They can be painful and downright ugly. Whether it’s a serious health concern or vanity-driven desire, everyone has a right to treat their varicose veins. Andy P. Brown, MD, Medical Director of Interventional Radiology at Mission Health, talks about technology and vein care, and when it’s time to see a specialist.
Q: What are tele-vein services?
A: Tele-vein service is simply a specialty or area of clinical focus under the broader umbrella of telehealth services. Telehealth uses modern telecommunication technology to provide healthcare services remotely.
Q: What part of the vein treatment can you perform remotely?
A: For vein care, we target those diagnostic portions of the work-up and follow up to streamline the process of establishing a diagnosis and ensuring a positive outcome.
Q: What are the benefits of beginning the process through telehealth specific to vein care?
A: The No. 1 reported advantage is convenience. The ability to be diagnosed and start conservative management without traveling long distances is equally as valuable as excluding vein disease as the cause of a patient’s symptoms.
Q: What types of veins do you treat?
A: We treat the full spectrum of varicose vein disease. This includes underlying dysfunctional veins that are not visible on the skin surface to visible veins, ranging from the tiny spider veins to larger bulging varicosities. Additionally, our evaluation may uncover vascular problems that can also be addressed through modern interventional techniques.
Q: What if you’re not sure it’s varicose veins?
A: Certainly if you have changes in the skin color, difficulty healing or active ulceration, inefficient blood return from the legs may be the reason. You may have no symptoms at all, but just are not pleased with the appearance of your legs. There’s no need to delay treatment. See a vein specialist and get your legs looking and feeling better right away. This will keep you active and promote overall good health.
Q: When is it time to see a specialist?
A: If you have leg pain, irritability or restlessness and visible veins on the skin surface, evaluation of your vein function may provide a solution to end your symptoms. Similarly, leg swelling can be the result of underlying venous insufficiency, even in the absence of outward varicose veins.
Andy P. Brown, MD, is Medical Director of Interventional Radiology at Mission Health.
