Macon Doctor is Pioneer for a Procedure to Remove Varicose Veins

Northside Offensive Coordinator Chad Alligood spends a lot of time on his feet. He’s been coaching high school football and teaching physical education for 16 years.

“I just started noticing the veins you could see them and the leg aching and throbbing some,” said Chad Alligood.

The most common ways to develop varicose veins are genetics, pregnancy or hormone related issues, and occupational, which is the case for Coach Alligood.

“I think a lot because teaching P.E. and on the playing field were standing up most of the time all day long.”

Coach went to Vein Specialists of the South to meet with Dr. Ken Harper to see if anything could be done to alleviate his pain without having a major procedure and recovery time.

“We can actually treat the veins in place without having to remove kind of the underlying cause of the problem,” explained Dr. Harper.

Around 25 million Americans suffer from severe varicose veins. It’s usually painful and affects their day to day lives, but with today’s technology Dr. Harper says it doesn’t take much to ease that pain.

“The vein treatment today is not your grandmothers, it’s a lot more patient friendly,” said Dr. Harper.

Dr. Harper heats and seals the vein in about two minutes with a radiofrequency microwave on a stick catheter procedure.

“I think it’s important for the patient to understand that they can have a procedure for their varicose veins, it can be done as an outpatient in an office setting under a gentle local anesthesia, without having to undergo general anesthesia or spinal or some other type of more invasive process,” explained Dr. Harper.

Coach Alligood hopes the procedure will help him enjoy life to its fullest.

“Just the sight, the way the veins were really looking bad on my leg and the aching will go away,” said Alligood.

We talked to Coach Alligood after his surgery and he tells us he was amazed at how easy the recovery was. He’s feeling great and the aches and pains are gone.

For more information about the “lunch break” surgery contact Vein Specialists of the South at (478) 743-2472 or visit www.VeinSpecialists.com ?