Coach Lindsay instructs one of his players during a game at Berean Christian School.

As a high school boys’ varsity basketball coach in Knoxville for more than 30 years, wearing athletic shorts has long been a part of Christopher Lindsay’s daily attire.

“I live in shorts, I wear them all the time,” says Lindsay. “I wear them almost all year long.”

Even though Coach Lindsay likes wearing shorts, he didn’t like the appearance of varicose veins on his legs.

“I didn’t like having crazy-looking legs. It looked like a road map, especially on the side of my left leg,” explains Lindsay.

Lindsay believes his varicose vein issues started in college. “I was hit in the leg by a pitch three times in the same game, and it became the bruise that never went away.”

Since Lindsay’s varicose veins didn’t cause severe pain, only an occasional tightness, he lived with the problem for years. Until, he had a frightening experience in the shower last fall.

“I must have hit my leg on something because suddenly my leg was bleeding badly. The bottom of the shower was covered in blood -I thought I was going to bleed out!” remembers Lindsay.

Lindsay mentioned the incident to his family doctor during his yearly physical and his physician recommended he visit Premier Vein Clinics for treatment.

After researching Premier Vein Clinics online, Lindsay chose Dr. Donald Akers as his vein specialist. “I’ve known the Akers family for a long time, and I wanted to go somewhere close to home,” says the 61-year-old coach.

At Premier Vein Clinics Lindsay underwent an ultrasound to evaluate the blood flow in both legs. Venous insufficiency, a condition in which the veins have difficulty sending blood from the legs back to the heart, was discovered in his left leg. In an outpatient procedure, Dr. Akers used Endovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT) to treat the diseased vein in his left leg. With EVLT laser energy is delivered with an optic fiber through a small puncture in the leg. The laser heats and closes the vein, allowing blood to be naturally rerouted to other healthy veins.

Lindsay’s leg was bandaged and wrapped immediately after the procedure, and he wore a compression stocking for a couple of weeks while his leg healed. “For the first 24 hours, I had “mummy leg”,” laughs Lindsay.

A few months later, Lindsay returned to Premier Vein Clinics for sclerotherapy on both legs to address the visible spider veins. Sclerotherapy is a minimally-invasive treatment in which abnormal and small spider veins are injected with a solution that cause them to swell, collapse and fade away over time.

“I had 9 sticks to my left leg and 4 on my right leg,” says Lindsay. “It was fine. I didn’t find it painful or uncomfortable at all.”

Coach Lindsay says he’s glad he had his varicose veins treated. “I’d tell people if you’re having problems with your legs you need to get it checked out. I feel better for having it done. I should’ve done it a long time ago!”

And, as his legs heal, Lindsay is looking forward to once again having legs that look nice in shorts. “Your legs are important. Guys shouldn’t forget that their legs matter too. You don’t want to go around with crazy looking spider veins on them!”

For more information about varicose vein treatment options, call Premier Vein Clinics in Knoxville at (865) 588-8229 or request an appointment online at  www.premierveinclinics.com

The post Vein Treatment Isn’t Just for Ladies: Men Can Have Better Legs Too! first appeared on Premier Surgical.

To perform an EVLT, the area around the diseased vein is prepped and cleansed thoroughly and then a local anesthetic is applied to reduce any pain or discomfort. Through a small puncture in the leg, a tiny optic fiber laser is inserted through a needle into the diseased vein. Laser heat is used to shrink and close off the vein, allowing blood to be naturally rerouted to other healthy veins within the leg. The procedure is performed in office usually within an hour. There is no hospitalization required with EVLT and a small dressing with compression bandages are applied to the area after the procedure is complete.

In the past, individuals suffering from the painful varicose veins relied on ligation and vein stripping for relief of symptoms. These procedures were more invasive and painful while also requiring general anesthesia. Vein stripping and ligation involve the physical removal of diseased vein(s) often causing discomfort during the procedure and up to two weeks following.

The treatment of varicose veins has come a long way and there are many benefits to the less invasive option of EVLT today including:

• little to no downtime,
• immediate relief of symptoms,
• and minimal to no scarring.

Following an EVLT procedure, some patients experience a tight feeling in the legs and mild bruising. These symptoms normally subside within a few days. Patients are allowed to go home and even return to work immediately following the procedure, but should avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise as noted by your physician.

With the help of a board certified vascular surgeon, you can determine which vein treatment is right for you.  Your best option for treatment depends on the severity of your condition, your preference and desired outcomes.

The staff at Premier Vein Clinics of Knoxville can help determine if EVLT is the right treatment option for you. During your initial consult you should be prepared to provide a thorough medical history and undergo a physical exam so the clinician can examine your legs both sitting and standing. Your Premier Vein Clinics physician will talk in depth with you about your concerns and overall expectations for treatment.

For more information on EVLT download our eBook [http://hubs.ly/y0FK-q0]. You can also conveniently request an appointment online at any time [http://www.premierveinclinics.com/request-an-appointment/].

The post What Is An EVLT Procedure? first appeared on Premier Surgical.