If varicose veins are severe, they can rupture or form ulcers on the skin (this requires immediate attention). The variety of treatments for varicose veins range from injection sclerotherapy to laser treatments. A consultation with a vein treatment specialist will help you determine which treatment is best for you.

Treatment programs are tailored to each individual and will depend on various factors. Treatment options include sclerotherapy (microsclerotherapy), laser surgery, minimally invasive catheter-assisted procedures, surgical vein stripping, ambulatory phlebectomy and endoscopic vein surgery.

Non-surgical treatment for varicose veins

Elevating the legs provides relief in varicose veins. "Advice about regular exercise sounds sensible. The wearing of graduated compression stockings with a pressure of 30-40 mmHg has been shown to correct the swelling, nutritional exchange, and improve the microcirculation in legs affected by varicose veins. They also often provide relief from the discomfort associated with varicose veins. Caution should be exercised in their use in patients with concurrent arterial disease.

Laser surgery is more appealing to some patients because it does not use needles or incisions. Still, when the laser hits the skin, the patient feels a heat sensation that can be quite painful. Cooling helps reduce the pain. Laser treatments last for 15 to 20 minutes. Depending on the severity of the veins, two to five treatments are generally needed to remove spider veins in the legs. Patients can return to normal activity right after treatment, just as with sclerotherapy. For spider veins larger than 3 mm, laser therapy is not very practical.

This minimally-invasive treatment is an outpatient procedure performed using imaging guidance. After applying local anesthetic to the vein, the interventional radiologist inserts a thin catheter, about the size of a strand of spaghetti, into the vein and guides it up the great saphenous vein in the thigh. Then laser or radiofrequency energy is applied to the inside of the vein. This heats the vein and seals the vein closed.

The Trivex System makes varicose vein removal more effective and less traumatic for the 24 million Americans suffering from them, by reducing the number of incisions required to perform the procedure, which not only reduces the pain associated with varicose vein removal, but also reduces the potential for post-operative infection. The varicose vein surgery is generally performed in less than one hour.

Injection sclerotherapy can be an alternative to surgery, but varicose veins may come back and nearby veins may become varicose. Often, several injections are needed. One possible side-effect of this treatment is skin discolouration. Your doctor will give you more information.

Raw vegetable juices, especially carrot juice in combination with spinach juice, have proved beneficial in the treatment of this disease. The formula proportions considered helpful in this combination are 300 ml of carrot juice and 200 ml of spinach juice.

For proper treatment of varicose veins, the patient should be put on a juice fast for four or five days in the beginning, or on an all-fruit diet for seven to ten days. Thereafter, the patient may gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet, with emphasis on grains, seeds, nuts, raw vegetables, and fresh fruits.A short fast or an all-fruit diet for two or three days may be undertaken every month, depending on the progress.