Tag Archives: dr. zuzga

04.02.19
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Varicose Veins, The Hidden Dangers

varicose veins tampa west florida vein center

varicose veins tampa west florida vein centerOn the surface, varicose veins might seem like a vanity issue the truth is they are a cosmetic warning sign that something is medically wrong. All varicose veins should be monitored by a Vein Specialist when they begin to present. The sooner you can treat them, the less damage can be done.

Left untreated varicose veins which are the visual presentation of chronic venous insufficiency (damage to the veins which lead to an inability to properly transport blood throughout the body’s circulatory system) will get worse over time and more pronounced. The once visual issue can lead to pain and discomfort.

Complications including skin ulcers, DVT (deep vein thrombosis blood clots), phlebitis, bleeding, dermatitis, itching, Restless Leg Syndrome, and wounds that may not heal may become issues if untreated.

Many avoid doing anything about their vein issues for fear of either pain or price. The truth is that vein treatment is virtually painless. We offer several different treatment options of which your physician will recommend one that is right for your case. There is almost no downtime and all are performed on an outpatient basis.

Insurance covers most procedures as varicose veins are a medical condition, not an elective treatment.

At The West Florida Vein Center of Tampa Bay | Safety Harbor we offer:


Microphlebectomy – Damaged veins are surgically removed through tiny punctures. The day of the procedure, your leg will be marked on the areas to be corrected. A local anesthetic “tumescent” is injected into the area surrounding your vein. Tiny incisions about 2-3mm each – are made and a crochet-type hook is to get ahold of the vein and remove it. This interrupts the blood flow and causes any remaining portion of the vein to clot and gets rid of the bulging diseased vein area.

Sclerotherapy – Sclerotherapy helps via injection through a very fine needle. The injectable solution causes the veins to shrink, close off and gradually dissolve. Each session lasts about15 minutes. Most tolerate the solution with no issues. Multiple sessions may be required. This will be decided after the initial consultation and evaluation.

The Venefit Procedure – Formerly known as the VNUS Closure™ procedure, for the treatment of varicose veins and CVI. This is a minimally invasive procedure of segmental ablation that utilizes radio frequency (RF) energy to provide an even and uniform heat to contract the collagen in the vein walls, causing them to collapse and seal. Once the diseased vein is closed, blood will re-route itself to other healthy veins.

Endovenous Ablation – This revolutionary new treatment for large varicose veins takes less than an hour and accomplishes the same outcome as surgical vein stripping. Using ultrasound guidance and local anesthesia, a thin laser fiber in a catheter is threaded up the vein. As the catheter is slowly withdrawn, the laser shrinks and seals the large vein that causes varicose veins in most patients. There is little or no visible scarring.

If you are in the Safety Harbor or Tampa Bay area of Florida we invite you to come in and see Dr. Zuzga of the West Florida Vein Center. www.westfloridaveincenter.com. Just give us a call to schedule your appointment today! (727) 712-3233.

03.03.19
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Diagnosing Varicose Veins

varicose-veins-tampa-fl

varicose-veins-tampa-flIf you suspect you may have vein issues seeking medical attention as soon as possible is the best way to get your legs back to health.


Surface level veins are pretty easily diagnosed visually but when vein issues are deeper there are certain medical tests and procedures that can be processed when it comes to finding the damage and determining the extent. These same tests can also be used to rule out possible conditions.

If your skin in the area affected is having issues as well it is not unusual for your Dermatologist to work in conjunction with your Vein Specialist.

The Exam

Both standing and seated a visual examination is done on the patients’ legs. Questions will be asked as to how you feel standing, walking, sitting, running, and even while sleeping.

Ultrasound (Duplex)

A duplex ultrasound is a combination of the traditional with the newer technology of the Doppler ultrasound. Traditional ultrasound operates on sound waves in order to create an image of the structures. In this test, you can see the blood vessels and view anything that may be blocking the blood flow.

Doppler ultrasound uses sound waves to create pictures of the movement of the blood. The two together create a picture that can assist your doctor in diagnosing your condition more easily. Your physician may recommend a duplex ultrasound in order to look for blood clots as well.

The Ultrasound Experience

A handheld ultrasound device is placed on your body during this test in the area of suspected issue. It will be moved back and forth over the area. The unit works by sending and receiving sound waves. Those waves are then sent to a computer which will then convert into a visual image of the arteries and veins.

If a diagnosis of vein disease and accompanying varicose veins is made, your doctor will then recommend the very best treatment path possible to get your legs back to health.

Angiogram

If a simple physical exam isn’t enough, an angiogram may be used. During an angiogram, a nonreactive nontoxic dye is injected into your leg veins suspected of sustaining damage. Dying the veins allows the outlines to be viewable on an X-ray image. This is not very commonly used in most exams but can be incredibly valuable if a detailed look at blood flow routes is needed. This test can both confirm a diagnosis of varicose veins or may point to a different condition.

If you are in the Safety Harbor or Tampa, Florida area and in need of a Vein Specialist we hope you consider The West Florida Vein Center. www.westfloridaveincenter.com (727) 712-3233.

02.10.19
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Varicose Vein and Venous Insufficiency – The Symptoms

varicose-veins-tampa

varicose-veins-tampaThe first thing most people think as they notice their very first spider vein or varicose vein is “Oh no”. The once beautiful skin on their legs is now flawed (or perceived to be so).

The next is likely scanning their immediate family history. Did my mom or dad have varicose veins? My grandparents? Aunts? Uncles?
While genetics does raise your risk factor so does lifestyle, there are things you can do to help stop them in their tracks. It’s positive that you were paying attention and noticed.

Varicose veins are considered to be unattractive and most who notice symptoms of venous insufficiency will do their best to adjust their wardrobe accordingly to hide them.  To most people, the lack of pain translates to it not being a legitimate medical issue. That is simply not the truth.

Symptoms vary from patient to patient, varicose veins are a sign that your circulatory system is in distress. Step #1 is drink more water. You are chronically dehydrated. Step # 2 is to seek professional help from a Vein Specialist. Catching them as soon as they begin to appear will save you probable pain later in life as well as help to stop them from spreading and becoming more of an issue.

Signs you are developing varicose veins:

  • You can see veins that were once hidden
  • Veins are dark purplish blue
  • Veins look twisted, swollen, and may bulge
  • Your legs may ache
  • Spider veins (telangiectasia) may also begin to appear
  • Your ankles may become swollen
  • Discoloration may present – skin becomes shiny – brownish or blue in color
  • Your legs may feel heavy, especially at night or right after a workout
  • If you happen to cut the affected area its harder than usual to stop the bleeding
  • You may experience lipodermatosclerosis – The fat under the skin above the ankle becomes hard
  • You may develop eczema on the affected area. It will become red, itchy, and dry
  • Leg cramps upon standing may be experienced
  • Restless Leg Syndrome (twitching of the legs while trying to sleep) may begin
  • Irregular white patches that look like scars may appear near the ankle (Atrophie Blanche)

Complications become a risk with inhibited blood flow. These can include:

  • Blood clots
  • Bleeding
  • Chronic venous insufficiency (it is often mistakenly believed that this is the same as varicose veins. In cases of chronic venous insufficiency, the skin does not exchange nutrients, oxygen, or waste products with blood properly due to weak blood flow. Chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins are two different entities that are closely related.
  • Those who present with chronic insufficiency are likely to develop varicose eczema as well as venous ulcerations.

It is important to get a medical evaluation for signs of chronic venous insufficiency and symptoms of varicose veins.

If you are in the Tampa Bay Florida area and would like to get a professional opinion as well as a proposed treatment plan to get you in the best possible vascular health call Dr. Zuzga of The West Florida Vein Center today at 

(727) 712-3233. www.westfloridaveincenter.com.

12.08.18
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Vein Disease – What Can I Do To Help Prevent It?

varicose veins west florida vein

varicose veins west florida veinThough you can’t fight genetics the way you live has a major impact on your circulatory systems health and the resulting possibility of vein issues.

Keep Your Weight In Check

Obesity can put you at risk for a heart disease, cancer, and vein issues.

Many studies have shown a direct correlation between obesity and the risk for vein disease.

Carrying too much extra fat adds extra unnecessary pressure on your entire circulatory system. This is especially problematic in the pelvic region, where the veins from our legs re-enter the main body cavity. When inner hip veins are compressed it increases pressure on the valves within the upper veins of the leg, leading to the failure of those valves which results in circulatory issues in our legs aka varicose and spider veins.

Elevation is Key

Putting your legs up allows gravity to assist blood flow back to your heart. Directions: 15 minutes two to three times a day. Making sure your legs are above your heart.

Clothing

Avoid constrictive clothing, especially shoes with high heels as these could lead to vein disorders.  Do not wear spanks, girdles, garters or socks that have tight elastic bands. Now, this does not mean compression hosiery. Compression socks are specifically designed to help the veins rather than hinder. Modern compression hosiery is now made out of materials and in styles that makes it fashionable and attractive for anyone to wear. Quality compression hosiery provides pressure to protect the veins in our legs and help feel better and less tired at the end of a day.

Exercise

Staying active is the best thing you can do to prevent or minimize vein problems. Muscle builds and supports the circulatory system. The act of walking naturally expands and contracts the leg muscles pumping the blood throughout our bodies. Walk more, sit less.

Smoking

Simply said? Don’t smoke.  Smoking narrows the blood vessels. It is detrimental to your health and can spur on the onset of vein issues.

Hydration
Stay hydrated. Drink 1 gallon of water daily to keep your blood clean and flowing as it should. 

If you start to see any hint of spider or varicose veins you will want to pay attention to the advice above. If you see it start to advance come into West Florida Vein Center in Safety Harbor, Florida serving the Tampa Bay region and have Dr. Mark Zuzga evaluate your condition so that you get the best possible results. www.westfloridaveincenter.com or call (727) 712-3233.

10.15.18
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Could Athletes Benefit from Wearing Compression Stockings?

compression-stockings

compression-stockingsMost of us would never have thought to group the words “Athlete” and “Compression stockings” into one sentence let alone suggest that they might be a good idea to wear during athletic activities. After all, aren’t compression stockings just for little old ladies?

As it turns out, not even close. Over the course of the last few years, top medical investigators have joined with world class athletes in the distance biking, triathlon, and marathon fields.

One of the toughest problems they all has to overcome was cramping. It is sometimes referred to as “hitting the wall” which is caused by lactic acid build up. This build-up takes place when the aerobic threshold reached and pushed past.

The findings prove that wearing graduated compression stockings can help. These graduated stockings have the highest compression starting at the ankles and get less tightly compressed as you move up past the knee.

How They Help

Wearing these stockings helps to prevent the pooling of blood in the muscles and affects the arterial flow to the muscles. The muscle in the arterial wall relaxes and this increases in the dimeter of the veins help with performance via higher cellular oxygen as well as faster recovery times.

Marathon Runners – A Study

A conjoined study including 19 marathon runners used running socks for three months during training as well as competition came to the following conclusions:

  1. Sixty percent of runners who suffered from muscle and tendon aches in the lower leg or experience pain in the ankle joint reported feeling relief from these aches as a result of wearing compression sport socks.

2. Forty seven percent of the group experienced an easier run over all and fifty three percent said the calf muscles were more relaxed.

The Real Question: Are They Comfortable?

The group report no significant issues as far as comfortability of stockings even out in the heat. Especially as they can be sprayed down with water during a run on a particularly hot day.

Are you an athlete? If so we are glad you stumbled on to this article. Help protect the health of your veins and circulatory system by considering proactively wearing compression stockings during workouts and competitions.

If you are in the Tampa Bay Florida area and need a Vein Specialist look no further. West Florida Vein Center has you covered. Give us a call to schedule today. 727-712-3233 or visit us online at www.westfloridaveincenter.com.

07.01.18
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Orthotics Maybe an Answer To Tired Achy Varicose Vein Prone Legs

orthotics

orthoticsIf you live in pain with venous insufficiency issues such as varicose veins you are likely willing to try just about anything to get relief.

While you primarily hear tips about elevating the legs, using ice compresses and wearing daily compression stockings, one of the most overlooked treatments that are noninvasive for the relief of pain from varicose veins is the creation and use of customized orthotics.

While there is no guarantee that having these inserts made and wearing them will clear up your vein deficiency or even lessen the visibility of varicose veins what they can provide is some relief while standing and walking making daily life far less painful and more comfortable.

What Do Orthotics Do?

Orthotics give the arches in your feet support. Your foot actually has three separate arches, not just one. These arches are how your body balances itself by keeping your weight evenly distributed. Orthotics can even help to straighten the way you walk. Proper body mechanics in movement can help to keep you in alignment preventing excess wear and the body.

Bad body mechanics start from the base. Being flat footed or off balance can put pressure on the legs. If these veins are already diseased being off balance can make the discomfort experienced worse.

Ok, I Am Convinced, Where Do I Have Them Made?

Professional-quality orthotics are not bought in Walgreens or CVS. Those machines give you a slightly customized choice between two or three different supports. That is not what is meant by custom in this sense.

Proper orthotics can be fitted and ordered by your podiatrist, family doctor, or chiropractor. Depending on the company from which they are ordered, the orthotics can be formed by using step in boxes that cast your feet in a sand-like substance that holds form or by use of foot scanner which will measure the pressure points and arches in your feet.

They can be specially made for specific use in running and walking shoes, dress shoes and even sandals and can be easily moved from one pair to the next. They simply slide in and out of each shoe.

It is recommended when you get your first pair to wear them for 1 hour at first to allow your feet and legs to get used to them. From there try 2-3 hours, and then you can move on to a full day. If you go to fast you may end up feeling like you did a massive leg day work out at the gym as it uses muscles you may not have activated in a while.

In order to correct the damage done and rid yourself of the damaged veins, a consultation with a Vein Specialist is needed. Orthotics, as well as compression stockings, ice, rest and elevation all, can help with varicose vein issues. They can help to regulate the blood flow and alleviate the pain. 

The West Florida Vein Center can help if you have vein issues and are in the Tampa, Florida area, give us a call at . (727) 712-3233 www.westlforidaveincenter.com.

06.08.17
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Standing ‘vs’ Sitting – Vein Health

vein health

It has been said that too much of anything is bad for you. This goes for extended periods of being on your feet as well as sitting and doing desk-bound work.

Both regular prolonged sitting and standing can cause extra strain on veins and the development of varicose veins. Movement helps pump blood through the veins. So take a break and relax, get up and stretch, just don’t stay stagnant for hours on end.

Those who sit for most of the day are 54% more likely to die of a heart attack. That is according to a study done by the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana. When seated in one position for a long time, calf muscles are not engaged. The calf muscles play a crucial role in pumping the blood back to the heart.

Prolonged sitting can cause the development of varicose veins, as well as blood clots (Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). If you have to travel often or sit in one spot often, it’s best they engage their legs as much as possible throughout the day. Go for short walks, stand in a meeting, or park farther away in the parking lot, or take the stairs to get the benefits of interrupting sitting within the day.

Standing in one stationary position for more than two hours in a day isn’t healthy. When a person stands for a long period of time, stress is placed on the legs, hips, and pelvis. All of this pressure on these body parts weakens the vein walls and begins to damage the veins’ valves. This damage begins the development of varicose veins. To combat prolonged standing from a job or any other activity, it is suggested to add some stretching throughout the day, as well as trying to sit here and there.

The body gets worn down when repetitive motions are done time and time again; the body is built for movement. Whether you’re sitting or standing a lot, it’s best to take routine breaks, so as to not develop venous issues or other health problems.

If you think you may be suffering from varicose veins contact Dr. Zuzga of West Florida Vein Center. Let the experts at West Florida Vein Center diagnose and treat your venous issue. To book an appointment, click here or call 727-712-3233.