YOUR HEALTH
New treatments for old veins
DR. DONOHUE

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I would like your opinion on varicose veins. I have them, and I want to get rid of them but I can't afford to be off work for very long. My doctor says there are new ways of treating them that don't require staying off your feet for an extended time. Furthermore, I love to dance. Did dancing have anything to do with my veins? If not, how did I get them? -- G.M.

ANSWER: Defective vein valves bring about varicose veins. It's a long way to travel from the legs to the heart, and blood has to get back to the heart with gravity pulling it back toward the feet. The only way this engineering feat is accomplished is through vein valves. As blood makes its way up the leg veins, valves close to keep it from trickling back down. If vein valves aren't working, blood pools in the leg veins and stretches them out of shape. The result is gnarly, distended varicose veins. Prolonged standing and sitting are two factors leading to dilated leg veins. Dancing had nothing to do with them. Exercise prevents them. The contracting leg muscles squeeze leg veins, propelling blood upward and back to the heart.

Varicose veins can be more than a cosmetic problem. They can make the legs ache, and they can cause swelling of the legs and ankles.

New techniques for vein removal are plentiful, and they do get people back on their feet in a short time. One brand-new procedure is LASP -- light-assisted stab phlebectomy (flea-BECKtuh me). The doctor introduces a thin light under the skin to illuminate the vein so it can be removed through very tiny incisions. The operation is over in one hour. Veins also can be treated by injecting them with solutions that make them collapse. Lasers and radio waves are two other procedures that get rid of these veins without a great deal of fuss and with a brief recuperation time.

The booklet on varicose veins explains why they happen, what can be done to prevent them and how they are treated. Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue -- No. 108, Box 536475, Orlando, FL32853- 6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient's printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I read that melatonin is good for you. It boosts sleep and acts on the pineal gland. It's supposed to stop aging and rejuvenate you. How true is this? -- G.D.

ANSWER: Melatonin is a hormone made in the pineal gland, which is a tiny gland buried in the brain. The hormone regulates our inner clock so we know when it's time to sleep and when it's time to rise. It might be useful for insomnia. A rejuvenator? I don't think so. Don't your eyebrows rise in disbelief when so many wonderful things are ascribed to one product?

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com. 2006 North America Syndicate Inc. All Rights Reserved