ALL patients with symptomatic varicose veins should be referred - new NICE guidelines

Many people with varicose veins tell stories of being refused referral for assessment and treatment by their GP's or Private Medical Insurers - often being told that varicose veins are "only cosmetic" or that they don't have complications.

The new NICE guidelines have now explained that this is wrong.



According to the NICE CG168 - Varicose veins in the legs: The diagnosis and management of varicose veins - ALL of the following patients need to be referred for assessment for treatment:

• Varicose veins, either previously untreated or previously treated and recurrent, who have lower limb symptoms typically pain, aching, discomfort, swelling (of legs), heaviness and itching
• Skin changes around the lower leg - such as read or brown marks or eczema - that might be caused by varicose veins or "hidden varicose veins"
• Clots in the leg veins - called superficial thrombophlebitis or "phlebitis", thought to be caused by varicose veins or "hidden varicose veins"
• A venous leg ulcer
• A healed leg ulcer

The Whiteley Clinic is very supportive of these guidelines and has been pushing for them for a long time - including in the 2011 book "Understanding Venous Reflux - The Cause of Varicose Veins and Venous Leg Ulcers".

Hopefully patients suffering form these conditions will now be able to use the NICE guidelines to get the referral for assessment and treatment that they need, not only to improve their symptoms now but to prevent deterioration in the future.

Read the NICE guidelines at:
http://publications.nice.org.uk/varicose-veins-in-the-legs-cg168/key-priorities-for-implementation

See book:
Understanding Venous Reflux - The Cause of Varicose Veins and Venous Leg Ulcers