Varicose Veins: Symptoms, Laser Treatment & When to See a Surgeon in Chinchwad, PCMC

Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins, usually in the legs, that can cause aching, heaviness, itching and swelling. See a surgeon if symptoms bother you or spread, if the skin around the ankle changes colour or turns itchy and scaly, or if a sore on the leg has not healed in 2 weeks. Bleeding from a vein, or a hot, swollen, painful calf, needs urgent care. Laser (endovenous) treatment is one of the usual options.

Many people in Pimpri-Chinchwad spend long hours on their feet or on a two-wheeler, and put up with tired, heavy legs for years. Some of that is ordinary fatigue. Some of it is a vein problem that can be looked at and treated. This guide explains the signs, what a surgeon checks, how laser treatment works and which symptoms should not wait.

What are varicose veins and what do they feel like?

Varicose veins are veins that have become swollen and twisted, and they are most often seen in the legs. The NHS describes the usual symptoms as pain, aching or a feeling of heaviness, along with skin changes such as itching, colour changes or dry, scaly skin. Swelling can get worse after standing for a long time.

Is it only a cosmetic problem?

Not always. Some people have visible veins and no symptoms. Others have aching and swelling with very little to see. The skin changes matter most, because they can point to longer-standing trouble with blood flow in the leg.

Who gets them?

Standing for long periods is a recognised contributor. An Indian consensus statement on chronic venous disease, published in Phlebological Review, names teachers, nursing staff, traffic policemen and other people who stand through their working day as groups at risk. It lists tingling, aching, burning, cramps, swelling, throbbing, heaviness, itching, restless legs and leg tiredness as venous symptoms.

When should you see a surgeon about varicose veins?

The NHS advises seeing a doctor if you have pain, itching or swelling in the leg, if veins are getting worse, or if a sore on the leg has not healed after 2 weeks. The NICE guideline on varicose veins goes further and says people should be referred to a vascular service if they have any of the following:

• Symptomatic varicose veins, or symptoms after earlier treatment
• Skin changes in the lower leg, such as pigmentation or eczema, thought to come from chronic venous insufficiency
• Hard, painful veins (superficial vein thrombosis)
• A venous leg ulcer, which is a break in the skin below the knee that has not healed within 2 weeks
• A leg ulcer that has healed

The Indian consensus statement also lists swelling, skin changes, ulcers and symptoms that interfere with work or daily life as reasons to refer. In short, you do not need to wait for an ulcer. Symptoms that bother you are reason enough for an examination.

What happens at the first visit?

A surgeon will ask about your symptoms, look at the legs standing and lying, and check for skin changes and swelling. Surgeons commonly use a duplex ultrasound scan to see which veins are leaking and how blood is flowing. Treatment is best chosen after that assessment, not before it.

What is laser (endovenous) treatment for varicose veins?

The NHS says endothermal ablation is usually the first choice of treatment. It uses either radio waves (radiofrequency ablation) or a laser (endovenous laser treatment) to heat and close the affected vein. Blood then finds its way through healthier veins. People usually go home on the same day and wear compression stockings for about a week, according to the NHS.

Is laser better than surgery?

That depends on your veins, which is why the scan matters. NICE sets out an order for people with confirmed varicose veins and truncal reflux. It recommends offering endothermal ablation first. If that is unsuitable, ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy is offered. If that is unsuitable too, surgery is offered. Dr Dhananjay Patil’s practice includes laser surgery, and the choice for each patient is made after examination and imaging.

What are the other treatment options?

• Foam sclerotherapy: a chemical injection that blocks the vein, used when ablation is not suitable.
• Vein surgery (ligation and stripping): the vein is tied off and removed through small cuts in the groin and lower leg, under general anaesthetic.
• Compression stockings: they press on the leg to help blood flow and are offered when a procedure is not suitable.

Every procedure has risks, and results differ from person to person. Ask your surgeon what is planned, why, how long recovery usually takes and what the alternatives are. Individual results vary.

Can daily habits help varicose veins?

Habits do not remove veins that have already swollen, but they can ease heavy legs. Walking regularly, avoiding standing in one spot for hours, resting with the legs raised and keeping a healthy weight are sensible steps. If you stand through the working day, shift your weight, walk a few steps when you can and take sitting breaks. Our rehabilitation team can guide you on safe leg exercise if you also have joint or back problems.

What are the warning signs that need urgent care?

Some leg problems cannot wait for an appointment. The NHS advises an urgent medical review, or a call to NHS 111 in the UK, for varicose veins that are bleeding. In Pimpri-Chinchwad, go to a hospital emergency department.

Go to the emergency department if you notice

• A varicose vein that is bleeding. Lie down, raise the leg and press firmly with a clean cloth while help is arranged.
• Throbbing pain in one calf or thigh with swelling, redness or warm skin. The NHS lists these as symptoms of deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in a deep vein.
• Any of those leg signs together with breathlessness or chest pain. The NHS says this combination can mean a clot has travelled to the lungs and needs treatment straight away.
• A leg sore that is getting bigger, leaking or becoming very painful, or red, hot skin with fever.

The NHS also lists varicose eczema, venous leg ulcers, superficial vein thrombosis and bleeding among possible complications of varicose veins, which is another reason not to ignore symptoms that keep coming back.

Varicose veins consultation near you in Chinchwad and PCMC

Chetna Hospital, Sambhajinagar, MIDC G Block, near Rotary Club, Chinchwad, Pune 411019, offers surgical consultation with Dr Dhananjay Patil, Consultant General Surgeon, along with other general surgery services. Patients visit from Chinchwad, Pimpri, Akurdi, Nigdi, Pradhikaran, Thergaon, Kalewadi, Rahatani, Pimple Saudagar, Bhosari, Moshi, Ravet and across Pimpri-Chinchwad. The emergency department is open 24 hours a day. You can also read about hernia treatment or when abdominal pain needs a surgical opinion, and meet our other doctors.

Frequently asked questions

Do varicose veins always need treatment?

No. If they cause no symptoms and no skin changes, many people simply watch them. Treatment is considered when veins ache, swell, itch, change the skin or cause sores. A surgeon can tell you which group you are in after an examination and a scan.

Is laser treatment for varicose veins painful?

The NHS describes endothermal ablation as a procedure after which people usually go home the same day. Compression stockings are worn for about a week. Ask your surgeon what discomfort to expect afterwards, what pain relief is advised and when you can return to work.

Can varicose veins burst or bleed?

Bleeding is a recognised complication, and the NHS advises urgent medical help if a varicose vein bleeds. Lie down, raise the leg and press firmly on the spot with a clean cloth. Then go to a hospital emergency department. Do not wait to see if it settles.

Which doctor should I see for varicose veins near Chinchwad?

A surgeon with experience in vein care. Dr Dhananjay Patil, Consultant General Surgeon at Chetna Hospital, Chinchwad, sees patients from Pimpri, Akurdi, Nigdi, Bhosari and across PCMC. Call or message 91586 81123 to book a consultation. Bring any earlier scan reports or prescriptions with you.

Can I prevent varicose veins from getting worse?

You cannot undo veins that have already swollen, but you can ease symptoms. Walk daily, avoid standing still for hours, raise your legs when resting and keep a healthy weight. Get any skin change, swelling or sore checked early rather than waiting for it to worsen.

Sources

• NHS. Varicose veins.
• NHS. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
• NICE. Varicose veins: diagnosis and management (CG168), key priorities for implementation.
• Phlebological Review (2016). Consensus statement, part I: recommendations for the management of chronic venous disease in India and the key role of primary care doctors.

This article is general health information and does not replace a medical consultation. Whether you need treatment, and which kind, is decided after examination and a scan.