The main varicose veins treatments in Australia are compression stockings, sclerotherapy, endovenous ablation using laser or radiofrequency, and surgery such as vein stripping. Which one suits you depends on the size of the veins and where the valves inside them are failing, and an ultrasound is what shows this. At Capri Ultrasound on the Gold Coast, we perform the scan, and your doctor or specialist carries out the treatment.
Here is how each option works, who provides it, and why the scan comes first.
Not always. Varicose veins form when valves inside the veins fail to close properly, so blood pools instead of flowing back toward the heart. It is the same process behind chronic venous insufficiency. The Better Health Channel notes that treatment is not only for cosmetic reasons, since varicose vein disease can lead to bleeding, blood clots, eczema, skin breakdown and ulcers. If your veins cause symptoms or skin changes, see your GP, who can decide whether treatment or monitoring makes more sense.
Support stockings, regular exercise, a healthy weight and raising your legs when resting can ease aching and swelling. They help with symptoms but do not repair failed valves, so they are often used alongside other options.
A solution is injected into the vein, which makes it collapse and seal. It is usually used for smaller veins, and treated veins can take up to two to six months to clear. When the problem vein cannot be seen, an ultrasound machine can be used to guide the needle.
A thin catheter is passed into the faulty vein and closes it using heat from a laser or radiofrequency energy. InsideRadiology, the patient and referrer resource run by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, lists symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency as an indication for the procedure. It also notes that a venous duplex Doppler study is carried out beforehand to map the venous insufficiency.
Surgery is usually used for the larger varicose veins. Techniques include ligation and stripping, where the vein is tied off and removed, and phlebectomy, where small incisions are used to remove veins with a hook.
It depends on the size and position of the veins, your symptoms, and what the scan shows about the valves underneath. Your doctor will also consider your medical history, the medications you take, and whether you are pregnant, since some procedures are generally not advised during pregnancy.
Your GP is the starting point and will refer you on. Treatment is carried out by specialists such as phlebologists, including Dr Nicholas Teo of Better Veins Clinic, by vascular surgeons, or by other doctors trained in these procedures. Capri Ultrasound does not perform treatments. Our role is the diagnostic scan that tells your treating doctor what is happening inside the veins.
Treating a visible vein without knowing where the valves are failing can mean the problem returns. A venous ultrasound shows which veins are leaking, how significant the reflux is, and whether the deeper veins are open and healthy, which helps your doctor choose between the options above. The Better Health Channel notes that doctors use a physical examination and an ultrasound scan to decide which type of surgery is best. Our varicose vein ultrasound page explains what the scan involves.
With a Medicare card and a referral from a doctor, we bulk bill eligible venous ultrasounds, so you pay no gap. Elsewhere on the Gold Coast, gap fees can reach $320 to $374 for a single leg, and are substantially more than double when both legs are scanned on the same day. At Capri Ultrasound, studies on both legs are booked across two days, which allows both to be bulk billed. Your referral is valid at any imaging provider, so you can choose where to have it done.
Your report goes to your referring doctor, who discusses the findings and next steps with you. That may mean monitoring, stockings, or a referral for one of the varicose veins treatments above.
If your doctor has recommended a scan before treatment, you can book online, call us on 07 5619 8144, or walk in at Suite 3.11, Level 1, Capri on Via Roma, Isle of Capri, subject to availability. Bring your referral and your Medicare card. Our sonographer has over 20 years of experience with vascular imaging and has worked with multiple vascular surgeons and a phlebologist, so your doctor gets a scan they can plan treatment from. Whichever of the varicose veins treatments your doctor recommends, a clear scan first gives them the information to choose well.
