause leg pain, but two are treated with endovenous ablation:

Chronic venous insufficiency

Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when blood flow in your leg vein refluxes backward rather than flowing up the vein and back to your heart. This problem develops when valves in the vein malfunction.

The valves normally stop blood from flowing back down the vein. When a valve fails, blood builds up between the damaged valve and the next healthy valve down the vein. As blood accumulates, it stretches the vein wall, pulling at the healthy valve, and eventually making it fail. The pool of blood leads to inflammation and leg pain.

Varicose veins

Varicose veins are caused by chronic venous insufficiency. As blood refluxes and accumulates in the vein, it expands and transforms into an engorged and twisted varicose vein. The dark bluish-purple color of varicose veins and the fact that they bulge above the skin’s surface make them visible and unsightly. Varicose veins don’t always cause symptoms, but when they do, they’re known for leg pain that’s sometimes severe.

Endovenous ablation relieves venous leg pain

The only way to be free of vein-related leg pain is to eliminate the source of the problem. Many patients shy away from getting their veins treated because they think surgery is the only option. But that’s not how we treat chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins. We use endovenous ablation.

Endovenous ablation is a minimally invasive, pain-free procedure that’s done in the office with a local anesthetic. The procedure only requires a tiny opening so we can insert a slender catheter into the vein. Using ultrasound imaging to see the vein, we guide the catheter through the incompetent vein where blood has pooled.

As the catheter is slowly withdrawn, rapid pulses of radiofrequency energy reach the vein walls. The energy heats the walls just enough to make them collapse inward. The treated area turns into scar tissue that’s gradually absorbed into your body, eliminating the affected veins.

You’ll need to wear compression stockings, avoid prolonged sitting, and stay away from strenuous activities for a short time. Otherwise, you can get back to your usual daily routine as soon as you leave the office.

Here’s the bottom line: Endovenous ablation typically takes an hour or less, you don’t have downtime, the veins are permanently eliminated, and your leg pain is gone.

Endovenous ablation prevents future pain and complications

We realize that getting rid of leg pain while also improving your appearance by doing away with varicose veins are reason enough to consider endovenous ablation, but that’s not where your benefits stop.

Treating chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins also prevents future health problems that arise as these conditions slow down blood flow and increase pressure in your lower leg veins.

Venous hypertension forces fluids out of the capillaries in your lower leg. The fluid infiltrates the surrounding tissues, causing inflammatory skin conditions such as stasis dermatitis and lipodermatosclerosis.

Untreated venous hypertension also leads to another more serious skin problem: venous stasis ulcers. The leaking fluids make your skin break down, forming an open and painful wound — an ulcer. The pain only gets worse over time because venous stasis ulcers won’t heal without intensive medical care and treating the underlying vein problem.

You don’t need to put up with leg pain or unattractive varicose veins when they’re easy to treat with safe, effective endovenous ablation. To schedule an evaluation of your leg pain by Dr. Nwobi, call Vein Health Clinics at one of our three Florida locations, or you can use the online booking feature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Vein Ablation Help Circulation?

Yes, vein ablation can help improve circulation by treating varicose veins, which can cause blood to pool and slow down circulation. By redirecting blood flow to healthy veins, vein ablation can improve blood flow and reduce symptoms such as swelling, pain, and fatigue in the affected area.

Is Vein Ablation Painful?

Vein ablation can cause some discomfort, but it is typically performed under local anesthesia to minimize pain during the procedure. Overall, the discomfort is generally mild, and most patients can manage it with over-the-counter pain medication.

Does Endovenous Laser Ablation Hurt?

Endovenous laser ablation can cause some discomfort, but it is typically performed under local anesthesia to minimize pain during the procedure. Overall, the discomfort is generally mild and can be managed with over-the-counter pain medication.

What Is Leg Ablation?

Leg ablation refers to a group of medical procedures used to treat conditions affecting the veins in the legs. These procedures can include vein ablation, radiofrequency ablation, or other techniques designed to alleviate symptoms of varicose veins.

Does Vein Ablation Hurt?

Vein ablation can cause some discomfort, but it is typically performed under local anesthesia. Patients may experience some tenderness or bruising afterward, but this is usually mild and temporary. Overall, the procedure is considered safe and well-tolerated.