Prevention of varicose veins in the legs

It is necessary to start preventing varicose veins in the legs when the first signs of stretching of the walls of the vessels are noted. If therapy is neglected, the disease will develop and lead to serious complications. Lifestyle changes are of the utmost importance to prevent varicose veins from developing. The patient needs to rebalance the daily routine, revise their wardrobe and nutritional system. We will keep you informed about all methods of preventing varicose veins.

The causes of varicose veins

Prevention of varicose veins affects everyone, because every person is exposed to negative factors that provoke the development of the disease. First and foremost among them is physical inactivity. Most modern people spend 80% of their time in the office. A sitting position impairs the work of the muscular system. Therefore, people who are thinking about how to protect their legs from varicose veins are obliged to include daily gymnastics in their schedule. The reasons for the development of the disease are:

  • Abuse of fatty and sweet foods;
  • significant overweight;
  • severe leg injuries;
  • Bad habits;
  • Taking hormonal drugs;
  • excessive load on the legs.

Before you prevent varicose veins in your legs, you should determine the degree of your risk of disease. There are certain groups of people who are most likely to have this disease. You need to see a phlebologist 1-2 times a year to prevent varicose veins from occurring.

bad habits as the reason for the development of varicose veins

Most vulnerable groups of people

Prevention of varicose veins begins with determining whether or not you are a person who is prone to developing this pathology. Only a phlebologist can accurately answer this question after assessing the condition of the veins, but you can try to classify yourself. The following people are at high risk of developing varicose veins:

  • with a hereditary predisposition to vascular diseases;
  • Women who have given birth and are pregnant;
  • People who do heavy physical labor and stay on their feet most of the day;
  • Women who constantly walk in high heels;
  • Lovers of spicy and excessively salty foods;
  • Alcohol abusers;
  • People who like to take very hot baths go to the sauna;
  • Women with dyshormonal disorders;
  • People with increased leg swelling.

How to prevent varicose veins

How to avoid varicose veins 100%, doctors can not tell, tk. there is no such way. You can follow all the recommendations of doctors, but still face this disease. On the other hand, the implementation of preventive measures contributes to the normalization of body functions and blood flow, which significantly slows the development of the disease. The most effective means to prevent varicose veins from progressing are:

  • Physical education;
  • wear comfortable shoes;
  • balanced nutrition;
  • Normalization of body weight;
  • Gymnastics;
  • Wearing compression stockings;
  • Performing a foot massage;
  • Career choice with more normal working conditions.

Of course, not all recommendations can be immediately put into practice, but everyone can eat less fatty and exercise for 20 minutes a day. Do not be too fanatical about the prevention of the disease, because to improve the condition of blood vessels, you can seriously harm yourself.

Gymnastics for the prevention of varicose veins

Moderate activity

Working with free weights and very intense physical activity cannot help in the fight against varicose veins. On the contrary, they provoke the destruction of the valves and the expansion of the walls of the vessels. To prevent varicose veins, special exercises are performed that normalize blood flow. Classes should be held at a fast pace and not make you painful. Sports methods of preventing varicose veins include:

  • Aqua aerobics and swimming;
  • Race on foot;
  • easy walking;
  • stretch.

Quality shoes

To prevent varicose veins, many doctors recommend wearing orthopedic insoles. They help to distribute the load evenly when walking. The shoes themselves are an important aspect. To prevent varicose veins on your legs at home, you can wear sneakers with instep supports. The type of insole and the height of the rise must be selected by the doctor. The shoes purchased must meet the following characteristics:

  1. Do not have a flat sole or heel higher than 6 cm.
  2. Sit well on your leg. Loose shoes on your feet increase the chance of injuring your ankle, and pushing them down leads to poor blood circulation.
  3. The sole / heel must be stable. Summer shoes must also have an anti-slip coating.
comfortable and uncomfortable shoes for the prevention of varicose veins

Suitable job

When it comes to preventing varicose veins in the legs, doctors recommend normalizing work and rest. For many patients, this is due to a change of job or specialization. Not everyone agrees to such a radical step, but if you are in employment now, try to keep the following recommendations in mind when choosing a new job:

  1. Work should not be combined with heavy physical labor.
  2. You cannot stay in one position for 7-8 hours. Look for companies that allow employees to get up and do light warm-ups every 2-3 hours.
Warming up at work to prevent varicose veins

In general, any work can be made suitable by warming up every hour. If you don't want to change your job or specialty, you can just do sports at work. The main thing is that the flow of blood in the lower leg does not increase, which is caused by the immobility of the lower leg.

Right nutrition

If you are worrying about how to avoid varicose veins on your legs, then watch your diet. People who abuse fatty, salty and very sweet foods are more likely to suffer from this disease because they are more likely to be affected by high cholesterol and obesity. To normalize bowel function, you need to eat plenty of vegetables with fiber. If by this point you have practically not eaten raw carrots or cabbage, then you should not immediately eat them in kilograms. It is enough to eat 300 grams of such vegetables per day.

People with a tendency to develop varicose veins need to watch out for their water balance. At least 1. 5 liters of clean water should be drunk per day. Juices, soups, teas do not fall under this standard. They are perceived by the body as food and are therefore quickly excreted through the kidneys and intestines. It is undesirable to use non-carbonated water. If you are prone to varicose veins, it is necessary to exclude carbonated and sugary drinks. A similar rule applies to drinks that are high in caffeine.

Weight normalization

Maintaining a normal body mass index is important in preventing varicose veins. Simple physics works here. The more weight a person has, the stronger the pressure on the vessels. Of course, it is necessary to compare body weight with muscle volume, height and your own physique. With the same height, the difference in weight between mesomorph and ectomorph can reach 15 kg.

Weight control to prevent varicose veins

If you decide that the amount of fat in your body outweighs muscle mass then you are reducing the calories in your daily diet. This approach allows you to lose weight without feeling cravings for food. If you change your diet drastically, it will lead to breakdowns and mass build-up again. To reduce the calories in your daily diet, consider introducing more fiber-rich vegetables. Not only do they help you lose weight, but they also help normalize digestion.

Rejection of bad habits

The prevention of varicose veins on the legs affects all areas of human life. Bad habits are also on this list. Smoking, alcohol, and a tendency to overeat can damage blood vessels. This also includes a state of constant stress. While overeating is relatively easy to cope with, heavy addiction to alcohol and smoking requires medical attention. A hobby or group therapy session can help reduce stress.

Unloading gymnastics

In the prevention of varicose veins of the legs, it is imperative to perform exercises that will help relieve excessive tension in the muscles of the lower extremities. The maximum duration of such training is 5-10 minutes. Doctors recommend doing them at least once a day, but preferably twice a day. The following physical activities are considered useful:

  • Exercise bike. Lie on a firm surface, lift your legs, and then begin to perform movements similar to riding a bicycle. If you can't interact with your legs one at a time, just take turns pulling them toward your body.
  • Exercise bike for the prevention of varicose veins
  • Flexion / extension of the foot. The exercise is performed while sitting. It is necessary to make 20 movements with each foot.
  • Bending and straightening the legs to prevent varicose veins
  • Rolls from heel to toe. They contribute well to blood distribution when a person has been in a sitting position for a long time.
  • Rolling exercise to prevent varicose veins
  • Step up to your toes. First, the actions are performed with two legs at the same time, and then alternately. At the highest point you should stay for 10-15 seconds and then lower to the starting position.
  • Toe exercises to prevent varicose veins

Foot massage

If you're not sure how to prevent varicose veins in your legs, try a gentle massage. The reflex effect on the skin and blood vessels alone has a toning effect on the entire body. Brief manipulations increase blood and lymph flow, the nutrition of the epithelium is normalized. The foot massage can be performed independently or entrusted to a specialist. If you are predisposed to varicose veins, pressure and pinching movements should be avoided during the procedure. The self-massage is carried out as follows:

  1. The patient should sit on the floor or on a bed / sofa with the knee slightly bent.
  2. Rubbing movements should be done from toes to lower legs.
  3. The foot should be wrapped around the toes so that the thumb is on the back of the foot and the rest is on the inside.
  4. The segment that is wrapped around your hands should be squeezed slightly and slowly move towards the top of the leg.
  5. The lateral surface of the heel must be wrapped with your fingers on both sides and then squeezed for a few seconds. Next, you need to move from the achilles tendon to the knee.
  6. The procedure ends with stroking the feet.
Self-massage of the legs to prevent varicose veins

Compression clothing

Means for preventing varicose veins are different. Compression therapy is also one of them. If you want, you can take part in special physiotherapy procedures, in which the pressure load is carried out using special equipment, but it is easier to buy medical stockings and tights.

Compression stockings should be selected individually. If there is no predisposition, it is sufficient to wear underwear with an initial degree of compression. If you have symptoms of varicose veins then the doctor needs to be concerned with the selection of the jersey. Recommendations for choosing medical linen are as follows:

  1. It should be comfortable. If you feel uncomfortable the first time you try them on, then this underwear is not for you.
  2. The compression class should be based on the doctor's recommendations. If you've been told to wear top quality compression stockings, you can't buy zero grade knee socks.
  3. Products must be of high quality. It is better to buy compression stockings in specialty stores, and not in the market or on sale, because there is a high probability of coming across a fake that will stretch over time and will not have any therapeutic effect on the legs.

Additional recommendations

The measures to prevent varicose veins include the use of special external cosmetic products (gels, creams, etc. ). They cool the surface of the legs, which contributes to the natural contraction of blood vessels. People with a tendency to have varicose veins in the legs should avoid overloading the muscles of the lower extremities. Hygiene is important to prevent disease outbreaks. It is recommended not only to clean the skin of the legs well, but also to take a contrast shower. It also has a local irritant effect on blood vessels, which improves skin tone.

How to stop varicose veins

The prevention and treatment of varicose veins are closely related. The spread of the disease can be stopped at an early stage with the help of drugs and alternative therapies, but if the disease progresses rapidly, only surgery will help. A phlebologist should develop a treatment plan for a patient with varicose veins. It is impossible to independently choose drugs and practice oriental practices. Any rash on the skin can worsen the condition of the blood vessels.

Drug therapy

Medicines are able to stop the development of varicose veins in the early stages. As a rule, the disease begins to form because the vessels do not have enough nutrients to keep the walls elastic. An increased accumulation of blood in the extremities is often observed. Venotonics / Phlebotonics - drugs that improve the flow of fluids from the legs. They also help restore the vessel walls. They are:

  • Naturally;
  • combined;
  • Synthetic;
  • based on rutoside.

With high blood viscosity, patients are prescribed drugs with heparin. They help improve blood flow, but are contraindicated in people who are prone to bleeding.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help relieve pain in the second stage of varicose veins. They also help soothe the itching and burning sensations that are often associated with this disease. External remedies promote skin healing. The duration of taking medication should be determined by the doctor, but often the standard treatment is 6-8 months, so you shouldn't expect all symptoms of the disease to go away within 2 weeks of taking the medication.

Traditional therapy

In the early stages, the disease is not considered life-threatening, but it must not drift away either. Sclerotherapy is a traditional minimally invasive method used to prevent varicose veins from developing further. It can be used to remove stars and small vessels. Traditional therapy includes:

  • Echo sclerotherapy;
  • Microsclerotherapy;
  • Thermocoagulation;
  • electromagnetic therapy;
  • Darsonvalization;
  • electrical stimulation;
  • manual lymph drainage;
  • the use of elastic compression of the legs;
  • Hydrotherapy;
  • Balneotherapy;
  • Pressotherapy.

All of these techniques help prevent the disease from further developing. They activate the natural process of vascular regeneration.

Unconventional methods

With the help of mud therapy, you can improve the condition of the legs. The patient must remember that compresses should only be cold. Warming up the veins in varicose veins is very harmful to the body. Ayurveda helps get rid of chronic stress that causes blood vessels to stretch. This is one of the variants of alternative medicine based on the Hindu philosophical system. There various plants are used as medicinal products. Non-traditional methods of treating varicose veins include:

  • Yoga;
  • Homeopathy;
  • Naturopathy;
  • Tibetan gymnastics.

surgery

For varicose veins of the lower extremities, the most effective way to normalize blood flow is through specialized surgery. Perfect methods of surgical treatment of the disease are characterized by minimal invasiveness and a quick return of the patient to normal life activity. They allow you to completely get rid of the affected veins, which slows down the development of the disease. Modern methods of surgical treatment of varicose veins include:

  • short stripping;
  • videoendoscopic surgery;
  • Microflebectomy;
  • Laser coagulation;
  • Venectomy;
  • Safenectomy.

These methods are most commonly used to treat varicose veins. The surgical method for removing the vessel is selected by the doctor based on the size of the vein and its general condition. Sometimes it is necessary to cut off only part of the vessel, and sometimes it is necessary to completely eliminate it and create an alternative channel for blood flow.

Folk method

Folk remedies that improve the condition of the veins are divided into external and internal. If you are unsure whether the cause of the development of varicose veins was the high number of platelets, the use of various tinctures should be postponed, because they contain decoctions of plants that thin the blood. Effective external remedies for varicose veins:

  • Needle salt baths. 300 grams of dry matter are placed in hot water and then immersed there. If pine salt isn't sold in your area, you can replace it with baking soda. It is recommended to take such baths 2-3 times a week.
  • Apple cider vinegar compresses. The product is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 1 and then applied to the skin. From above the leg is wrapped with bandages and then everything is fixed with plastic wrap. You can just apply apple cider vinegar 2-3 times a day. It irritates the veins.
  • Article for a compress to prevent varicose veins
  • Rub with horse chestnut. A ready-made tincture based on this plant can be bought in a pharmacy or cooked yourself. In the latter case, you need seeds with the skin of the plant. 400 grams of dry product is poured with 1. 5 liters of vodka, and then infused in a dark place for a week. After the tincture is ready, they begin to wipe the parts of the legs damaged by varicose veins.
  • Horse chestnut for the prevention of varicose veins

Prevention prognosis

In women with a low predisposition to the development of the disease, with the prevention of varicose veins on the legs, it develops only in 5% of cases. The disease is mild so it can be treated quickly. With a moderate predisposition to the disease, the disease occurs in 30% of patients. More often, it is a mild to moderate form of the disease. With a pronounced tendency to varicose veins, the disease quickly progresses to an average form. Without prevention, the disease quickly becomes severe, which makes further treatment very difficult.

Clinical examination of the population

All citizens can undergo a medical examination free of charge. In general, not every medical exam is important, just a visit to the surgeon and the results of a general blood test. The surgeon may notice the first changes in the vessels and then refer you to a phlebologist. You should also be careful, if platelets predominate in a general blood test printout, you need to see a phlebologist. This can indicate a vascular thrombosis.

How to avoid varicose veins during pregnancy

While carrying a baby, the load on a woman's internal organs increases sharply. During pregnancy, the risk of developing varicose veins of the legs, pelvis, and external genital organs increases. The danger especially increases in the II. And III. Trimester, when the fetus begins to actively grow. A phlebologist can tell you exactly how to prevent varicose veins on the legs in pregnant women. All preventive measures should be started with a consultation with him. Doctors recommend a woman in a position:

  • wear comfortable shoes with low heels (even completely flat soles are harmful);
  • try not to drink too much fluids;
  • Go to aqua aerobics for pregnant women;
  • more often I put my legs up during the day;
  • Wear compression and support leotard.

Why disease prevention is important

It is much easier to think about how to prevent varicose veins on your legs than to deal with treating a condition that has already formed. Many people with this disease have a genetic make-up for developing it. The main goal of preventive measures is to maintain the normal condition of the ship. This can be done in different ways. All preventive measures can be divided into 2 types:

  • is aimed at people with a hereditary predisposition to the disease or with unfavorable working conditions;
  • is aimed at patients with varicose veins at any stage.

About 80% of phlebologists believe that preventing a disease is much easier than treating it, so all conscientious citizens should spend at least 10-20 minutes a day looking after their feet.