Is Vein Mapping Invasive or Minimally Invasive?
Some vein treatments are invasive, meaning they involve large, surgical incisions in your skin. Other vein treatments are minimally invasive, meaning they involve injections or tiny punctures in your skin. Vein mapping is an ultrasound procedure that analyzes venous health. It is not a treatment, and it is neither invasive nor minimally invasive. Vein doctors conduct this non-invasive examination on the surface of your skin, by bouncing sound waves off your veins. They apply a gel and move a transducer over your skin, much like any other ultrasound.
Is vein mapping painful? No, patients experience no pain whatsoever. The most patients will feel is a bit of pressure if the vein doctor presses down for a closer look at a blood vessel. Vein mapping is not only painless, but it also helps vein doctors diagnose pain. Many patients experience cramping, aching, burning sensations with unhealthy veins. Vein mapping exams help determine the source of the discomfort so vein specialists can resolve it. Book an appointment with our award-winning vein doctors in New Jersey for a gentle vein mapping exam.
Is There Swelling or Pain After Vein Mapping?
Since vein mapping is non-invasive, there is no swelling or pain afterward. There are no injections or incisions, and the probe only applies gentle pressure on the skin. If you have swelling or pain following vein mapping, it’s likely due to the issue that prompted vein mapping, like vein damage, blood clots, or vein disease.
Spider veins and varicose veins are often caused by Chronic Venous Insufficiency. This disease frequently goes undiagnosed, and it causes swelling, cramping, pain, restlessness, heaviness, and fatigue in the legs. Left untreated, it can also produce ulcerations that won’t heal, persistent dermatitis, and heavy bleeding with skin abrasions. So, call your doctor if you have pain or swelling in your legs, but know that it’s likely due to a vein issue, and not a vein mapping exam.
If you develop sudden pain, redness, warmth, and swelling in a certain area, or if you have chest pain or shortness of breath, go to the emergency room. These symptoms are not caused by vein mapping. They might signify a blood clot, deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism.
Are Vein Mapping Sound Waves Painful?
Vein mapping uses ultrasound technology to send sound waves through the gel on your skin into your body. The transducer, or probe, captures the sounds as they bounce off your veins, and those sounds are translated into images on a computer. The sound that bounces off the blood vessel indicates its size and how full of fluid it is. This helps vein specialists detect things like blood clots and engorged, or varicose, veins. Patients do not feel any pain as the sound waves travel. Doppler Ultrasound uses no needles, radiation, or dye, so it’s harmless to the patient.
What Are the Least Painful Treatment Options?
Vein mapping helps doctors determine whether you need treatment, and if so, which treatment is best. So, what are the least painful vein treatment options? The best vein treatments for most people are minimally invasive. These treat the vein inside the body, rather than cutting it out. Ask your vein doctor about radiofrequency ablation, endovenous laser ablation, vein adhesives, and mechanochemical ablation, if you want gentle vein care.
These procedures are minimally invasive and require no large incisions or general anesthesia. Patients can walk after treatment and even go back to work. They don’t require downtime or prescription pain medication. They are not painful, and for most patients there is little to no swelling. Surface lasers are less invasive, but they irritate many patients’ skin.
In addition, surface lasers aren’t ideal for varicose veins. The amount of laser energy required to treat large or deep veins would damage the skin. Varicose veins are larger than spider veins, and their source is typically located in a deeper vein. So, a minimally invasive treatment, not a non-invasive or invasive treatment, is the least painful way to treat them. If you have varicose veins, visit a minimally invasive vein treatment center for vein mapping and to achieve painless vein treatment.
Vein stripping surgery (phlebectomy) is typically a more painful way to treat veins, and it has a longer recovery. However, most patients don’t need surgery for their veins. If your vein doctor recommends surgery, ask them why. Valid reasons include existing blood clots, prior failed treatments, or severe tortuosity that minimally invasive devices can’t navigate. If they don’t have an answer, seek a second opinion. If you do need surgery, ask your vein specialist about a less invasive surgery called ambulatory phlebectomy.
How Do You Prepare for Mapping Your Blood Vessels?
Vein mapping requires very little preparation. You don’t need to avoid food the day of your appointment, unless you’re having additional tests that require fasting. It’s helpful to be fully hydrated since that makes your blood vessels easier to map. For most patients, this means six to eight glasses of water for three days before the appointment, and at least three glasses of water on the appointment day, before the procedure. If you aren’t able to hydrate that much, the test will still be conducted. Hydration just enhances the results.
Wear loose clothing to your appointment since the vein doctor will guide the transducer over a portion of your skin. This might include the entire leg, or both legs, so wear something easy to roll up. We can also provide a medical gown if needed or preferred. You will likely lie down throughout the procedure, though you may need to stand for a portion of the time. It takes an average of 30 minutes but can take up to 90 minutes depending on how many areas we need to scan.
Where Can You Schedule an Appointment for Vein Mapping in NJ?
Please contact us to book painless, affordable vein mapping in New Jersey. We have state-of-the-art vein centers in Clifton, Scotch Plains, Woodbridge, Paramus, and Woodland Park. Our vein centers are fully accredited and run by board certified vein doctors. Our physicians specialize in non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures, and they’re Harvard-trained in cutting edge techniques.
Once you’ve scheduled your appointment, our dedicated insurance team will work to secure your coverage. Since our doctors use FDA-approved treatments, most patients achieve full insurance coverage. Our vein doctors are as renowned for conducting their treatments as they are for explaining them. They’ve served as medical textbook contributors, lecturers, and instructors, so they know how to convey what they do. If you have questions about vein mapping or vein treatment, visit us for a consultation. Our doctors won’t leave the room until each of your questions are answered.