The Top 6 Questions to Ask Your Vein Doctor

If you are struggling with varicose veins, vein disease, or other vein issues, you want to get the problems sorted out as soon as possible.  The longer you wait, the more at risk you are putting yourself in developing further problems. And if you really put things off, you could potentially find yourself dealing with something life-threatening such as deep vein thrombosis. 

Regardless of the level of the pain you’re experiencing with your veins, whether it is minuscule or major, you don’t want to waste any time in finding yourself a vein specialist. However, this is a crucial step that you do not want to rush into.

Finding a qualified, trusted, ethical, capable, and knowledgeable vein specialist is absolutely integral to the future of your vein health. Thus, today we are going to go through the top questions to ask your vein doctor about their certifications, the clinic itself, treatment options, and more.

6 Questions to Ask Your Vein Doctor

1. What certifications do you have?

Though the advances in technology have brought great things to the world of vein treatment, it has also made it easier for underqualified and poorly trained doctors to join the field. The first step you want to take in finding a vein doctor is to make sure his/her credentials are legitimate. Though not always required, here is what you want to look for in your doctor:

• Completed requisite training
• Meet Continuing Medical Education (MCE) requirements
• Passing score on the certification exam
• Member of American College of Phlebotomy and/or certified by the American College of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine

All vein physicians at Vein Clinics of America have the above credentials and have undergone a supervised, extended period of specialized training performed by VCA. By forcing our doctors to go through our own training, we are able to ensure quality and the maintenance of our high standards of providing the greatest medical care.

2. How often do you perform vein treatments like the one(s) I need?

During your initial consultation with your vein specialist, he/she will determine the treatment you need for your vein issues. Once you’ve established the care you need, you want to be sure you ask the doctor how often he/she performs that specific vein treatment.

If the doctor has not done many of these procedures, you probably want to look elsewhere. The more experience he/she has in this specific treatment, the greater the chances of success with your experience. Doctors with more surgeries or treatments under their belt are more capable of handling any challenges that may occur and will have solutions already prepared. Not to mention the confidence that comes along with experience. The less worried and unsure your doctor is, the better you’re going to feel, and the more likely your chances of successful results.

At Vein Clinics of America, our vein doctors have collectively performed over 1.3 million procedures. Vein treatment is our specialty, and there is no denying that all of our doctors are the most qualified to treat you.

3. What is the success rate of the clinic?

It’s a good idea to ask your vein doctor how many times the clinic has successfully performed the treatments you’re supposed to undergo. Vein Clinics of America has treated the most people of any vein clinic in the entire country, and with incredible success. In addition, all VCA clinics are fully accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission, meaning that every Vein Clinics of America nationwide has the highest level of care and success.

4. What are my treatment options?

This is something your vein specialist will only be able to determine after your initial consultation when they’ve discovered what vein problem you are facing. If you have common vein issues such as varicose veins or spider veins, then most of the time, your doctor will be able to treat your issues using a minimally-invasive approach. At Vein Clinics of America, we offer a few different treatment options:

• Radiofrequency ablation
• Endovenous laser ablation
• Sclerotherapy
• VenaSeal
• Phlebectomy
• Alternative treatments (including compression stockings and Veinwave)

Common vein treatments such as the above do not require hospitalization and have an outpatient procedure time of typically less than an hour. And when it comes to recovery, you’re looking at the minimal time. Each treatment has its own advantages, as well as its own potential risks. Your vein specialist will help you determine which treatment is best for you, and what you can expect from it.

5. Will I suffer from any pain or side effects?

Though this question varies depending on your vein problems and the treatment your doctor sees the best fit for you, chances are very good that your pain and side effects suffering will be minimal.

With modern technology in the field of vein treatment, procedures have been made much more comfortable and easy to recover from. Long gone are the days of being in the hospital and bedridden for weeks post-vein-treatment. Thanks to advances in laser technology, most patients are able to get back to normal life with little to no downtime.

If you do find yourself suffering from pain or side effects that your doctor did not mention before your procedure, be sure you let them know — they may be a sign of a problem. However, any problems resulting from your procedure are a rare occurrence. Vein treatments such as those mentioned above are incredibly common and done multiple times a day at VCA clinics.

6. Are my vein treatments covered by insurance?

Because most varicose vein and spider veins are a result of vein disease, you will typically find that their treatment is covered by most insurance plans. However, you want to make sure of your specific plan’s coverage before undergoing treatment to avoid any surprises. You can get a consultation from most Vein Clinics of America across the country, and during that time not only will you get an assessment of your medical condition, you will also get an assessment of your insurance and payment options.

Learn more about insurance and costs of treatment.

We hope that having these questions ahead of time will help make your trip to Vein Clinics of America one that is full of answers, and will help you get on the path to happy and healthy veins.