Dr. Bhaskar answers, in Kannada
Cost & insurance
Is varicose vein treatment covered by insurance?
Adhventha Hospital offers cashless treatment with ICICI Lombard, Care Health, HDFC ERGO, Galaxy Health, Magma HDI, ManipalCigna, Go Digit, Aditya Birla Health, Acko and SBI General, and through Medi Assist and Health India TPA, subject to your policy.
The procedure
Is varicose vein laser treatment a surgery?
No. Endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) closes the vein through a needle puncture under ultrasound guidance, usually with local anaesthesia. No cut, no stitches, and you walk out of the room.
How long does the varicose vein procedure take?
Usually under an hour for one leg. Most people go home the same day with a compression stocking and return to normal activity within a day or two.
Is surgery the only treatment for varicose veins?
ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್‌ಗೆ ಶಸ್ತ್ರಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಕಡ್ಡಾಯವೇ, ಬೇರೆ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆಗಳಿವೆಯೇ?
No. Early stages may be managed with compression stockings; later, laser treatment closes the vein without a cut.
Is laser treatment for varicose veins painful?
ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್‌ಗೆ ಲೇಸರ್ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ನೋವುಂಟು ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆಯೇ?
Most people feel only mild, tolerable pain. No skin is cut and the area is numbed with local anaesthesia.
How safe is laser treatment for varicose veins?
ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್‌ಗೆ ಲೇಸರ್ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಸುರಕ್ಷಿತ?
It is considered safe. It is not done during pregnancy.
Recovery
When can I return to work after EVLA?
Most people are back to normal activity within a day or two. Heavy lifting and long standing are limited for a short period on your doctor's advice.
Will I need to stay in hospital?
Usually not. Varicose vein ablation is a day procedure at Adhventha; an overnight stay is arranged only if your doctor advises it.
How much rest is needed after treatment?
ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆಯ ನಂತರ ಎಷ್ಟು ದಿನ ವಿಶ್ರಾಂತಿ ಬೇಕು?
About two hours of rest after the procedure. You can walk on your own, and most people return to normal work the next day.
Can I go home the same day?
ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಆದ ದಿನವೇ ಮನೆಗೆ ಹೋಗಬಹುದೇ?
Yes. After a short rest, most people go home the same day.
Everyday life
Do compression stockings cure varicose veins?
Compression stockings, walking and leg elevation ease symptoms and are part of recovery, but they do not close a failed vein. Your doctor tells you whether they are enough for you or a step before treatment.
Can medicines alone cure varicose veins?
ಕೇವಲ ಔಷಧಿಗಳಿಂದಲೇ ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್ ಗುಣವಾಗುತ್ತದೆಯೇ?
Medicines and stockings ease symptoms but cannot shrink a swollen vein. An ultrasound-guided procedure such as laser or radiofrequency closes it.
Does regular walking reduce the symptoms?
ನಿಯಮಿತವಾಗಿ ವಾಕಿಂಗ್ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್ ಲಕ್ಷಣಗಳು ಕಡಿಮೆಯಾಗುತ್ತವೆಯೇ?
Walking and exercise can ease the ache, but they do not repair the damaged valves.
Risks & recurrence
Do varicose veins come back after laser treatment?
The treated vein stays closed. New varicose veins can appear elsewhere over the years, which is why a follow-up scan and compression advice are part of the care.
Can untreated varicose veins be dangerous?
ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಪಡೆಯದಿದ್ದರೆ ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್ ಅಪಾಯಕಾರಿಯಾಗಬಹುದೇ?
They are usually not life-threatening, but they can bleed, and a clot in a deep vein (DVT) can travel to the lungs.
What happens if varicose veins are ignored?
ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್ ಅನ್ನು ನಿರ್ಲಕ್ಷಿಸಿದರೆ ಯಾವ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆಗಳು ಉಂಟಾಗಬಹುದು?
Swelling, skin infection and dark patches can follow, and broken skin can turn into a venous ulcer.
Can varicose veins come back after treatment?
ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆಯ ನಂತರವೂ ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್ ಮತ್ತೆ ಬರಬಹುದೇ?
A treated vein usually stays closed. People who stand for long hours at work are more likely to develop new varicose veins.
Diagnosis
What test is needed for varicose veins?
A Doppler ultrasound scan of the leg shows which veins have failing valves and where blood is flowing the wrong way. It takes a few minutes, needs no needles, and it decides which treatment suits you. At Adhventha the scan is done in the hospital on the day of your consultation.
Who treats varicose veins at Adhventha Hospital?
The interventional radiology team, led by Dr. Bhaskar M V, in the hospital's own cath lab. Book online or call 080 8897 6259.
What are varicose veins?
ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್ ಅಂದರೆ ಏನು?
Veins carry blood from the feet up to the heart. When their valves fail and blood flows backwards, the leg veins swell: these are varicose veins.
Are the swollen veins on my legs varicose veins?
ನನ್ನ ಕಾಲುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಉಬ್ಬಿದ ನರಗಳು ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್ ಆಗಿರಬಹುದೇ?
Swollen, widened veins on the legs are often varicose veins. They form when blood flows back down through failing valves.
Why do varicose veins happen, and who is at risk?
ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್ ಯಾಕೆ ಬರುತ್ತದೆ? ಯಾರಿಗೆ ಅಪಾಯ ಹೆಚ್ಚು?
They often run in families. Jobs with long hours of standing, pregnancy and obesity raise the risk.
Can leg pain be a sign of varicose veins?
ಕಾಲು ನೋವು ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್‌ನ ಲಕ್ಷಣವಾಗಿರಬಹುದೇ?
Yes. A dull ache or heaviness in the leg can be one of the symptoms.
Can leg swelling come from varicose veins?
ಆಗಾಗ ಕಾಲು ಊತ ಕಾಣಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದು ವೇರಿಕೋಸ್ ವೇನ್ಸ್‌ನಿಂದಲೇ?
It can. When blood flows backwards in the veins, the leg feels heavy and may swell.
Travelling to Bengaluru
Can I come for varicose vein treatment from outside Bengaluru?
Yes. Patients come from across Karnataka. The Doppler scan, the consultation and the procedure can usually happen on the same day, so one trip is often enough. Call first and the team plans it with you.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Bhaskar M V, Interventional Radiologist, on .
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Bring your Doppler report if you have one.