Premier Vein’s Segment on KHOU’s “Great Day Houston”

Premier Vein & Vascular Center’s Dr. Syed A. Raza and Kathy Sanford discuss vein disease and treatment on “Great Day Houston”. Aired on Monday, August 25, 2014.

Why Vein Disease Was Worth a TV Segment on Great Day Houston

Vein disease is one of those conditions that many people live with for years without realizing it has a name, a cause and a treatment. Patients often tell us they assumed their tired legs, ankle swelling or ropey veins were simply part of getting older, standing at work all day or having children. That is exactly why a local morning show conversation matters: it gives people permission to take their symptoms seriously.

The segment featured Dr. Syed Raza and Kathy Sanford discussing vein disease and how it is treated. Rather than retell the broadcast, this article walks through the practical questions we hear most often in clinic, so viewers and readers have an up-to-date reference on the topics a segment like this raises.

What Is Vein Disease?

Your leg veins have a hard job. They carry blood upward, against gravity, back to the heart. To do that they rely on two things: the squeezing action of the calf muscles when you walk, and small one-way valves inside the veins that stop blood from falling back down between steps.

When those valves weaken or stop closing properly, blood flows backward and pools in the lower leg. This backward flow is called venous reflux, and the long-term condition it causes is chronic venous insufficiency. The extra pressure stretches the veins near the surface, which is how varicose veins form. Over time the same pressure can cause swelling, skin discoloration and, in advanced cases, wounds that are slow to heal.

Vein disease tends to run in families and becomes more common with age, pregnancy, extra body weight and jobs that keep people on their feet. It is progressive, which means it usually does not go away on its own, but it can be managed very effectively once it is properly diagnosed.

Common Symptoms People Overlook

Bulging veins are the sign everyone recognizes, but many patients with significant reflux have few visible veins at all. The symptoms we ask about include:

• Legs that feel heavy, tired or achy, especially by the end of the day
• Swelling around the ankles that leaves a sock line and improves overnight
• Night cramps or restless, uncomfortable legs when you lie down
• Itching or burning over a vein or around the ankle
• Brown or reddish discoloration of the skin above the ankle
• Clusters of small spider veins around the ankle or inner knee
• Symptoms that improve when you walk or put your feet up

None of these is dangerous on its own, but together they form a pattern worth checking. Our vein disease symptoms guide explains each one in more detail.

Cosmetic Veins vs. Medical Vein Problems

One of the most useful distinctions for patients is the difference between veins that are mainly a cosmetic concern and veins that point to an underlying circulation problem. The two can overlap, which is why an ultrasound is often the deciding step.

Treating only the veins you can see, without addressing reflux in a deeper feeding vein, is one of the main reasons veins seem to come back. A proper map of the veins helps avoid that.

How Vein Treatment Has Changed

Many people still picture vein treatment as vein stripping: a hospital operation under general anesthesia with weeks of bruising and recovery. For most patients that approach has been replaced by procedures done in the office through a needle puncture, using ultrasound to guide every step.

Closing the faulty vein from the inside

Endovenous thermal ablation uses a thin catheter that delivers heat inside the refluxing vein so it seals shut. Blood naturally reroutes into healthy veins. Non-thermal options use a medical adhesive or a sclerosing foam instead of heat. These procedures are done under local anesthesia, usually take about an hour, and most patients walk out afterward and return to light activity the same or next day.

Treating the visible veins

Bulging branches can be removed through tiny nicks in the skin with ambulatory phlebectomy, or closed with an injected solution. For spider veins, sclerotherapy is the standard treatment and usually needs a short series of sessions.

Compression and lifestyle

Compression stockings, regular walking, leg elevation and weight management all reduce symptoms. They do not repair damaged valves, but they are an important part of care before and after a procedure.

How We Evaluate Your Veins at Premier Vein

Whether you saw the segment years ago or are reading about vein disease for the first time, the first visit follows a clear path:

1. Focused history. We ask when your symptoms started, what makes them better or worse, your family history, pregnancies, prior blood clots and the medications you take.
2. Leg examination. We look at visible veins, swelling, skin color and texture, and check the pulses in your feet.
3. Venous duplex ultrasound. Performed in our in-office vascular lab, this painless scan shows the direction of blood flow and pinpoints which valves are leaking. If arterial disease is a concern, an ankle-brachial index may be added.
4. A clear plan. We go through the images with you, explain whether treatment is medically needed or mainly cosmetic, and outline the options, timeline and what insurance typically requires.

About Dr. Syed Raza

Dr. Syed Raza is a fellowship-trained interventional radiologist board certified in diagnostic and interventional radiology by the American Board of Radiology and a Fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists (UK). He previously served as Chief of Interventional Radiology at UTMB Galveston and at Memorial Hermann Memorial City, and he has more than 15 years of experience treating varicose veins, venous reflux and peripheral arterial disease.

Interventional radiologists specialize in using imaging such as ultrasound and X-ray to guide small instruments through blood vessels. That background is well suited to modern vein care, where nearly every procedure is image-guided. You can read more on Dr. Raza’s profile page.

When to See a Vein Specialist in Houston

Houston’s heat and humidity make swollen, heavy legs more noticeable for many people, and a lot of our patients work long shifts on their feet. If leg symptoms are affecting your sleep, your work or your comfort, or if you notice skin changes around your ankles, it is a good time to be evaluated by a vein doctor in Houston.

Premier Vein & Vascular Center has provided vein care for more than 20 years, serves patients from Houston, Katy and the surrounding area, and usually has same-week appointments available. Most insurance plans, including Medicare, are accepted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is vein disease just a cosmetic problem?

Not always. Spider veins are often cosmetic, but varicose veins and leg swelling are frequently caused by venous reflux, a circulation problem that tends to worsen over time. A duplex ultrasound shows whether there is an underlying medical issue.

Do varicose veins come back after treatment?

Treated veins stay closed in most cases, but new varicose veins can develop over the years because vein disease is progressive. Treating the source of reflux, staying active and having a follow-up scan if symptoms return all help keep results lasting.

Is vein treatment painful?

Most modern vein procedures are done under local anesthesia in the office, and patients usually describe pressure or mild stinging rather than pain. Soreness and tightness along the treated vein for a few days afterward is common and typically eases with walking.

What kind of doctor treats vein disease?

Vein disease is treated by vein specialists, who may be interventional radiologists, vascular surgeons or other physicians with vein training. Interventional radiologists like Dr. Raza specialize in image-guided procedures, which is how most vein treatments are performed today.

Will insurance cover vein treatment?

Most insurance plans, including Medicare, cover treatment when an ultrasound shows reflux and the veins are causing symptoms. Many plans also require a period of compression stockings first. Purely cosmetic spider vein treatment is usually not covered.

Trusted Health Resources

1. Chronic Venous Insufficiency, Society for Vascular Surgery
2. Venous Insufficiency, MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (NIH)
3. Varicose Veins and Spider Veins, MedlinePlus (NIH)