Easing Anxiety during Vein Treatment
Varicose veins may be painful and unsightly but for some patients, the fear of vein treatment far outweighs the discomfort and embarrassment of their current condition. If you have been avoiding vein treatment due to anxiety about the procedure, there are things you and your doctor can do to help ease your fears and make the procedure more bearable. We have a number of tips to help you reduce your anxiety level before and during varicose vein treatment.
Educate Yourself
You may be able to significantly reduce your anxiety about vein treatments by understanding how these procedures are performed today. Unlike invasive surgical procedures of the past, today’s vein treatments are minimally-invasive and involve little or no discomfort during and after the procedure. Most involve tiny micro-incisions equal in size to a grain of rice and special tools that can eliminate veins without excessive trauma to your skin and body. In fact, you will likely be returning to your regular activities immediately following your procedure or by the next day.
Consider Distraction Techniques
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Surrey in the U.K. earlier this year found that distraction techniques could also help ease patient anxiety before and during vein treatment. Patients were offered four different modes of distraction in the study; listening to music, watching a DVD, talking to a nurse or squeezing a stress ball.
Scientists found that talking to a nurse during the procedure was the best way to relax, as it reduced anxiety by around 30 percent. Watching a DVD was the next best thing, with a 25-percent reduction in anxiety, while stress balls eased anxiety by 18 percent. Interestingly, music did not appear to have any effect on patients’ stress levels in this study.
Ask about Sedation
If you can’t bring yourself to the point of moving forward with your procedure due to your fear, talk to your physician about sedation options. Most vascular specialists understand that anxiety is a normal byproduct of a medical procedure and may prescribe sedation to patients that request it. Sedation may be given intravenously with local anesthesia, or orally prior to the procedure.
While anxiety is a completely normal reaction to any type of medical reaction, it should not keep you from seeking treatment for varicose veins that are causing you embarrassment and physical pain. Treatments for varicose veins are safe and very effective, reducing your current symptoms and your risk of future complications from your vein condition. To learn more about vein treatments, or discuss your concerns in more detail, contact Advanced Varicose Vein Treatments of Manhattan at 212-204-6501.