What is a Vein Doctor Called? And Other Important FAQs

Phlebology is the medical terminology for the branch of science concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of vein-related conditions, such as spider veins, varicose veins, vein disease, and deep vein thrombosis. As such, vein and vascular specialists are officially called “phlebologists.”

Phlebologists, also known as vein doctors or vascular specialists, are doctors specializing in vein treatments. However, it’s worth emphasizing that vein doctors can come from all medical backgrounds — they can be hospitalists, anesthesiologists, cardiologists, dermatologists, or primary care physicians. The barrier to entry into phlebology is fairly low, so you must find vein doctors with specialized and advanced training in minimally invasive spider vein and varicose vein treatments, usually in the form of fellowships and residency programs in vein care.

Chronic venous insufficiency is the primary root cause of varicose veins and spider veins. Venous insufficiency is a medical condition wherein the vein valves, usually responsible for smooth, one-way blood circulation to the heart, collapse or malfunction. When your vein valves malfunction, gravity forces blood to flow backward and accumulate in the leg veins. The continued accumulation of blood in leg veins due to gravity leads to vascular dilation and the eventual formation of spider veins and varicose veins.

The presence of varicose veins indicates that you may have advanced chronic venous insufficiency — that’s because varicose veins form as a result of considerable blood accumulation in the leg veins. As such, if you have varicose veins, you must consult vascular vein doctors and vein clinics near your location as soon as possible. If left untreated, varicose veins may continue dilating and expanding, thereby weakening the vein walls and increasing the risk of a vascular rupture, which would cause profuse bleeding.

You need a vein specialist if you have any of the signs or symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency. The earliest signs of vein disease can be fairly benign and hard to identify, such as leg heaviness, restless leg syndrome, frequent leg cramps, and leg swelling. Most of these symptoms can occur because of other factors, such as nutritional imbalance, exhaustion, and aging, but they’re probably caused by vein disease if the symptoms worsen at the end of the day or after long periods of sitting or standing still.

The initial warning signs of vein disease are benign and easily missed, but the symptoms gradually escalate and worsen. Spider veins and varicose veins are the most prominent and visible symptoms of vein disease, indicating you need to consult a vascular vein doctor. If left untreated, you may eventually experience skin discoloration, the formation of rust-colored, leathery patches on your skin, leg ulcers (non-healing wounds), and deep vein thrombosis. Please consult a vascular doctor in CA if you notice these problems.

Yes, walking is certainly good for varicose veins because it improves blood circulation and activates your calf muscles, thereby pushing the accumulated blood towards your heart. However, walking can only provide mild and temporary relief from the symptoms of vein disease — it doesn’t treat the underlying chronic venous insufficiency. The only way to treat or remove varicose veins is to consult a vascular surgeon doctor in California.

Yes, dermatologists often treat varicose veins and spider veins, but they usually focus on cosmetic relief. Dermatology is the branch of science concerned with skin health, so most dermatologists focus on removing the visible spider veins and varicose veins from your skin via laser therapy or sclerotherapy injections. However, unless they have specialized training in vascular imaging and the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency, they won’t address the root cause of varicose veins.

To prevent varicose veins from getting worse, you have to implement lifestyle changes and techniques that improve your blood circulation. Varicose veins occur because of chronic venous insufficiency, which leads to the accumulation of blood in leg veins. As such, if you want to prevent varicose veins from worsening, find methods to improve your blood circulation. The following are some techniques:

• Wear compression stockings for most of the day
• Engage in exercises that work your leg muscles, such as running and swimming
• If you have a desk job, take frequent walking breaks
• Elevate your legs above your heart’s level while sitting down

You can wear compression stockings for 24 hours a day until you seek varicose vein treatments. However, if you don’t have varicose veins, you can wear compression stockings for a few hours a day, especially when you’re performing sedentary activities, minimizing the risk of vein disease. Please consult your vein specialists in California to determine how long you should wear compression stockings.