Typically, patients are referred to a vascular surgeon by their primary care physician. If you see your regular doctor for pain or swelling in your legs, a vascular surgeon could help. A vascular surgeon would test for peripheral arterial disease or other vascular diseases.
Vascular surgeons treat complications from several conditions. Conditions including diabetes, blockages, blood clots, aneurysms, varicose veins, and uterine fibroids. Many vascular surgeons also offer dialysis access management and interventional oncology.
Vascular surgeons are specialists trained to treat diseases of the vascular system. Your blood vessels and veins carrying blood back to the heart are the roadways of your circulatory system. Without flowing blood, your body cannot function. Conditions such as hardening of the arteries can create blockages in your circulatory system. This obstructs the flow of blood to any part of the body.
If you begin experiencing painful cramping in your hip, thigh or calf muscles, you may need a vascular surgeon. Especially after certain activities, such as walking or climbing stairs, or leg numbness. If you are in a high-risk category, are a smoker, diabetic, and/or have high blood pressure, you may need a vascular surgeon.
Vascular Surgeons
To become a vascular surgeon, a doctor undergoes several years of training. This begins with medical school and a medical residency. Then, these doctors take part in five to seven years of more specialized training in general surgery and vascular surgery. In addition, many vascular surgeons choose to become board-certified. To achieve certification, a surgeon must pass an exam in diagnostics, patient care, and patient education.
However, a vascular surgeon does far more than surgery. A vascular surgeon makes sure patients with vascular health issues know and understand all their options. In short, vascular surgeons can do surgery, but they see and treat many patients who don’t require surgery. Medication or exercise is often used to treat vascular problems.
When it comes to treatments for vascular conditions, there is good news. Many vascular conditions are quite manageable if you see a physician early. Vascular surgery and procedures are improving all the time. Sometimes no surgery is necessary. Often, in the early stages of peripheral arterial disease, the prescription is to take regular walks. Click here for additional information.
A vascular surgeon specializes in the diagnosis of all parts of the vascular system. However, they do not diagnosis conditions in the heart or brain. Vascular surgeons have completed intense training, which allows them to manage these diseases. There are options in the treatment of vascular disease. These options range from medical management to operative intervention.
The team of vascular specialists at Coastal Vascular Clinic are here to provide excellent patient care. Our goal is to maximize results while minimizing the time you spend at our clinic. Call us for additional information.
