Varicose Veins

Varicose veins, the unsightly and often painful condition, affects one out of two people above age 50, according to the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Robert A. Weiss, a dermatologic surgeon at the Maryland Laser, Skin and Vein Institute and past president of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, says newer, less-invasive treatments exist now, such as endovenous laser therapy, that have replaced "the old, barbaric procedure of stripping." He answered some questions about the condition.

On Friday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh didn't sound optimistic that Matt Birk would be available for Thursday night's preseason opener at the Atlanta Falcons. But the 36-year-old center said Saturday that he is holding out hope that he might be able to play Thursday. “I hope I don't” miss the game, Birk said after the team's practice at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday. “We talked today, and although you can't predict the future, I hope I don't. My goal is to be out there.” Birk confirmed Harbaugh's diagnosis that back spasms have shelved him for the past six days.

Treating twisted, bulging varicose veins used to require painful invasive surgery. Today, a booming industry beckons patients with free screenings and deals on "lunch break" treatments promising faster, more effective and painless procedures. But how do you know which treatment to choose - or if you need to be treated at all? Are varicose veins a legitimate medical problem, or purely cosmetic? For many of the estimated 20 million Americans with the condition, varicose veins are ugly and bothersome, not an indication of a medical problem.

After undergoing surgery to repair varicose veins in his legs, Matt Birk said he feels optimistic that his legs won't be a hindrance for him during the upcoming season. “I feel better,” the Ravens starting center said Tuesday, after the team's opening day of training camp . “[The doctors] say it'll help me feel better during the season. My leg won't get as fatigued. So it's a good thing.” Birk was among the limited group of players (quarterbacks, rookies and injured veterans)

Q: One of my friends told me about sclerotherapy that was used to treat her varicose veins. What is sclerotherapy? Is it an accepted form of treatment?A: Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins resulting from a defect in venous valves that normally aid in the return of blood to the heart. Valve failure leads to a backward flow of blood (away from the heart) with venous pooling of the blood causing the varicose veins.Sclerotherapy involves injecting into the swollen veins a solution that irritates and damages the inner lining of the veins.

Dear Dr. Solomon: I have varicose veins. I'd like to know if the injection treatments used for this are safe and effective. -- Mr. A.P.Dear Mr. A.P.: Sclerotherapy is both safe and effective. The procedure involves injecting a chemical solution into the vein, killing the cells that line it. The blood is then spontaneously redirected into healthy veins. This eases the pressure on the veins whose valves have failed (which gave rise to the varicose veins), making the varicose veins less obvious.

After years of hiding her legs under long slacks, Nancy Revella was looking forward to a vacation in Ocean City last summer without worrying that her kids would ask -- yet again -- "Mom, what are those bumps on your legs?"The bumps were varicose veins -- unsightly, swollen blood vessels that had begun to bulge during her first pregnancy and had worsened during the second. Her distress was more than just cosmetic: "My legs were throbbing and restless," she says ++ now.But that's all a memory.

Many women of child-bearing years feel pain in their pelvic area and don't know what it is. It gets worse as the day goes on, and with each pregnancy. Their doctors also sometimes can't determine the cause. Dr. Kelvin Hong, an assistant professor of radiology and surgery at the Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine, said it could be pelvic congestion syndrome. And it could get worse over time. Question: What is pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS)? Answer: According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pelvic congestion syndrome is one of the recognized causes of chronic pelvic pain.

Q. I was alarmed to read that eating licorice can lead to high blood pressure, weakness, fatigue, loss of libido and mineral imbalance. Is this only true of black licorice? I eat a good deal of strawberry licorice. Besides the obvious excess sugar, are there any problems with this product? A. You have nothing to worry about (except for the calories). The ingredient that can cause so many serious side effects is glycyrrhizin. This is the natural flavor found in black licorice, but it is absent from red "licorice."

Now that it's harder to get decongestants containing pseudoephedrine, will cold and allergy sufferers have to make do with weaker over-the-counter drugs? That depends. As of Sept. 30, the effective date of an amendment to the U.S. Patriot Act, nasal products containing pseudoephedrine must be sold "behind the counter," which means the purchaser has to show a photo ID and sign a log book to get them. The idea is to make it harder for illegal drug suppliers to make methamphetamine from pseudoephedrine, though whether the new law will do so is an open question.

The Ravens opened up their mandatory minicamp Tuesday afternoon without two starters from their offensive line. Offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie and center Matt Birk were not on the rain-soaked practice field, though head coach John Harbaugh said their absences were excused. McKinnie was held out of practice due to concerns about his conditioning, but he was inside the practice facility. Meanwhile, Birk had surgery to have varicose veins fixed in his legs, something that has been on his plans since the end of last season but wasn't taken care of until last week.

Many women of child-bearing years feel pain in their pelvic area and don't know what it is. It gets worse as the day goes on, and with each pregnancy. Their doctors also sometimes can't determine the cause. Dr. Kelvin Hong, an assistant professor of radiology and surgery at the Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine, said it could be pelvic congestion syndrome. And it could get worse over time. Question: What is pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS)? Answer: According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pelvic congestion syndrome is one of the recognized causes of chronic pelvic pain.

Varicose veins, the unsightly and often painful condition, affects one out of two people above age 50, according to the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Robert A. Weiss, a dermatologic surgeon at the Maryland Laser, Skin and Vein Institute and past president of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, says newer, less-invasive treatments exist now, such as endovenous laser therapy, that have replaced "the old, barbaric procedure of stripping." He answered some questions about the condition.

Treating twisted, bulging varicose veins used to require painful invasive surgery. Today, a booming industry beckons patients with free screenings and deals on "lunch break" treatments promising faster, more effective and painless procedures. But how do you know which treatment to choose - or if you need to be treated at all? Are varicose veins a legitimate medical problem, or purely cosmetic? For many of the estimated 20 million Americans with the condition, varicose veins are ugly and bothersome, not an indication of a medical problem.

Events Legal documents seminars -- The Baltimore County Department of Aging and the law firm of Frank, Frank and Scherr LLC are offering free discussions on health care decision-making, estate planning and asset management in area senior centers this month. The first is at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Parkville Senior Center, 8601 Harford Road in Parkville. Information: 410-887-2594. Classes What is pilates and why you should do it -- Synergy, 8815 Columbia 100 Parkway #2, Columbia / 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Now that it's harder to get decongestants containing pseudoephedrine, will cold and allergy sufferers have to make do with weaker over-the-counter drugs? That depends. As of Sept. 30, the effective date of an amendment to the U.S. Patriot Act, nasal products containing pseudoephedrine must be sold "behind the counter," which means the purchaser has to show a photo ID and sign a log book to get them. The idea is to make it harder for illegal drug suppliers to make methamphetamine from pseudoephedrine, though whether the new law will do so is an open question.

A Towson doctor who uses a Web site to promote the laser treatment of varicose veins filed more than $500,000 worth of fake insurance claims in order to receive Medicare reimbursement, federal prosecutors alleged yesterday. In a civil complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Dr. David C. McCarus, 54, of Timonium is accused of bilking government health insurance programs for four years by performing elective work such as laser hair and stretch mark removal and billing the procedures as medically necessary.

Almost every medication prescribed to treat high blood cholesterol levels can cause muscle pain and interfere with your ability to exercise. I know. I'm writing from experience.My blood cholesterol level has been too high ever since I was in medical school in the 1950s. I once believed that hard exercise would prevent heart attacks, so I took up running and began competing in marathons. Then, in the early 1960s, I learned that running more than 100 miles a week can only lower blood cholesterol a little.

A Towson doctor who uses a Web site to promote the laser treatment of varicose veins filed more than $500,000 worth of fake insurance claims in order to receive Medicare reimbursement, federal prosecutors alleged yesterday. In a civil complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Dr. David C. McCarus, 54, of Timonium is accused of bilking government health insurance programs for four years by performing elective work such as laser hair and stretch mark removal and billing the procedures as medically necessary.

As the holiday shopping season and mad scramble to find the perfect present begins, Neil Romain already knows exactly what he is buying this time around for his wife of 15 years: a gift certificate. Lest you peg his selection as unimaginative, this particular gift certificate is for a $300 appointment with a cosmetic surgeon to blast away her varicose veins. Ah, remember the days when the worst gift you could expect was a red and green Yuletide sweater with blinking lights and appliqued snowflakes and bells?