Article: These elastic stockings put therapeutic pressure on the veins of your legs, easing any leg pain and temporarily keeping your varicose veins in check. They are often tightest at the ankle and get gradually looser as they go further up your leg. This encourages blood to flow upwards towards your heart. However, compression socks are not guaranteed to prevent varicose veins from getting worse or prevent new varicose veins from appearing.  Compression stockings come in a variety of different sizes and pressures. Most people with varicose veins will be prescribed a class one (light compression) or class two (medium compression) stocking. They’re also available in different colors, lengths (to the knee or to the thigh), and different foot styles (covering your whole foot or stopping just before your toes). You can purchase compression tights from your local pharmacy or directly from a manufacturer online. Your doctor can also prescribe compression socks for you, based on the severity of your varicose veins. While compression socks can improve circulation in your legs, you will likely need to wear them all day to see any noticeable results, they can make your legs hot and sweaty, and you will need to replace the socks every three to six months. This is a type of injection that causes the varicose vein to close and fade from sight.  During the procedure, your doctor will use a needle to inject a special chemical into the vein which will cause the vein walls to swell, stick, and ultimately shut. Blood flow stops completely and the vein eventually turns into a scar and fades from sight. No anesthesia is needed, but you may need multiple treatments for the same vein. Treatments are performed every four to six weeks. Another form of this therapy called microsclerotherapy may be used for spider veins or other small varicose veins. Laser therapy is usually used on smaller veins. Strong laser light is directed at the varicose vein in short bursts, eventually causing it to disappear. The treatment is not generally effective for varicose veins larger than 1/10 inch (3 mm).  Laser treatments can last for 15 to 20 minutes, and you may need two to five treatments before you get rid of the varicose veins. No chemicals or incisions are made, but the laser can be painful nonetheless. For this treatment, lasers or radio waves are used to damage the vein with powerful heat. That varicose vein then scars shut and fades from view. Deeper varicose veins called saphenous veins are usually treated with this method.  Your doctor will insert a catheter, or small tube, into the problem vein through which a small probe is inserted. The laser or radio waves are transmitted through the tip of this probe, closing off the vein. Healthy veins around the closed vein take over the flow of blood. Varicose veins on the surface that are connected to the treated vein usually close up shortly after treatment, as well. During this procedure, varicose veins are tied closed and removed from the leg through small incisions in the skin.  This treatment was more common in the past but is generally only used for patients who cannot undergo endovenous thermal ablation. You will receive anesthesia during this treatment, and the treatment will be performed in an operating room. After the veins are removed, deeper veins will usually take over for the veins that are now missing, so blood flow should not be affected. This treatment also entails the removal of problem veins, but in this instance, the veins are removed via an instrument called a PIN stripper.  Your doctor will sew the tip of the PIN stripper to the end of the vein. When he removes the PIN stripper, the vein will be removed, as well. This procedure can be performed with general or local anesthesia, and it will either be done in an operating room or an outpatient center. For this treatment, small incisions are made to remove small problematic veins close to the surface of the skin.  Small hooks are inserted through small incisions in the skin. The vein is pulled out through these incisions. Your leg will be treated with anesthesia, but you will not be put to sleep for the treatment. In this treatment, an endoscope is inserted into the vein and used to close the vein from the inside.  This treatment is generally only used for varicose veins causing skin ulcers. The doctor will make a small cut in the skin near a varicose vein. The endoscope, a tiny camera attached to the end of a thin tube, is inserted into the vein and pushed through. A device on the end of the tube seals the vein shut.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Wear compression stockings. Talk to your doctor about sclerotherapy. Speak to your physician about surface laser treatments. Learn about endovenous thermal ablation. Ask your doctor about vein ligation and stripping. Consider PIN stripping. Try ambulatory phlebectomy. Ask your doctor about endoscopic vein surgery.
Article: When it finally comes time to lay your carpet runner, it's best to start at the very top and work your way down. That way, you'll have gravity on your side, and it'll be much easier to cut any runoff carpet at the end. If you traced the carpet outline at the beginning of the project, it should be an easy matter of getting the carpet situation between the two as close as you can. Take care to press the carpet under the nose and tug the rest out to make sure you're getting just as much carpet as you need. Work down to the last step; when you're done, the carpet should be covering the expected ground, but the outline of the steps may not be fully visible. Make sure each step is as good as it can get before you move down to the next-- any mistake will cause a load of undue strain later on once the project is supposedly complete. A carpet knee-kicker will get the carpet planted firmly in areas that may be otherwise difficult to reach.  Place the front edge of your carpet knee-kicker on center of the runner about two inches from the riser and apply pressure until the carpet is locked in. They can be remarkably satisfying to use, and will give your stairs a much tighter look than if done without.   Lean on the front knob of the kicker with one hand, and use the other hand to keep the kicker's shaft level.  You can also use a carpet chisel. The dull edge helps tighten up corners and is easier to use on stairs or in tight quarters. As with previous steps, the last part of using the knee-kicker should be making sure you got the job done to your satisfaction. Without kicking in properly, you may have too much carpet or too little, and it'll require uprooting or even destroying the progress you've made. Before you move on, you should ensure that the carpet is being snagged by the tackless strip at the far end of the tread. If the tackless strips aren't properly clinging to the carpet, it could result in the carpet getting bumpy a few years down the road. Using a chisel or other thin tool, press the angle between the step's height and tread to make sure it's getting hooked in. At the bottom, there should be a little bit of runoff. From here, it's just a simple matter of cutting the excess carpet away with a carpet knife. Feel free to do what you will with the remainder of the carpet. Some people are quick to throw them out, while others like to find practical uses for them. Having a powerful stapler designed for home improvement is necessary to finish things off and get your carpet snug and perfect. When stapling, push stapler through the carpet pile and against the backing before pulling the trigger.  Staple on the underside of the step noses, and nearest the angle between the tread and height. Staple at three inch intervals for optimal stability. Alternatively, you can use carpet glue instead of staples. Make absolutely certain that the carpet is exactly where you want it to be before you staple. After you staple, it will be next to impossible to correct any mistakes.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Start at the top of the staircase. Place runner between layout pencil marks. Press your carpet into the outline of the steps with a carpet knee-kicker. Verify the kicking is complete once you're done. Verify your work is correct. Carefully cut any excess carpet at the bottom of the steps. Staple each step through to the wood.