Varicose Veins and Men: What Can be Done? Part 2 of 2

During this second installment, Center for Vein Restoration (CVR) vein doctor Normand Miller, MD, FACS, RPVI, RVT, discusses why it is imperative to educate men about what vein disease is. He stresses that treatment is minimally invasive and requires only local anesthesia with little to no downtime. Dr. Miller is the lead physician at the CVR locations in Salem and Nashua, New Hampshire.

In Part One of this series, Dr. Miller asserted that gentlemen comprise only about 20 percent of his practice, theorizing that men generally tend to delay treatment until the symptoms becomemore severe. During Part Two, Dr. Miller stresses the importance (and ease!) of vein disease diagnosis and treatment at CVR.

Watch Part Two of Dr. Miller’s video here

Diagnosing the source of varicose veins

Dr. Miller says that the first step in vein treatment is the ultrasound, which he calls “crucial” to assess the anatomy of the venous system in the legs. A painless, non-invasive diagnostic tool, the ultrasound helps the doctor locate the source of the varicose veins. With this information, the doctor can shut down the source, thus stopping the varicose veins that appear near the skin’s surface from being feed with blood. By treating the origin of the varicose veins, “the chance of getting a recurrence goes down drastically,” explains Dr. Miller.

Treating varicose veins

Treatment for varicose veins is office-based and done using local anesthesia that numbs only the area that is treated. Dr. Miller outlines the benefits of local anesthesia, which include:

• Patients do not need to go to the hospital
• Patients do not need to be put to sleep
• Patients do not require spinal anesthesia
• Patients are kept very comfortable

Results of varicose vein treatment

Using side-by-side before and after pictures, Dr. Miller demonstrates the dramatic and positive results enjoyed by male patients using techniques called radiofrequency ablation and microphlebectomy.

Radiofrequency ablation: Heat is applied to a damaged vein through a thin, flexible tube (catheter) during this procedure, causing the vein to seal off and shrink. This process closes off the blood flow to the varicose veins.

Microphlebectomy: During this minimally invasive procedure, the lumpy veins at the surface are removed through tiny, slit-like incisions in the skin. Stitches are not required. An elastic stocking is applied and the patient typically returns to normal activities within 48 hours.

Men: Be proactive about your varicose veins!

Dr. Miller concludes that the treatment of varicose veins is “simple, relatively easy, and covered by most insurance plans.”

His advice to men—be proactive when you develop symptoms of varicose veins. Symptoms include achy, throbbing, swelling in the legs, leg heaviness, itchiness, or skin changes around theankle.

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Normand Miller

Schedule a consultation with Dr. Miller in Salem, New Hampshire, or Nashua, New Hampshire—or any one of our 100+ CVR locations—by calling 240-965-3915. Our Patient Service Specialists will answer all your questions. You’ll wish you sought help years ago!