19, 7, 2023

Spider veins causes, risks, symptoms

2023-05-25T16:29:19-07:00

What are they?

Spider veins are the fine, thread-like reddish veins at the surface of the skin. Spider veins are not healthy. Spider veins are often considered a cosmetic issue, but they can be associated with underlying feeder veins, not visible to the naked eye.  Feeder veins are the ‘blue veins’ also known as ‘reticular veins,’ that give rise to spider veins. They may also be a sign of underlying venous insufficiency. For example, spider veins located in the inner ankles and inner thighs can indicate an underlying problem with the saphenous vein. As a result, an ultrasound examination may be recommended to identify and effectively treat the underlying source of the spider veins.

What are the symptoms?

Vein conditions affect people differently. For some, spider veins can be a painless cosmetic concern, and for others they may cause symptoms. The most common symptoms of spider veins are burning, throbbing, and localized pain. They can also feel hot and itchy and bleed.

What causes them?

Spider veins in the legs are caused by the same condition that causes varicose veins. Leaky vein valves allow blood to pool within the veins causing them to stretch and become enlarged. Spider veins on other areas of the body, such as the face, and chest can be caused by sun damage, hormone changes or liver disease. Hormones, such as with pregnancy, birth control or hormone replacement therapy can weaken the vein wall.

Risk factors in developing them:

Heredity, gender, age, weight, pregnancy, history of deep vein thrombosis

(DVT and blood clots), standing or sitting for long periods of time, smoking, exposure to heat (hot tubs, baths, saunas), and tight clothing.

“Bringing Experts Together for Unparalleled Vein and Vascular Care”

La Jolla Vein & Vascular (formerly La Jolla Vein Care) is committed to bringing experts together for unparalleled vein and vascular care. 

Nisha Bunke, MD, Sarah Lucas, MD, and Elliot DeYoung, MD are specialists who combine their experience and expertise to offer world-class vascular care. 

Our accredited center is also a nationally known teaching site and center of excellence. 

For more information on treatments and to book a consultation, please give our office a call at 858-550-0330. 

 For a deeper dive into vein and vascular care, please check out our Youtube Channel at this link, and our website https://ljvascular.com

For more information on varicose veins and eliminating underlying venous insufficiency,

Please follow our social media Instagram Profile and Tik Tok Profile for more fun videos and educational information. 

For more blogs and educational content, please check out our clinic’s blog posts! 


Spider veins causes, risks, symptoms2023-05-25T16:29:19-07:00

15, 5, 2023

Varicose veins-why are they important to your vein health?

2023-02-15T19:49:38-08:00

Varicose Veins and Venous Reflux Disease

Varicose veins are the twisted, bulging veins just beneath the surface of the skin. Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that you can see just under the surface of the skin. These veins usually occur in the legs, but they also can form in other parts of the body. Varicose veins are a common condition.

What causes varicose veins?

Varicose veins are caused by leaky vein valves, which allow blood to pool within the veins causing them to stretch and become enlarged. Varicose veins can be an isolated finding, but the majority of the time, they are caused by underlying venous reflux disease. Venous reflux disease is also known as venous stasis, venous insufficiency or venous incompetence. Reflux may occur in the deep and/or superficial leg veins.

In our study, led by Dr. Nisha Bunke and published in the Journal of Vascular Ultrasound in 2018, we studied over 1,000 legs with varicose veins. Over 90% of the time, the source of the varicose veins were the great and small saphenous veins. The Great Saphenous Vein (GSV) courses up the middle of the thigh and calf and the small saphenous vein (SSV), which courses along the back of the calf. Normally, there are one-way valves within the leg veins, which help blood flow in one direction: toward the heart. This means blood is traveling against gravity. The calf muscle also helps move blood toward the heart. When vein valves are leaky, blood flows backward (reflux) towards the feet. Blood pools in the lower legs, causing bulging veins at the surface.

What are the symptoms of varicose veins and venous reflux disease?

The symptoms can include:

  • Aching, tenderness
  • Heaviness, fatigue
  • General restlessness in the legs
  • Burning pain
  • Throbbing pain
  • Itching
  • Leg cramps, particularly at night
  • Ankle swelling
  • Skin discoloration at the ankle
  • Skin ulcers above the ankle

Over time, complications can develop from untreated veins. These include:

  • Superficial phlebitis (painful inflammation of the vein)
  • Superficial thrombophlebitis (blood clots within the varicose veins)
  • Spontaneous vein hemorrhage (the vein can rupture spontaneously)
  • Skin discoloration and eczema around the ankle (venous eczema)
  • Skin sores or ulcers usually near the ankle

Risk factors

  • Age. Aging causes wear and tear on the valves in the veins that help control blood flow
  • Sex. Women are more likely to develop the condition
  • Pregnancy. During pregnancy, the blood volume in the body increases
  • Family history
  • Obesity
  • Standing or sitting for long periods of time

“Bringing Experts Together for Unparalleled Vein and Vascular Care”

La Jolla Vein & Vascular (formerly La Jolla Vein Care) is committed to bringing experts together for unparalleled vein and vascular care. 

Nisha Bunke, MD, Sarah Lucas, MD, and Elliot DeYoung, MD are specialists who combine their experience and expertise to offer world-class vascular care. 

Our accredited center is also a nationally known teaching site and center of excellence. 

For more information on treatments and to book a consultation, please give our office a call at 858-550-0330. 

 

For a deeper dive into vein and vascular care, please check out our Youtube Channel at this link.

 

For more information on varicose veins and eliminating underlying venous insufficiency, check this link out full of resources. 

Please follow our social media Instagram Profile and Tik Tok Profile for more fun videos and educational information. 


Varicose veins-why are they important to your vein health?2023-02-15T19:49:38-08:00

Patient Transformation: Spider Veins

2023-02-15T19:46:36-08:00

What are spider veins?

Spider veins are the fine, thread-like reddish veins at the surface of the skin. These veins are not healthy. Veins are often considered a cosmetic issue, but they can be associated with underlying feeder veins, not visible to the naked eye.  Feeder veins are the ‘blue veins’ also known as ‘reticular veins,’ that give rise to spider veins. Spider veins may also be a sign of underlying venous insufficiency. For example, spider veins located in the inner ankles and inner thighs can indicate an underlying problem with the saphenous vein. As a result, an ultrasound examination may be recommended to identify and effectively treat the underlying source of these veins.

What are the symptoms?

Vein conditions affect people differently. For some, these veins can be a painless cosmetic concern, and for others they may cause symptoms. The most common symptoms of spider veins are burning, throbbing, and localized pain. They can also feel hot and itchy and bleed.

What causes them?

Spider veins in the legs are caused by the same condition that causes varicose veins. Leaky vein valves allow blood to pool within the veins causing them to stretch and become enlarged. These veins on other areas of the body, such as the face, and chest can be caused by sun damage, hormone changes or liver disease. Hormones, such as with pregnancy, birth control or hormone replacement therapy can weaken the vein wall.

Below you can see the transformation of 3 of our patients who received vein treatment.

 

spider spider 12 BA SV spider DSCF7674 fotor scaled 1

“Bringing Experts Together for Unparalleled Vein and Vascular Care”

La Jolla Vein & Vascular (formerly La Jolla Vein Care) is committed to bringing experts together for unparalleled vein and vascular care. 

Nisha Bunke, MD, Sarah Lucas, MD, and Elliot DeYoung, MD are specialists who combine their experience and expertise to offer world-class vascular care. 

Our accredited center is also a nationally known teaching site and center of excellence. 

For more information on treatments and to book a consultation, please give our office a call at 858-550-0330. 

 

For a deeper dive into vein and vascular care, please check out our Youtube Channel at this link.

 

For more information on varicose veins and eliminating underlying venous insufficiency, check this link out full of resources. 

Please follow our social media Instagram Profile and Tik Tok Profile for more fun videos and educational information. 


Patient Transformation: Spider Veins2023-02-15T19:46:36-08:00

7, 12, 2022

Uterine Artery Embolization (UFE) vs. Hysterectomy

2022-10-24T15:33:14-07:00

Benefits of UFE Over Hysterectomy

UFE is a minimally invasive procedure that is effective for treating uterine fibroids and is considered an alternative to uterine fibroid surgery removal. UFE is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, which means that most women go home the same day for recovery.

UFE has several benefits over hysterectomy. Besides involving only a small nick in the groin or wrist for catheter insertion, the uterus is preserved. There is no scar with UFE. For a UFE, conscious sedation is used, unlike for a hysterectomy, where the woman receives general anesthesia. The recovery time for UFE is generally within 2 weeks, which is significantly faster than the usual 6-week recovery time after hysterectomy.

Women who have a hysterectomy that remove both the uterus and ovaries usually just get estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) alone. But women who have only the ovaries removed need both estrogen and progestin because estrogen alone can increase the risk of cancer in the uterus.

The recovery time for UFE is generally within 2 weeks, which is significantly faster than the usual 6-week recovery time after hysterectomy.

The idea of having your entire uterus removed is psychologically daunting for women as some women may still want the option to carry a child, do not want to undergo a general surgery and/or feel like removing the uterus takes away part of their identity as a female.

La Jolla Vein & Vascular (formerly La Jolla Vein Care) is committed to bringing experts together for unparalleled vein and vascular care. 

 

Nisha Bunke, MD, Sarah Lucas, MD, and Elliot DeYoung, MD are specialists who combine their experience and expertise to offer world-class vascular care. 

 

Our accredited center is also a nationally known teaching site and center of excellence. 

 

For more information on treatments and to book a consultation, please give our office a call at 858-550-0330. 

 

For a deeper dive into vein and vascular care, please check out our Youtube Channel at this link.

 

For more information on varicose veins and eliminating underlying venous insufficiency, check this link out full of resources. 

 

Uterine Artery Embolization (UFE) vs. Hysterectomy2022-10-24T15:33:14-07:00

10, 6, 2022

What is Osteoarthritis?

2022-05-13T16:57:54-07:00

Osteoarthritis is the most common arthritis form that affects millions of people across the globe. While OA can affect any joint, it often damages the knees, hands, spine, and hips. Also known as wear and tear arthritis, the condition develops when the protective cartilage cushioning the ends of the bone in a joint wears away over time. Joints are parts of the body where two or more bones meet. These parts include your knee, hip, hands, backbone (any part of the body that you can bend has a joint).

The ends of the bones in a joint have a smooth, slippery surface referred to as the cartilage. This protective covering allows the bones to rub against each other without friction. Osteoarthritis causes the wear and tear of the cartilage between the bones, making the joint rough. The increased resistance at the joint causes stiffness, pain, swelling, and decreased ability to move.

While various treatments help in managing the OA symptoms, damaged joints are not reversible. Maintaining a healthy weight and staying active c will also help in slowing the disease progression. Although OA can affect both men and women at any age, individuals aged over 45 years are at an increased risk. Based on the research done by the Arthritis Foundation, osteoarthritis affects more than 27 million people in the USA alone, with the knee being the most susceptible part. Research also shows that women are at an increased risk of developing OA than men.

Osteoarthritis of the Knee

The most common cause of knee pain is knee osteoarthritis. The pain may come and go, become worse over time, or come accompanied by other symptoms, including knee stiffness. The condition develops due to degeneration of the cartilage. While the cartilage does not contain any nerves, damage or missing cartilage in the knee causes friction between bones and bone tissue changes, leading to pain. For example, damaged cartilage can lead to various bone changes such as:

  • Bone Spurs: Bone spurs, also known as osteophytes, are abnormal bony growth at the knee joints with damaged cartilage. The joint bones produce the bone spurs to compensate for missing or deteriorated cartilage. Bone spurs have an irregular shape that creates more friction in the knee joint, causing discomfort and pain.
  • Subchondral Bone Sclerosis: Due to undistributed weight loads, the tibia and femur surfaces, which lie beneath the cartilage, can change in composition, making it harden.
  • Cysts And Bone Marrow Lesions: Missing or deteriorated knee cartilage can also lead to cysts development and bone marrow lesions (areas of abnormal swelling). These cysts and lesions lead to knee discomfort and pain.

 

What is Osteoarthritis?2022-05-13T16:57:54-07:00

14, 4, 2022

Understanding The Stages of Venous Disease

2022-04-14T10:28:50-07:00

The six stages of Venous Disease include:

  1. Spider Veins
  2. Reticular Varicose Veins
  3. Venous Nodes
  4. Chronic Venous Insufficiency
  5. Trophic Ulcers
  6. Varicose Eczema

La Jolla Vein Care gives patients the tailored treatment plan for whichever stage they come in with. A diagnostic test is run called the Duplex Ultrasound. This displays a deeper look into the patient’s veins.

Venous reflux disease is also known as venous stasis, chronic venous insufficiency, or venous incompetence. Venous disease refers to ‘leaky valves in the veins of the legs. Reflux may occur in the deep and/or superficial leg veins. The deep veins are those within the muscle; they bring at least 80-90% of the blood from the legs back to the heart. The superficial veins are outside of the muscle and under the skin. The main superficial veins are the Great Saphenous Vein that courses up the middle of the thigh and calf and the small saphenous vein, which courses up the back of the calf.

Normally, there are one-way valves within the leg veins, which help blood flow in one direction: toward the heart. This means blood is traveling against gravity. The calf muscle also helps move blood toward the heart. When vein valves are leaky, blood flows backward (reflux) towards the feet. Blood pools in the lower legs, causing bulging veins at the surface. Symptoms of venous disease include leg heaviness, leg fatigue, leg pain, ankle swelling, phlebitis (inflamed and painful veins) , restless legs at night, and night cramps. Venous reflux disease is progressive and worsens over time. Skin changes may also develop, including darkening of the skin around the ankles. The darkening of the skin is sometimes referred to as skin changes. The skin can become dry and itchy (venous eczema). 

venous stage

 

 

Understanding The Stages of Venous Disease2022-04-14T10:28:50-07:00

16, 3, 2022

What are the adverse effects of Vein treatment?

2022-03-17T10:21:05-07:00

What are the adverse effects of Vein treatment?

Patients generally do very well with vein treatments, all of which have a low risk of complications. Some post treatment effects can include:

 

Aching over the treated veins is normal after vein treatment. This responds well to walking, ice packs, and anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). 

vein treatment pain

Bruising over injection sites is also normal after vein treatment and resolves in about two weeks. 

vein treatment bruise

Hyperpigmentation over a vein can occur from blood pigments that are released as the vein is healing. It is more common in patients with large bulging veins and certain complexions. Hyperpigmentation tends to fade over many weeks after vein treatment if you stay out of direct sunlight. 

deep vein clots

Intravascular hematoma refers to a large varicose vein that becomes firm and tender days to weeks after treatment. This also responds well to ice packs and anti-inflammatory medications. We may also recommend a confirmatory ultrasound and/or offer needle drainage of the trapped blood to alleviate discomfort and minimize skin pigmentation. 

 

Deep vein clots are very uncommon, and usually are limited to patients with poor mobility, advanced age, hormone treatment, and/or genetic tendency for clotting. We monitor all patients with ultrasound throughout treatment so we can detect clots at a very early stage before they cause a symptom. We may recommend surveillance ultrasounds, extra walking, and/or a short course of blood thinners. 

deep vein thrombosis

Numb spot over a treated vein is another uncommon event after radiofrequency or laser vein ablation. This occurs when a branch of a skin nerve gets stunned during the heat treatment. It tends to improve over several weeks. The nerves that control the movement of the leg and foot are located far from the superficial veins. 

 

What are the adverse effects of Vein treatment?2022-03-17T10:21:05-07:00

Understanding Venous Insufficiency

2022-12-13T14:11:01-08:00

When you become a patient with La Jolla Vein Care, you will go through a screening process, and a vascular evaluation using ultrasound technology to diagnose your venous reflux disease. Chronic venous insufficiency is a disease affecting at least 50 million Americans. It is very common, but unfortunately undiagnosed. Through our venous insufficiency Duplex Ultrasound test, our vein specialists can determine exactly what is going on in the patient’s veins. 

The anatomy and process of venous insufficiency or venous reflux disease: 

One of the major veins that takes the blood to the heart is deep inside the muscles of the thigh and calf called the deep veins. Parallel to this lies the superficial veins inside the legs. Superficial veins dump the blood into the deep vein in the groin area and collectively they take the blood back to the heart. 

The direction of the blood flow begins from the ground up towards the heart. Both deep and superficial have a structure system known as the valves. They function as a safety unit directional valve system. Where the blood can flow upward and not downward and be open or closed off. Similarly the same type of structure is found in your heart with heart valves. 

Over the course of the years, depending on your occupation, family history, pregnancy, surgeries, any trauma or injury to your legs, and any kind of underlying muscular or skeletal problem will contribute to problems with the valves in your legs. The valves, over the course of the years may get farther apart from one another. They will still be able to open and close, but the main problem will be the blood flow will not be able to go in one direction. This causes the veins to become enlarged. As a result,  the valves remain open and the blood to flow upward and also downward. This is known as venous reflux disease or venous insufficiency. 

venous reflux disease

A consultation with one of our vein specialists for chronic venous insufficiency involves taking a detailed history and physical examination in combination with a venous reflux ultrasound study.  Based on your personal findings, a customized treatment plan will be discussed which may include doing nothing, conservative management, or various treatment options based on your individual needs. 

For any more questions about venous disease and the process of diagnosis and treatment, please call us at (858)-550-0330.

Understanding Venous Insufficiency2022-12-13T14:11:01-08:00

21, 1, 2022

AVANTA IPA is the Newest Insurance Accepted for Vein Care

2022-01-21T12:03:53-08:00

AVANTA LOGO

Avanta IPA


We are pleased to announce that we accept AVANTA IPA healthcare insurance at La Jolla Vein Care. Now offering vein care services including evaluation and treatment of varicose veins, venous reflux disease, leg swelling, chronic venous insufficiency, deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and ultrasound imaging for DVT and other vascular conditions,
AVANTA IPA San Diego, La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Chula Vista, San Marcos, Vista, Escondido, La Mesa.

We accept several other insurance types, click here to read our full list of insurances accepted by La Jolla Vein Care.

AVANTA IPA is the Newest Insurance Accepted for Vein Care2022-01-21T12:03:53-08:00

22, 8, 2010

Industry Insights

2021-11-04T18:42:50-07:00

Get downtown for the San Diego Health and Beauty Expo on September 8, 2010. The event provides an interactive forum that allows attendees to learn about the latest technologies and treatments in the areas of Cosmetic Surgery, Skin Care, Spa, Wellness, and more. Among the featured speakers is La Jolla Vein Care’s Dr. Nisha Bunke. Dr. Bunke will share her knowledge with the public and provide the latest insights into a rapidly evolving field of medicine. With easy access to the experts along with product demos, appetizers, and giveaways, the event is the place to be for anyone with an interest in healthy living—and it’s at the lavish Se Hotel.

 

Industry Insights - Dr. Bunke

Sincerely,

Executive Team

Industry Insights2021-11-04T18:42:50-07:00
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TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO

La Jolla/ UTC

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Now Open! Call/Text for Appointments

© Copyright 2010-2024, La Jolla Vein & Vascular | All Rights Reserved

CONTACT INFORMATION

La Jolla/UTC

Vista

Patient Privacy Practices

Privacy Policy

Hippa Privacy Practices
HIPAAOneTM Certified Seal 2

Use the search features below to find articles and insights for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease

TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO

La Jolla/ UTC

North County San Diego/ Vista — Endovascular Center
Now Open! Call/Text for Appointments

© Copyright 2010-2024, La Jolla Vein & Vascular | All Rights Reserved

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