Dr. Paul Collier, a local vascular surgeon in private practice at the Greater Pittsburgh Surgical Alliance and The Sewickley Vein Center, has done much research and given many lectures on chronic venous disease and peripheral artery disease.

Dr. Collier’s belief is that chronic venous disease and its symptoms have been overlooked by the medical community for two reasons.

The first is that veins, unlike arteries, are felt to be passive conduits for blood. He stresses that the venous physiology and pathology are much more complex than that of the arterial system and should only be treated by true vein specialists.

The second reason is that until recently there were not many effective treatments for venous problems. This has changed dramatically in the past few years.

Unlike arteries, veins have fine valves that allow the blood to flow in one direction only, back to the heart. When these valves no longer function properly, high venous pressure occurs in the legs. This leads to a myriad of symptoms including swelling, heaviness of the legs, itching, burning and tingling, and varicose veins.

According to Dr. Collier, past treatments of most venous problems consisted of blood thinners and compression stockings. Now, as with arterial disease, there are clot busters, balloons and stents that can treat the clots that block the vein before the problem becomes permanent.

“Everyone knows the old barbaric treatment methods for varicose veins. Just ask your mom or your aunt,” Dr. Collier said.

Painful vein stripping is a thing of the past. Now varicose veins can be treated nonoperatively with laser ablation in the office.

Dr. Collier believes that treatment of venous problems should be taken seriously and not done in a spa setting. A thorough examination should be done so that proper treatment is rendered.

The Sewickley Vein Centers are in Sewickley Valley Hospital and the Grove City Medical Center. Appointments can be made by calling 412-741-0480.

At The Sewickley Vein Center, the health of your legs is top priority. The Sewickley Vein Center has already treated and improved the leg health of nearly 1,000 patients.

This article was submitted by The Sewickley Vein Center.