Leg Veins Can Be a Sign of a More Serious Medical Condition

It’s been a heavy rainy season in Chicagoland this year. I’m not sure if you’ve ever experienced this version of home ownership hell, but if you’ve seen a stain up on your ceiling, it’s disconcerting on many levels. From an aesthetic sense, the only positive you could glean would be nature providing a free minimalist abstract masterpiece right in your own home. When you snap back into reality and realize that painting over the “overhead Jackson Pollack” would not solve your issues, you will settle into the need to figure out the underlying problem.

Similarly, spider veins and varicose veins can be aesthetically unsettling, but in many cases, they might just be the tip of the vein-berg. Many of my patients don’t readily connect symptoms in their legs such as tiredness, heaviness, aches, restless legs, and swelling with the progressively worsening surface veins. Such symptoms associated with veins in particular areas warrant performing an ultrasound of the lower extremities to look for underlying venous issues. Such issues stem from faulty check valves. Ordinarily, check valves in our veins serve to prevent backflow and pooling in the veins. Such pooling increases pressure inside the veins, stretching them out and leading to chronic symptoms.

During the consultation visit, we will determine if an ultrasound is warranted. If so, we’ll perform it during your visit and help tailor a treatment plan to your particular needs. The treatments we provide are state-­of-the-art, minimally invasive, maximally comfortable, and have no downtime. You can drive yourself to and from the office, and only local anesthetic, if needed, is required. Patients are thrilled to learn that many treatments may be covered by commercial insurance and Medicare. However, insurance approval may take months to achieve. We recommend scheduling your consultation appointment as early as possible to have the best chance of getting your treatments performed during this deductible year. I look forward to meeting you and helping your legs feel and look better than they have in years!