Glendale, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/13/2014 -- The Center for Venous Disease has announced vein screening month at its locations in Arizona and New Mexico. These screenings will detect problems like varicose veins, which can cause swelling, skin changes, and even leg and foot ulcers. Modern treatments can take care of vein issues with relatively little discomfort and recovery time, and if problems are found at the screenings, the proper treatments will be suggested.

"Our varicose vein doctors don't just look for obviously-bulging veins," explained David Smith of the Center for Venous Disease. "They're trained to look for the symptoms of veins that are not functioning properly as well. Some of these symptoms, such as changes to the skin or swollen legs, can occur even if no large veins can be seen from the surface. All of these problems are caused by the same underlying issues, so similar treatments are needed for them."

The underlying problem behind venous disease is a failure of the valves in the legs and weakening of the walls of the veins. Together, these issues make it hard for veins to help pump blood back out of the legs and into the rest of the circulatory system. Such problems lead to blood pooling in the legs, which can cause swelling and ulcers in the legs and feet. Weakened vein walls, combined with the increase in fluid volume in the veins, also cause the hallmark bulging of varicose veins. These problems can also cause skin changes such as itching and flaking. According to vein doctors glendale az, one important thing to remember is that most people don't suffer from all possible symptoms. Someone can have bulging veins with no other obvious problems, or suffer from swollen legs that don't show any veins.

"Years ago, the only treatment option was 'vein stripping,' which involved an operation done under general anasthesia. Now, that procedure is hardly ever used," Smith noted. "Instead, minimally-invasive procedures use laser or sclerotherapy to cause varicose veins to collapse and wither away. This is much easier on the body, provides a faster recovery time, and is much less uncomfortable. Laser treatments are typically used on spider veins, which are small enough to be cooked by the laser light and close enough to the surface to avoid damaging surrounding tissue in the process. Sclerotherapy, on the other hand, works from inside the vein and is best suited for varicose vein elimination."

Another improvement comes in the form of payment. It used to be that insurance companies considered vein treatments to be mostly cosmetic, so not many policies covered them. Now, insurers have realized that there are tangible health benefits to these therapies, and most do cover them. This makes it much easier for people to get treatment from a varicose vein doctor santa fe new mexico.

About the Center for Venous Disease
The Center for Venous Disease operates several clinics in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Its vein screening month event is meant to increase awareness of vein diseases and encourage people to have their vein problems treated.