Painful Legs and RFA

 

Everyone wants to be happy. Have we seen anyone who desires to be unhappy? The answer is an emphatic NO! To be happy, there are certain conditions or requirements. Being free of worries is one of the foremost requirements for anyone to be happy. Even with every need and luxury provided for, one cannot be happy if there is some disturbance in the corner of the mind. Again, foremost among all the worries is the trouble of one being physically unwell. All other forms of happiness stands on the foundations of a person being hale and hearty. The word "hale" means being "free from disease or infirmity". The word also indicates of having a "sound and uninjured body".

The state of health may be described as in good health, being sick or very sick. When very sick, it results in hospitalisation and rehabilitation. When only sick, there may be treatment at home. It is also possible that one is carrying on his routine activities but still sick. There are certain physical issues where one cannot be said to be sick, but still not healthy. Routine activities are managed but not entirely efficiently. There is a shade of lethargy and pain associated with every activity. Each day is a light and shade product; there are high spots as well as low dips. Some of the causes of such state are always there, but may get aggravated during the day. As the day progresses, pain level may increase. Pain killers may give temporary relief. When painkillers operate, pain is suppressed and not felt but not gone. It may abate with rest but return next day to haunt again. There may not be any enthusiasm to take up new activities. Life goes but because it is an unavoidable cycle.

*****

Swollen legs or painful legs is one such sore issue that makes normal life difficult. In the initial stages one may not worry much about this, but as days pass pain in the legs keeps growing. There are many reasons for pain the legs. Some of them are:

• Pain as a result of arthritis - relating to bones and wear and tear in them. It may be break down of cartilage or affecting the entire system.
• Infection, injury to bones, joints or muscles or nerve problems.
• Pain due to blood flow problems in the veins like narrowing of arteries or veins, Deep Vein Thrombosis, etc.
• Being overweight, aggravated by diabetes.
• Jobs like teachers, conductors, traffic policemen etc. where one is required to stand for long periods of time day after day.
• Jobs requiring sitting for long hours without any activity for the legs. 
• Many other medical issues depending on the patients medical history.

Among the above, leg pains resulting from insufficient blood flow and inefficiency of the valves in the legs to ensure proper blood flow are very common. Swelling in legs increases as the day progresses. There is some relief when there is a good nights sleep, but the problem returns the next day. Keeping the legs elevated during sleep gives some relief, but does not solve the problem. Doctors advice weight reduction, movement of legs periodically by taking short walks and prescribe medicine for better blood circulation. Legs tire quickly due to  insufficient blood flow. At the advanced stage, ulcers may be formed and these wounds take a long time to heal. Diabetes aggravates the delay in healing process. Even after the wounds heal, there is a danger of a repeat wound at the same spot. The plight of patients with such wounds visiting Cardiovascular Surgeons and Wound Centres is to be seen to be believed.

Swelling in legs often result in accumulation of fluids in the legs and sometimes results in what is known as "Weeping Legs". In such cases legs continuously perspire as it happens to us during summer months. Water drops keep coming and it is as if the legs are weeping. Sometimes a small hole may be formed in the leg and water may come out continuously from it. It is a very messy situation and disturbs normal life. 

*****

Doctors decide on the line of treatment for relieving pain depending on the patients medical history and likely chances or effectiveness of the chosen method. Surgery is recommended and performed in some cases. Surgeries require hospitalisation, conducting the procedure and followed by long recovery periods. Working people have to manage leave situations and patients undergoing surgery require some support at home for sometime even after being discharged from the hospital.

Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive technique to relieve pain. It is used for various purposes, one of them being to treat problems associated with the swelling and ulcers of the legs. This is being used more and more nowadays for treatment of swelling in the legs and preventing ulcers due to varicose veins. The advantages of RFA are:

• It is done as a outpatient procedure and does not require hospitalisation.
• As there is no hospitalisation, costs are lower.
• It takes two to three hours and done without general anaesthesia.
• The patient is awake during the whole procedure and can even understand what is being done, to some extent.
• It is a minimally invasive technique and there are no cuts and wounds. 
• Small incisions (usually two) are made and the surgeon inserts a needle like probe through the incisions. 
• Radio Frequency waves are sent through this and by suitably manipulating the probe, identified cells are heated and burnt, The areas shrink and make the affected veins ineffective. Ultrasound and imaging technique is used for this. The other veins in the legs develop efficiency to take the load and issue gets resolved.

*****

The patient undergoing RFA Ablation can return home in a few hours and follow the instructions given for recuperation. Recovery is faster as there are no cuts and wounds and procedure done without general anaesthesia. There is no requirement of daily dressings as well. The patient has to visit the hospital in the next 48 to 72 hours, as advised by the surgeon for a follow up imaging exercise to check and confirm that there are no blood clots and bleeding, and that the procedure has gone on the desired lines. 

There may be shooting pain or burning sensation sometimes for some patients, after the procedure. Doctors advise the likely reactions and the required precautions to deal with them and when to contact them if required. 

Working people can get back to work within two or three days. Long travel is advised to be avoided for a few days. Doctors give detailed instructions sheet for the recovery process. They are simple and easy to follow. 

*****

As mentioned earlier, RFA treatment is used for many purposes. It is becoming more and more popular for treatment of swelling and pain in the legs. Anyone suffering from these symptoms would do well to discuss possibility of RFA treatment with their surgeons.