I Have Terrible Varicose Veins: Should I Consider Venous Mapping?

If you have bulging, varicose veins in your legs, venous mapping may be the next step toward finding lasting symptom relief. This noninvasive test evaluates vein damage to guide treatment.

At Chinatown Cardiology, with four New York City locations, our skilled providers perform venous mapping and other vascular tests in-office. That helps you learn more about your diagnosis to make informed treatment decisions.

Understanding varicose veins

Varicose veins form when weak or damaged vein valves allow blood to flow backward, a condition known as venous insufficiency. When blood can’t make its way back to the heart, it pools inside the vessel and causes the vein to enlarge.

Varicose veins are typically dark blue or purple, and the damaged veins can protrude from the skin, affecting how you feel about your appearance. 

However, they aren’t just a cosmetic concern. The bulging, twisted veins can cause symptoms that affect your mobility and quality of life, such as:

• Cramping
• Aching
• Itching
• Swelling
• Throbbing
• Heaviness

When you’re unable to manage symptoms of varicose veins with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications, it’s time to pursue medical attention.

Our team at Chinatown Cardiology offers venous mapping and other diagnostics to assess blood circulation through your leg veins and confirm venous insufficiency. 

What to know about venous mapping

Venous mapping essentially creates a detailed road map of your leg veins using ultrasound technology.

Sound waves bounce off the veins to create pictures of the vessels. Our providers use the images to locate areas of pooled blood and assess blood circulation through the vessel. This information helps determine the cause of the vein damage and the appropriate treatment.

During the procedure, we position your leg under the imaging device to create images of enlarged veins. Venous mapping requires no needles, incisions, or radiation. The painless procedure takes only a few minutes, and you can resume your usual activities afterward.

After testing, our cardiologists review the images and discuss your test results. They may recommend additional testing or treatment to improve blood circulation in your legs.

Treatments for varicose veins

Several treatments are available to address leg heaviness and pain caused by varicose veins and venous insufficiency. We offer endovenous ablation procedures to eliminate damaged veins so blood can circulate more efficiently. 

Endovenous ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that uses radiofrequency energy to heat and collapse the targeted vein. When the old vein closes, blood reroutes to healthier veins nearby, returning to the heart for oxygenation.

After the procedure, we wrap a compression dressing around your leg to support the healing process. Keep the dressing on the treated area for 72 hours, and return to our office for a follow-up vein study to ensure ablation was effective.

Our physicians recommend strategies to prevent future varicose veins, such as exercising daily and following a heart-healthy diet. We also discuss your options for preventive screenings to assess your cardiovascular health.

Call the Chinatown Cardiology office near you to learn more about the benefits of venous mapping for varicose veins or request an appointment online today.