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Questions and Answers

Do Varicose Veins cause leg cramping?

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Leg cramps occurring at night (nocturnal leg cramps) are a common symptom of venous disease. In fact, in the San Diego Population Study, leg cramps were the second most common symptom in people with the venous disease with a prevalence of 14.3%. Leg aching (17.7%) was the most common complaint and tired and swollen legs were also predominant symptoms.

Healthy veins collect the deoxygenated blood from the tissues. The venous blood, which is low in oxygen and high in waste products is returned to the heart and lungs where it is replenished with oxygen and nutrients.  In diseased veins, the blood circulates poorly, allowing blood to pool and become stagnant. The exact mechanism that causes cramping in the legs is uncertain.  But, when the cramping is caused by poorly functioning veins, the symptoms are often alleviated by correcting the underlying problem.  Conservative measures, such as elevating the legs, walking regularly, and wearing compression therapy may reduce the frequency of night cramps. Treating the underlying venous insufficiency may be curative.

There are many causes for leg cramps and if you suffer from night cramps it is important to be properly evaluated to determine the cause.  Cramps that occur with exercise are more likely to be associated with a more serious condition. If your muscles cramp with walking for a short time and recover with rest this may indicate arterial disease.  Other causes for leg cramps include muscle injury, thyroid conditions, pregnancy, electrolyte imbalance, dehydration or other causes.

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To help identify the cause, it may be helpful to keep a log of daily activities, or change in activities; for example, heavy exertion may indicate a muscular cause or long periods of standing or sitting may favor the venous disease.  A recent study showed that prolonged standing at work may be an important risk factor for varicose veins and nocturnal leg cramps.

Varicose Veins and underlying venous insufficiency are a common cause of night cramps, or leg cramps occurring at night. They most frequently affect the upper legs, causing cramping in the thigh but may cause calf cramping.
Varicose Veins and underlying venous insufficiency are a common cause of night cramps, or leg cramps occurring at night. They most frequently affect the upper legs, causing cramping in the thigh but may cause calf cramping.

Check with your primary care physician to rule out other causes for leg cramps. Blood tests can check for thyroid, kidney and electrolyte conditions.  You may also have undiagnosed venous reflux.

At La Jolla Vein Care, our vascular imaging scanners help us detect vascular causes of leg pain. For example, we can utilize one of our three duplex ultrasound imaging systems to scan for blood clots in the leg veins (deep venous thrombosis), venous insufficiency and identify significant problems in the arterial circulation.

If you experience any vein disease symptoms, please call our office at (858)-550-0330 to schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable doctors at La Jolla Vein and Vascular. 

For more information on vein health please check out our Youtube Channel

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Current Promos

VARITHENA® CHEMICAL ABLATION

illustration of varithena foam injection
Varithena® may be recommended based on your vein location, size, anatomy and vein tortuosity.
Varithena® is:
• Effective to treat veins of different sizes above and below the knee
• Requires no incisions, sedation or general anesthesia
• Does not require a wire to be inserted along the length of your vein
• Does not use heat, eliminating the risk of thermal injury
WHAT IS VARITHENA®?
Varithena® is a "microfoam" formulation of polidocanol (sclerosing agent) and CO2. The result is a microfoam that has an appearance and consistency similar to white, foamy shave cream.
Ultrasound guidance is used to inject Varithena® microfoam into the vein. The microfoam fills the lumen for circumferential contact where it's designed to displace blood and destroy the endothelial lining efficiently.
cross section of Illustration of a vein with foam sclerotherapy injection
Video below shows the proceedure.
How many treatments will I need?
The number and frequency of treatments depends on a patient's anatomy, how quickly the veins respond, and the patient's treatment goals. There is a limit on the amount of medication we can give you each day to avoid causing side effects. Some larger or resistant veins may require two treatments to respond completely but most veins respond to Varithena® after one treatment.
What should I expect on my treatment days?
You will sign your consent form then change into shorts provided by the office. We will clean your skin with alcohol, then use ultrasound to localize the veins. The foam medication will then be injected into your veins with a fine needle. The foam fills and treats the desired section of the vein. The diseased vein collapses and the foam is deactivated. Your legs will be elevated on a comfortable wedge pillow for approximately 15 minutes. After your treatment, we will help you into your compression stockings, then you will walk for 30 minutes prior to getting in your car.

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Dr. Amanda Steinberger is a Harvard-trained, board-certified vascular interventional radiologist. She specializes in a broad range of superficial vein disease including varicose veins, spider veins, venous leg ulcers, lymphedema and cosmetic laser vein treatments. Dr. Steinberger sees patients in our La Jolla Office.

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Depending on your insurance plan, you may or may not have out of pocket expenses. We work with your insurance providers to maximize your insurance coverage and provide a complete overview of your treatment cost. We believe in cost transparency and will provide a cost estimate of any anticipated out of pocket expenses. Cost is important. We can work with your insurance to find out this information today!
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With Molina insurance plans, most patients should not have out of pocket expenses. We work with Molina to maximize your insurance coverage and provide a complete overview of your treatment cost. We believe in cost transparency and will provide a cost estimate of any anticipated out of pocket expenses. Cost is important. We can work with your insurance to find out this information today!