Chronic venous insufficiency is a common condition that usually results in lower extremity edema, skin changes, and discomfort. Typically, the vein valves in your legs open to allow blood flow to the heart and close to prevent the blood from flowing backward. However, when the valves in your legs become damaged, blood may accumulate in the veins instead of rushing to the heart – a condition known as chronic venous insufficiency. Usually, chronic venous insufficiency Davenport manifests mild symptoms, but over time, this condition can interfere with your life quality and cause severe complications.
Simple lifestyle changes like exercising, losing extra weight, and elevating your legs may be enough to alleviate symptoms. Your healthcare provider may recommend medical procedures like sclerotherapy if your symptoms don’t improve with lifestyle changes.
What is Sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure whereby your doctor injects a solution directly into a damaged vein. The procedure can effectively treat varicose and spider veins, but it is often considered the treatment of choice for small varicose veins. Once the solution is injected into the vein, it irritates the vein walls, causing them to swell and shut close. This forces blood to reroute to other healthier veins as the damaged vein gradually fades.
After treatment, most patients begin to see improvements in the veins’ appearance within a few weeks. However, it may sometimes take a month or more to see the full effects of treatment. In some cases, healthcare providers recommend subsequent treatments.
How safe is sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is a relatively safe procedure with a few potentially severe complications. However, most people experience temporary side effects at the injection site. These include raised red areas, bruising, several tiny red blood vessels, and dark lines or spots on the skin. These side effects are expected and usually subside within a few days to several weeks. However, some side effects may take longer to disappear, even months or years.
Below are some of the less common complications that may require treatment.
- Blood clot formation
A lump of clotted blood can form in the treated veins; this may require drainage. Although rare, the clot can travel to a deeper vein in your leg, causing deep vein thrombosis. In such cases, you are at risk of pulmonary embolism – a life-threatening situation whereby a blood clot travels to your lungs, blocking a vital artery. Classic symptoms of pulmonary embolism include difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, chest pain, and dizziness. You should seek immediate medical care if such symptoms occur after sclerotherapy.
- Inflammation
This is often mild but may cause swelling, redness, warmth, and discomfort in the injected areas. Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or aspirin to minimize the inflammation.
- Allergic reaction
You may experience an allergic reaction if your body recognizes the solution as something foreign. Although this is a possible risk, it is less likely to happen.
- Air bubbles
Tiny air bubbles may form in your bloodstream, causing visual disturbances, headaches, fainting, and nausea. These symptoms usually go away without treatment, but you want to call your doctor if you experience limb movement problems after the procedure.
For further questions about chronic venous insufficiency treatment, consult your provider at Vascular Vein Centers.