Get varicose vein treatment
Find a vascular surgeonFeel and look your best with varicose vein treatment
Varicose veins affect 3 million people each year nationwide, but you don’t have to let them affect your life. With minimally-invasive treatment, we can have you feeling and looking your best in no time.
What are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are twisted and enlarged veins often found in your legs and ankles. They’re easily visible on the skin’s surface and are frequently a cosmetic concern. However, they often cause uncomfortable symptoms that require further treatment.
We offer minimally-invasive treatments that will shrink your varicose veins and provide relief from uncomfortable symptoms. Our vascular team can provide early varicose vein treatment so your condition doesn’t worsen over time.
What are spider veins?
Spider veins are smaller than varicose veins but can develop into varicose veins over time.
Typically, spider veins are treated for appearance as they are typically not painful or harmful. However, if left untreated they may develop into varicose veins, which can pose other health risks, including leg wounds and blood clots.
Varicose veins symptoms
At-home treatment can help reduce the appearance of varicose veins, but a vascular specialist can help if they worsen or cause pain or discomfort in your legs.
Varicose veins symptoms may include:
- Achy or heavy feeling in legs
- Bulgy veins
- Burning or throbbing in legs
- Dark purple or blue veins
- Itching around the veins
- Leg cramping
- Pain after sitting or standing for a long time
- Skin discoloration around the veins
Varicose veins risk factors
There are certain behaviors, genetics and risk factors that can increase your chances of developing varicose veins. These include:
- Age: Varicose veins most frequently occur in those over age 50.
- Gender: Women are more prone to developing varicose veins than men.
- Pregnancy: Due to hormonal changes, increased blood pressure and added pressure from the uterus, pregnant women have a higher risk of developing varicose veins.
- Weight: Those who have excess body fat are at a higher risk for developing varicose veins. Just 30 minutes of exercise a day, five days a week – including walking – can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of developing varicose veins.
- Work: If your job involves sitting or standing for long periods of time without moving, you may have a greater likelihood of developing varicose veins. To combat this, try to move around every hour for a few minutes — walk around or stretch as frequently as possible.
Diagnosing varicose veins
At-home prevention and treatment can be helpful, but there may come a point when you need treatment to relieve your varicose vein symptoms. Diagnosing varicose veins is simple, and our vascular team can provide early varicose vein treatment so your condition does not worsen over time.
Tests to diagnose varicose veins may include:
- Physical exam – Your doctor will physically examine your legs and ankles to assess your varicose veins. They’ll ask you to describe your symptoms, including pain or aches.
- Ultrasound – An ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of the inside of your body, including your veins. These can allow your doctor to check for any blood clots and to monitor the flow of your blood.
Varicose veins treatment
Geisinger offers comprehensive care for vascular conditions, including varicose veins. While varicose veins can be unsightly, they may also pose other health risks like leg wounds and blood clots. Without proper treatment or lifestyle changes, they can lead to blood clots, leg wounds and bleeding.
Treatment for varicose veins may include:
Varicose vein care at Geisinger
Our vascular specialists are dedicated to providing personalized care and helping you feel your best. With the area’s largest vascular medicine program, our specialists are available 24/7. We offer:
- Advanced care – Primary care doctors (your main doctor) often send individuals to us because of our advanced vascular labs. Here, we can perform many non-invasive diagnostic tests, helping us refine your diagnosis and determine the best treatment.
- Minimally invasive surgery – We use minimally invasive techniques whenever possible. This means smaller surgical incisions, shorter recovery and a faster return to your daily activities.
- High-tech endovascular suites – Our state-of-the-art operating suites include the imaging capabilities of a catheterization lab. This allows our surgeons to perform procedures that require both vascular surgery and image-guided techniques simultaneously. So not only can you have multiple procedures at once, you’ll only have to undergo anesthesia and recover once.
- Care that puts you first – We look at the whole person and use surgery as a last method of treatment. When you come to us for varicose vein treatment, we’ll look at your lifestyle, including your exercise plan, weight, diet and how much time you spend on your feet. We’ll consider minimally invasive options first for the smallest impact on your daily life.