Although, there are potentially many reasons for leg pain, it is important to note that none are normal part of aging and, hence, need to be investigated.
Leg pain can be caused by abnormalities in muscles, bones, nerves or blood circulation. Most medical practitioners do a very good job investigating causes that relate to the bones, nerves, muscles and even the arterial circulation. A very common and agonizing cause of leg pain that is not well understood by most doctors is poor circulation of blood in the veins causing
Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI).
Leg pain caused by CVI is typically worse after prolonged standing or sitting. In advanced cases, the pain may be constant and even excruciating , interfering with moving around or walking. This would be in contrast to peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Patients with PAD most commonly have calf pain with walking and resolution of the pain after stopping for only a few minutes.
Venous insufficiency is a progressive medical condition in which the valves that allow the blood to travel from the legs to the heart no longer function. This can cause blood to pool in the legs causing veins to swell. The incorrect blood flow (or reflux) causes the blood to seep into the tissues and cause leg pain.
Patients with Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) of lower extremities can often present with complaints of leg cramps, fatigue, swelling, restless legs, and varicose or spider veins, in addition to the
leg pain or ache . In more advanced cases, skin discoloration (Stasis Dermatitis) and skin hardening (fibrosis and panniculitis) as well as dreadful ulcerations (
Venous Ulcers) may develop.
The symptoms of leg pain and leg problems include but are not limited to:
If you exhibit any of these symptoms, it is important to visit a leg pain doctor who can assess your situation and make a recommendation for care. Do not let these symptoms go without consulting with a vein specialist —as they may be indicative of a more serious condition or underlying vein disease.
Leg pains can be signs of underlying venous diseases, related to problematic veins in the legs. Since the valves in the legs cannot be repaired, the only alternative is to re-route blood flow from the diseased veins to healthy veins.
Traditionally, this has been done by surgically removing (stripping) the troublesome vein from your leg. Advances in technology, however, provide less intrusive options that allow you to recover quickly and with less pain than traditional surgery.
These treatments include
Radio Frequency Ablation,
ClariVein Ablation or
VenaSeal. Radio Frequency Ablation uses a highly specialized catheter to be inserted into the vein in order to cauterize the bad vein and close it off forever. Accordingly, the better and healthier veins will take over.
The VenaSeal™ closure system is the only non-tumescent, non-thermal, non-sclerosant procedure that uses a proprietary medical adhesive delivered endovenously to close the vein.
ClariVein however, uses a combination of chemical and mechanical rotation to shut off the vein.
If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, there’s really no reason to wait. At
Alpha Vein Clinic we can conduct an assessment to pinpoint the root of your problem and help you form the best plan to address it. Today’s vein treatment options require little-to-no recovery time and are covered by
Medicare and most insurance plans.