Relief from Leg Pain and Swelling After Hidden Vein Disease Discovery

Patient: Stacy A., 55-year-old female
Date of Initial Visit: Referred by dermatologist for cosmetic vein evaluation
Referring Physician: Dermatologist
Chief Concern: Spider veins on right thigh and left cheek area

Background: Stacy came to us after her dermatologist noticed spider veins and referred her for possible cosmetic treatment. During our detailed conversation, she revealed that she had been experiencing leg swelling, nerve-like pain and general leg discomfort for some time. She had assumed these symptoms were just part of getting older and hadn’t discussed them with her regular doctor. She never connected these problems to her veins.

Diagnosis and Testing: Our physical examination showed only small spider veins on her right thigh and left cheek, with no large bulging veins or skin changes. However, an ultrasound of her leg veins revealed a different story – both of her main leg veins (great saphenous veins) had blood flowing backward, a condition called venous insufficiency. Several connecting veins were also not working properly. When we had her try compression stockings, her symptoms improved, confirming that her discomfort was indeed related to vein problems.

Treatment: Stacy underwent a two-part treatment plan:

• Left leg procedure: Closure of the diseased great saphenous vein
• Right leg procedure: Closure of both the main vein and a branch vein
• Follow-up treatment planned: Ultrasound-guided foam injection (Varithena) for remaining problem vein sections

Results (After Treatment): Following her procedures, Stacy experienced remarkable improvement:

• Pain Relief: Her nerve-like leg pain completely disappeared
• Reduced Swelling: Marked reduction in leg swelling
• Quality of Life: Overall improvement in leg comfort and daily activities
• Unexpected Discovery: She realized she never would have known her symptoms were caused by vein problems without this comprehensive evaluation

Next Steps: This case demonstrates the importance of thorough evaluation even when patients come in for cosmetic concerns. What appeared to be minor spider veins actually indicated significant underlying vein disease that was causing real symptoms. Early treatment not only relieved Stacy’s discomfort but may prevent more serious complications that can develop when vein problems go untreated over time.