Understanding Varicose Veins: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options in Singapore

 Vascular and Interventional Centre plays a very important role in the management of various vascular health conditions. Conditions change, techniques advance, but what is critical for a patient is that the help a patient seeks should be a team to solve various areas of health.

Vascular diseases are technically divided into angioplasty, stenting, atherectomy, laser ablation, radiofrequency, mechanical thrombectomy, and medical therapy. Each type needs a team of doctors with various expertise to address it.

The mission of Vascular and Interventional Centre is to provide a comprehensive vascular service and to offer a full range of leading-edge interventional techniques for all vascular conditions. Vascular medicine is the treatment, not only of the vascular system, but of the patient who has a vascular system.

Working collaboratively with various sub-specialties, we are committed to improving care pathways and standards to provide patients with better outcomes.

At the Vascular and Interventional Centre, we offer Cryo-Laser and Cryo-Sclerotherapy (CLACS Singapore), an innovative, minimally invasive treatment for varicose veins.

Our specialists combine laser therapy with cooling techniques for greater comfort and improved results. This cutting-edge procedure is designed to effectively treat visible veins and reduce discomfort with minimal downtime.

Overview of Vascular Clinics in Singapore

Vascular clinics in Singapore usually provide a one-stop service for patients with vascular disorders. An essential job of the vascular clinic is to make a correct and timely diagnosis for the patient. It then provides information to the patient about their condition and discusses potential treatment and follow-up care.

These clinic visits ensure that patients are started on medication based on guidelines to relieve their symptoms, thereby improving the quality of life of the patient. Progressive vascular clinics also offer more than just a consultation.

They have invested in medical and nursing staff for advanced training to allow and support other minimally invasive procedures such as endovenous lasers, radiofrequency ablation, and minimally invasive surgeries.

The Vascular and Interventional Centre provides advanced treatment of varicose veins, focusing on eliminating unsightly veins and relieving symptoms like swelling and discomfort.

Our specialists use minimally invasive methods such as sclerotherapy and endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) to treat varicose veins. We aim to enhance both the appearance of your legs and your overall vascular health.

Vascular Conditions and Minimally Invasive Procedures

Vascular disease can occur in any part of the body. Common conditions involving the blood vessels include those affecting the heart, brain, leg arteries, kidney arteries, and veins.

The common vein diseases include varicose veins, spider veins, and deep and superficial vein thrombosis. It is estimated that at least 30% of adults over 30 years old have some form of vein disorder. Left untreated, vein diseases may progress to cause significant symptoms and complications or worsen quality of life.

Explanation of Vascular Conditions

A medical specialist is commonly required for the diagnosis of any type of vascular condition such as varicose vein. Many of them can be easily identified on examination by a consultant vascular surgeon.

Set up a suitable appointment to see if you qualify for a convenient diagnosis. A range of different conditions are categorized as vascular conditions, diseases of the blood or the circulatory system, despite the variety of symptoms they present. Examples of these conditions include:

Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) – a condition in which the blood does not circulate through the veins in the legs properly. This is the cause of varicose veins and can lead to thrombosis.

Thrombosis – a type of vascular disease; thrombosis is the development of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. Venous thrombosis typically happens in the leg or arm after long hospitalizations in which the patient is unable to move about freely.

Varicose Veins – a common condition; symptoms of varicose veins include swollen and ropey veins that bulge out from the skin, particularly in the leg area.

If these diseases and conditions remain undiagnosed and untreated, complications such as ulcers or even stroke and poor brain function can occur. Women are also more prone to vascular diseases, especially those who are pregnant, as the increase in blood transmission is directed to the fetus instead.

In some cases, the risk of developing a vascular condition can also be inherited from your family. Factors such as stress, poor diet, and lifestyle also contribute to a healthy body and blood vessels. It is possible to avoid further complications or ultimate skin loss by immediately having the affected area diagnosed.

Varicose Veins: An Overview

Varicose veins are characterized by a swollen, twisted appearance of veins, most commonly in the legs, elsewhere known as the lower extremities. They develop when the blood in the veins, which should be carried in one direction, flows backward or pools, causing the veins to enlarge.

The kind of enlarged vein can be short, branch-like, entirely straight, or very long, giving the appearance of a cord. Varicose vein are common, with about 10% of men and 25% of women of reproductive age affected, and they appear blue or purplish in color underneath the skin.

The choices for advanced treatment of superficial varicose veins focus on destroying the abnormal veins by a range of mechanisms.

This can be achieved through surgical stripping or ligation, which might involve surgical removal of the veins from the leg so that blood flow is automatically redirected to healthier veins, without damage to the legs.

With advancements in technology, minimally invasive office procedures involving the ablation of these veins have become widely available, and many are safely done under local anesthesia.

Minimally invasive endovenous ablation procedures include radiofrequency ablation and endovenous laser treatment. Another minimally invasive option is sclerotherapy.

Sclerotherapy performed with sterile liquid injections is safe and effective for small surface varicose veins in patients who do not have an underlying deep venous problem. Another modality performed using a foam sclerosant, microfoam sclerotherapy, has been shown to be useful for patients with varicose veins.

While other superficial treatment options may have some benefits, these are not recommended as the first line of treatment. Superficial varicose veins can be unsightly, and injections can be a quick and simple way to get rid of them.

Foam injections are effective, safe, and cause little discomfort, and during a treatment session, several veins are treated simultaneously.

All the treatment options can help ease the symptoms caused by superficial varicose veins. In the case of laser or radiofrequency treatment, normal activities are possible the next day. Between 80% and 90% of patients are satisfied with the results of vein ablation after 2 years.

Minimally Invasive Treatments in Singapore

Varicose veins affect about a third of the community in Singapore. Untreated varicose veins may progress and cause clinical conditions such as heavy and aching legs, ankle swelling, and leg cramps, which in turn will affect daily activities. Being aware of the causes and recognizing the signs and symptoms are key to intervention.

The good news is that most treatment options do not require hospitalization. As varicose vein disease is not completely curable, the treatment goals are to: bring the symptoms of the patient under control, prevent complications such as bleeding or ulceration, and improve the appearance of veins.

Most modern vein clinics offer minimally invasive treatment procedures. In fact, just walking on the day of treatment can significantly reduce the incidence of thrombosis in the treated veins.

These procedures usually take less than an hour, and most patients do not experience any complications, can return to work almost immediately, and do not need bed rest.

The patient still needs to wear compression stockings during the day and undergo regular follow-ups, usually 1-2 weeks and 3 months post-treatment. Increasing the level of patient education is a driving force to obtain high-quality luminal services.

It’s great if your patients are more informed because they know what to expect. More informed patients will have higher treatment success rates because patients and physicians will work together to help manage their health to make better outcomes possible.

In light of the growing awareness of vascular and health diseases in patients, vascular clinics have been established to provide a range of consultation and treatment facilities.