Don't suffer with leg pain and get healthy legs at last with Medina Vein & Vascular Center

Medina Vein 10
Contrary to popular belief, painful legs are not a natural part of aging and could be a sign of something more sinister. Find out if there’s more to your painful leg story with help from Dr. Barry Zadeh’s (center) team at Medina Vein & Vascular Center. (Photography: Francis Angelone)

By Laura Briedis

When you take into consideration that we each have a vast system of blood vessels in our body that would stretch an astounding 100,000 miles long if you were to lay them out end to end, you can understand how problems can arise in the blood circulatory system. Though those blood vessels are miniscule capillaries, most of the health issues occur in your arteries and veins.

While coronary arteries are prone to developing blockages, so, too, are arteries in the legs. And veins present their own health issues. One of Ohio’s leading vein and vascular surgeons, Dr. Barry Zadeh, of Medina Vein & Vascular Center, offers many minimally invasive treatment options. He has performed thousands of venous and arterial procedures over the past 30 years—with a focus on all things legs.

Dr. Barry Zadeh (right), of Medina Vein & Vascular Center, treats Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), which results when there is narrowing or blockage caused by the buildup of fatty plaque in the vessels in the legs or lower extremities that carry blood from the heart to the legs.

“If you are suffering from leg pain, swelling or numbness, don’t dismiss it as normal aches and pains that come with aging,” cautions Dr. Zadeh, who has four other offices in Northeast and North Central Ohio, including the newest Avon Vein & Vascular. “Always listen to what your body is trying to tell you, as you usually know when something is not right.”

More Common Than You Think
We can’t fight gravity, and unfortunately, it takes a toll on our veins and their ability to keep pumping blood from our lower extremities back to our heart.

“In the general population, between 40 and 60% of people over 50 years old experience problems with bad valves in their veins in which the flow of blood is impaired,” says Dr. Zadeh. “But it also is not uncommon for young mothers after pregnancies to have problems, as well as people whose jobs require standing, such as teachers, nurses, cashiers, wait staff, and assembly line workers.”

Medina Vein & Vascular Center can bring relief to anyone who suffers from leg pain, swelling or tingling.

As one of the most experienced doctors in the country performing endovascular ablation, mechanical chemical ablation, and ClariVein, Dr. Zadeh explains that these minimally invasive procedures use tiny catheters to close off a damaged vein. Once the vein is closed, blood is re-routed to other healthy veins.

With Medina Vein and Vascular’s in-office cath lab, they can do most procedures in the comfort of the office, making it more convenient for patients.

Pain Free Legs
Dr. Zadeh also treats Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), which results when there is narrowing or blockage caused by the buildup of fatty plaque in the vessels in the legs or lower extremities that carry blood from the heart to the legs.

“If you have pain while walking, specifically in the calf, thigh or buttocks muscles, that is a symptom that you may have blockage in the arteries in your leg,” says Dr. Zadeh. “And if the disease if severe, you may have pain in your legs even when laying down.”

Thresea, a Shelby resident, thought she was too young to have artery problems as she was only in her 40s. “When I complained to my primary care physician about the pain in my legs, he was convinced it was all in my head, but I knew the problem was real, as I used to walk nine miles a day but had to stop due to the pain,” she says.

Dr. Zadeh’s friendly, highly qualified office staff is ready to put you at ease through the whole stress-free process.

That’s when she sought out a specialist and came in for a leg screening with Dr. Zadeh, who diagnosed her with PAD.

“Now after the procedure, I have no more pain and no longer take pain meds,” Thresea says. “I feel like I have my life back.”

Pioneering a novel approach, Dr. Zadeh offers the “pedal” access zero-contrast procedure that can be done in an in-office setting without requiring a trip to the hospital. Working through an artery in the foot, Dr. Zadeh uses balloons, stents or atherectomy devices to open up blockages. In the past, most doctors would access the artery through the groin, but he says accessing the blockage through the foot is much safer.

Dr. Zadeh also specializes in other minimally invasive procedures. For leg and foot ulcers, Medina Vein & Vascular Center’s multidisciplinary treatment may involve wound care and the treatment of the underlying arterial and vein disorders.

“With our in-office cath lab, we can do most procedures in the comfort of our office, making it more convenient for our patients,” says Dr. Zadeh.

Medina Vein & Vascular Center can bring relief to anyone who suffers from leg pain, swelling or tingling.

Free Leg Screening
If you have any of the symptoms listed below, it could be an indication that you have a vein or artery blockage, which can lead to more serious health issues:

• Pain in the muscles of the leg, buttocks, thigh or calf while walking.
• Aching pain in your feet at night.
• Tingling, heaviness, numbness or swelling of your lower extremities.
• Restless legs at night when trying to sleep.
• Varicose veins or leg ulcers.
• Leg wounds that don’t heal.

Find out if you’re at risk by scheduling a free leg screening and consultation with Dr. Barry Zadeh, of Medina Vein & Vascular Center. For an appointment, call 330-723-VEIN (8346).

Medina Vein & Vascular Center is located at 3591 Reserve Commons Drive, Suite 201, in Medina. Call 330-723-VEIN (8346) for an appointment. For more information, visit LoveYourVeins.com.