Unlike coronary artery or carotid artery disease, superficial venous insufficiency is not a silent killer. Patients without symptoms do not need to be screened for abnormal valves in their superficial veins as nothing harmful is going to occur urgently. You may have seen appeals from “Chain Vein” or other vein clinic physicians to come to their center for “vein screening” and identify patients who “do not know they have vein disease.” Patients with significant medically necessary vein disease have symptoms of aching, burning, itching, heaviness, ankle swelling, leg fatigue in association with varicose veins and large numbers of spider veins. This is why insurance providers do not authorize procedures for venous insufficiency in the absence of symptoms.
Venous ultrasound is not indicated in patients without symptoms and patients should be seen by a qualified medical provider to determine if an ultrasound examination is appropriate (see blog about FREE VEIN SCREENING). Many people have minor valve leakage that can be identified by ultrasound but is not clinically relevant and they do not need vein procedures. At Albert Vein Institute we have seen patients who were asymptomatic but had vein procedures performed at other vein centers. Patients should beware of scenarios where they are lured into an office for vein screening and told that a venous ultrasound has determined that they have a problem they did not know about. They are then informed that Endovenous Ablation (closure) of their superficial veins needs to be performed. It should be noted that leg pain could come from many other issues than just venous disease. Patients should be comfortable they are seeing a physician with extensive experience who will appropriately evaluate their symptoms and provide a physical exam to accurately determine if ultrasound examination or treatment is indicated.