Innovative Varicose Vein Treatment in the Knoxville, TN Area

Causes of Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are abnormal veins of the superficial venous system that are not functioning correctly and not returning blood to the heart.

This failure is typically a result of broken one-way valves, weakened vein walls, or a combination of both.

Whenever the heart is above the level of the legs, varicose veins will have a backward flow that siphons or steals blood from the deep veins.

When the good veins cannot compensate for the incompetent veins, venous insufficiency results and can cause varicose veins.

While there have been many comparisons between varicose veins vs. spider veins, their cause, symptoms, and treatment are often identical.

Risk Factors

While anyone at any time can develop varicose veins, those at increased risk include:

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  Women, especially those who are pregnant or in menopause
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  Those who are overweight or obese
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  Those who stand or sit for long periods
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  People with a family history of varicose veins and other venous disorders
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  Those aged 50 and older

Varicose Vein Symptoms

Varicose veins often appear enlarged, twisted, and bulging on the calves and thighs.

Many become more prominent with prolonged sitting or standing.

Problem varicose veins may not be visible at the skin surface. However, they may still cause bursts of abnormal red, purple, or blue smaller veins, leg symptoms, and skin changes of venous insufficiency.

In addition to being unsightly, varicose veins are commonly associated with the following symptoms:

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  Pain, throbbing, or cramping
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  Tiredness and fatigue
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  Itching and burning
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  Swelling of the ankles and legs
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  Heaviness
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  Restlessness (Restless Legs Syndrome)
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  Swelling or edema of the ankles and legs

In less common instances, people do not experience any symptoms at all.

Varicose Vein Treatment

Our experienced team offers various treatment options to care for varicose veins effectively.

At Tennessee Vein Center, before initiating any vein treatment of the legs, we perform a screening duplex venous ultrasound, as indicated by your history and exam.

Duplex venous ultrasound (mapping) can identify if underlying veins are not functioning normally and the severity of the problem.

After the mapping, each patient receives a comprehensive treatment plan.

Depending on the locations and size of the problem veins, many patients require endovenous thermal ablation treatment of underlying abnormal veins followed by a series of ultrasound-guided or visual sclerotherapy to eradicate the bad veins.

The outside of the leg does not have to look terrible for the veins below the surface to be considered insufficient.

The maps below show treatment progression and a before-treatment and after-treatment picture of the leg with venous disease.

Muffin’s Journey Through Varicose Veins

Muffin is a breast cancer survivor. As such, she carries a lot of traumatic memories from her fight against the disease. To be specific, that fight included a partial mastectomy, a total of 46 radiation treatments, 12 rounds of chemo and 400 chemo pills. There was plenty to be nervous about when Muffin considered stepping back into a medical office for vein treatment.

But much to her surprise, she found great comfort in Tennessee Vein Center and Dr. Campbell, who makes it a priority to make his patients feel comfortable and at ease. Don’t take our word for it, though, you can listen to Muffin’s own words:

“They have absolutely watched over me so well,” Muffin said. “You know you are going to be taken care of to the best of their ability. I can’t describe in words how it makes me feel. I will continue to go to them as long as I am walking.”

You can experience Muffin’s full story by clicking here.

Beverly’s Struggle With Ulcers

Beverly is a big fan of her life in the Great Smoky Mountains. She looks through her kitchen window almost every day to see miles of uninterrupted forest lines — a welcome change from her life in the city. But as she grew older, Beverly developed an ulcer on her leg that would quickly grow from the size of a quarter to the size of a fist.

She tried some vein surgeries, but like many patients, the ulcer eventually returned. This is when she came to see Dr. Campbell at Tennessee Vein Center. As she says herself, she couldn’t have been happier with the treatment she received.

“The first time that I went to see Dr. Campbell, I was just happy that I could go,” Beverly says. “The atmosphere in his office is very relaxing. Everyone there is very pleasant. It makes you feel at ease.”

You can experience Beverly’s full story by clicking here.