A varicocele is an enlarged network of veins in the scrotum, classically described as feeling like a "bag of worms." Most are painless; signs that matter: a dull ache worsening with standing or by day's end, heaviness, visible or palpable veins (usually left-sided), testicular shrinkage, or reduced fertility. Persistent symptoms deserve a scrotal Doppler ultrasound — treatment today is catheter-based embolization, without surgery.

Varicocele — enlarged veins around the testicle — affects about 15% of men and up to 35% of men evaluated for infertility. Treatment today is a choice between surgery and embolization: a catheter-based, incision-free procedure performed by an endovascular specialist under local anesthesia, with same-day discharge and success rates comparable to surgery. Dr. Aronhime performs varicocele embolization at Shamir Medical Center.

Yes — summer vein treatment is fine. The "wait until winter" rule is a myth: heat does not affect outcomes, and modern procedures need far less compression than patients fear — VenaSeal requires no stockings at all. Waiting months for winter mainly means more months of symptoms. The one real summer consideration is sun protection over treated areas after sclerotherapy.

Israeli insurance covers varicose vein treatment when it is medical, not cosmetic: documented symptoms (pain, heaviness, swelling, skin changes) plus reflux on duplex ultrasound. Pathways: tofes 17 from your kupat holim funds EVLA at a public hospital like Shamir; comprehensive supplemental insurance (shaban) can cover RFA privately. Purely cosmetic spider-vein treatment is not covered. Verify specifics with your insurer.

Pregnancy varicose veins often regress substantially in the months after delivery — so the right time to decide on treatment is after a post-partum venous duplex ultrasound, not before. Veins that persist with symptoms (heaviness, swelling, aching) are unlikely to disappear on their own and can be treated with EVLA, RFA or VenaSeal — all compatible with daily life while caring for a baby.

A venous duplex ultrasound combines anatomical imaging with Doppler flow measurement — the definitive test for diagnosing venous reflux and ruling out clots. It takes 20–30 minutes, involves no radiation, no needles and no pain, and maps exactly which veins leak and where. At Israel Vein Center, Dr. Aronhime performs the duplex himself as part of the first consultation.