Varicose is a pretty common problem among men and women. I often see them on random people walking by. Some of my close friends have them too. Since having varicose veins have been normalised in my circle of friends and relatives, I ignored my varicose vein too.
I have been working as a teacher for almost eight years. As a part of my job, I had to stand, climb stairs and sometimes walk around for more than nine hours a day. Some days I would wear shoes that have heels.
At first, only green to bluish spider web-like veins appear on the fold of my knees. I ignored it since it was pretty normal for teachers who have those veins appearing. It wasn't that painful as well. Aside from its nasty look, it didn't really bother my mobility or impact my regular activities, so I did not pay a visit to a vein doctor soon.
Diagnosis
Years of ignoring it, I started to feel the heaviness of knees and legs. My varicose veins become more noticeable, as well. From thin bluish spider web-like veins, bulging green veins appeared on the fold of my knees. My legs throbbed and had a burning sensation after a long hour of standing and walking. I started getting frequent leg cramps at night or while asleep.
My co-teacher suggested visiting a vein doctor or endovascular clinic. I immediately visited a vein doctor nearest to my place to get a diagnosis.
My vein doctor diagnosed thrombophlebitis. He explained that thrombophlebitis is the blood clot in the varicose vein that causes inflammation and redness on the affected area.
Thankfully, it did not need vascular surgery that can be done in Singapore. My doctor has offered me non-surgical and non-invasive treatment for my thrombophlebitis.
Treatment
My vein doctor provides me lists of non-surgical to minimally invasive treatments for my varicose veins including ClariVein, EVLT, Radiofrequency ablation, Sclerotherapy and Venous Compression Stockings.
ClariVein - The ClariVein treatment uses a narrow and flexible tube to infuse liquid sclerosant into the affected vein. According to my vein doctor, ClariVein treatment doesn't require heat to relieve pain; thus much safer than other varicose vein treatment procedures. ClariVein is the latest varicose vein treatment in the US and now available in Singapore.
Endovenous Laser Therapy or EVLT - EVLT uses laser energy to fix the affected vein. It provides immediate relief to the patient and doesn't require hospital admission.
Radiofrequency ablation - My vein doctor explained to me that Radiofrequency ablation and EVLT treatments are almost identical; they both use different laser energies. Radiofrequency ablation uses radiofrequency energy and heat to eliminate varicose veins. Treatment sessions may run for several days or weeks depending on the severity of the varicose vein. Unlike the first two treatments, Radiofrequency ablation treatment is prone to scarring.
Sclerotherapy - As explained by my vein doctor, Sclerotherapy uses a salt solution to remove blood clots, varicose veins and spider veins. The solution will be injected to the affected veins to get rid of the clot.
Venous Compression Stockings - Venous Compression Stockings is a non-surgical treatment for varicose vein. It is not a complete treatment, but it slows down or halts the progression of varicose veins. Compression Stockings should be worn for a long period of time to create pressure on the leg part, and let the blood to flow to narrower vessels.
Why I Chose ClariVein
Although ClariVein treatment is much more costly than the other procedures, I had several considerations before making a final decision.
1.) The procedure only takes a day. I can immediately return to my normal activities right after the procedure. It also provides quick pain relief.
2.) It has minimal bruising compared to EVLT.
3.) It doesn't require several sessions, and there is no need for hospital admission. I was only required to wear a compression stocking for more than a month to prevent the varicose vein from recurring
Choosing The Right Vein and Endovascular Clinic
In my case, choosing the right vein doctor and endovascular clinic has played a major part in my recovery from thrombophlebitis.
From the diagnosis to post-treatment, my doctor has been with me. He provided me with an accurate diagnosis and a wide variety of options for varicose vein treatment. He explained to me well all the pros and cons of each treatment before proceeding to the therapy.
Why Cheng SC Vein and Endovascular Clinic?
I am so glad that my co-teacher recommended Cheng SC Vein and Endovascular Clinic to me. Cheng SC Vein and Endovascular Clinic has complete services and treatment for patients like me who suffer from varicose or artery problems. From the most advanced vascular surgery in Singapore to the latest treatments for varicose veins, Cheng SC Vein and Endovascular Clinic has it all. Diagnosis and treatments are all done with comprehensive tests and analysis. I am so lucky to have my varicose veins treated by a team of experts and qualified staff dedicated to bringing a better vein and vascular health among Singaporeans.
