Varicose veins on the legs or varicose veins (from Latin varicis - "swelling") is a disease of the blood vessels of the lower extremities, in which the blood flow is disturbed by a malfunction of the venous valves: the veins expand, lengthen, and begin to bulge under the skin, Nodules form. Varicose veins cause great discomfort due to edema, pain, and dangerous formation of blood clots and trophic ulcers. Unfortunately, this disease can lead to disability in severe cases.
This disease is extremely common - it affects more than 60% of the world's population). It has apparently haunted mankind since its appearance: varicose veins are mentioned in the Old Testament, archaeologists during excavations in Egypt found a mummy with a trophic ulcer on the leg with traces of treatment, signs of varicose veins are on the legs of ancient statues, and the ancient ones looked for written evidenceDoctors Avicenna and Hippocrates on methods of treating varicose veins. Scientists suspect that this is mankind's price to walk upright, as this disease is much less common in other species.
Although women are more likely to have varicose veins than men - due to child births and hormonal problems during menopause - varicose veins in the legs in men often progress faster and have far more serious consequences. This is because so-called "male" jobs often involve regular lifting of heavy labor, and traditional stereotypes urge men to ignore mild pain.
Causes of the disease
Since varicose veins in the legs are caused by high blood pressure in the vessels, the following factors can lead to congenital connective tissue weakness:
- being on your feet for a long time, standing work. Varicose veins on the legs are considered an occupational disease of waiters because they have to walk with heavy trays, hairdressers and surgeons who have to do their work standing for many hours in a row;
- Long periods of sitting in a chair and long stays with the legs drawn up, during which the vessels are pinched and blood flow is impaired;
- Obesity,
- pregnancy - a woman's weight grows fairly quickly, and at the same time the pressure on the legs increases, hormonal changes during pregnancy also affect the walls of the veins;
- wearing tight tights, elastic socks and similar factors;
- Hypodynamia;
- overload of the body in sports, at work, which is associated with frequent weight lifting;
- malfunctions of the endocrine system, as well as various hormonal disorders, which are a common cause of varicose veins on the legs in women;
- Leg injuries, foot deformities.
Varicose veins of the legs
Varicose veins happen:
- Innate.The chance of inheriting this disease from parents is over 70%. Congenital varicose veins can manifest at any age, but usually at a young age and, in rare cases, even in infants. This form of the disease has additional unpleasant symptoms: a noticeable increase in one leg, sometimes hemangiomas (vascular tumors) appear throughout the body. Hereditary varicose veins can also appear in the veins of internal organs;
- Primary varicose veins.This type of disease develops for the reasons listed above;
- Secondary varicose veinsusually begins as a complication of a venous thrombosis or as a result of trauma.
The disease is usually divided into the following stages:
- 0- asymptomatic, when disorders appear at the cellular level, but have not yet manifested themselves in the form of formed symptoms;
- 1- the occurrence of noticeable symptoms, which, however, still have little influence on the ability to work;
- 2- At this stage, severe edema becomes permanent, lumps and trophic ulcers appear. A sick person cannot do without special aids during the day;
- 3- severe complications, disability.
As you can see, varicose veins in the legs is a fairly serious disease, treatment of which should be started at the first signs in order to avoid dire consequences.
Symptoms
Despite the variability in symptoms, it will not be difficult to identify varicose veins of the legs. Its main manifestation, because of which the disease got its name, is the expansion of the leg veins. It can be "cobwebs" or "asterisks" from the subcutaneous vessels - by the way, they are more noticeable on the legs of women. This is because men have more "vegetation" on their legs so thin threads of blood vessels can go unnoticed.
The disease progresses slowly over many years or even decades. In the early stages of the disease, symptoms are minor and usually non-specific: heaviness, gas, pain in the legs, sometimes burning and night cramps. Swelling of the feet and ankles, venous pain are particularly common symptoms with varicose veins in the legs. Edema is rare at first, mild and disappears after resting in a horizontal position, but if you do not take therapeutic and prophylactic measures, venous insufficiency becomes chronic and edema occurs regularly for no particular reason. These manifestations usually intensify in the evening, after a day of work, and also in hot weather.
What is the danger of varicose veins?
Often the first signs of varicose veins of the legs are ignored, the disease picks up speed and irreversible processes begin, leading to extremely unpleasant consequences: trophic ulcers and thrombophlebitis.
Trophic ulcers are painful, non-healing sores on the foot or lower leg that are the result of poor blood flow to tissues. This rather painful disease manifests itself more often in old age, and its treatment can take a lifetime.
Thrombophlebitis is inflammation of the vein wall in which blood clots form a blood clot that blocks the lumen of the vein.
Signs of thrombophlebitis that developed against the background of varicose veins are as follows:
- Fever, chills;
- Lumps along the veins, quite painful
- Swelling of the limbs
Thrombophlebitis can be chronic with periodic exacerbations, possibly the so-called purulent fusion of the formed thrombus (septic thrombophlebitis) - then the infection with the blood quickly spreads throughout the body.
Important!A torn off blood clot, or part of it, can enter the pulmonary artery, causing pulmonary embolism and often death. Do not let the disease take its course and do not neglect the supervision of a specialist!
Diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis and treatment of varicose veins is carried out by a phlebologist, who should be seen if there are symptoms of this disease. Modern diagnostic methods (ultrasound angioscanning, Doppler ultrasound, etc. ) determine how badly the veins are affected and prescribe the correct treatment.
In the treatment of varicose veins, drug treatment and compression therapy are combined, as well as using surgical methods, which are considered to be the most effective.
There are many drugs that increase the tone of the vein walls, decrease their permeability, improve microcirculation and lymphatic drainage. It can be ointments, gels, tablets with various active ingredients - natural or synthetic origin.
Gels, ointments and creams are applied to the affected areas of the vascular network in home therapy. These drugs are divided into groups:
- Heparin ointments. Heparin has an absorbent effect and prevents blood congestion.
- Ointments and gels based on natural ingredients relieve tiredness and pain, strengthen blood vessels and are recommended during pregnancy.
- In the treatment of thrombophlebitis, drugs based on anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs are used.
- Ointments and gels based on hormonal preparations also have anti-inflammatory effects.
To get the best effect, along with local drugs, venotonics, phlebotonics, blood thinners and, if necessary, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed orally or in the form of injections.
Compression therapy has been used for varicose veins on the legs since ancient times: Roman legionaries tightened their calves with strips of skin to prevent swelling and pain during long military missions, and Egyptian pharaohs were sometimes depicted with elastic bandages on their hands. This simple method works by reducing the diameter of the superficial veins, which speeds up blood flow and decreases the amount of "ballast" blood in the legs.
Nowadays they use not only an elastic bandage, but also a more comfortable compression stocking. The bandage is applied from the toes to the middle of the thigh. Both the bandage and the compression stockings are worn in a horizontal position in the morning and throughout the day and are removed at night.
Treatment with folk remedies can be used in combination with these drugs. Popular and partially effective remedies are horse chestnut infusion, garlic and lemon infusion, and green tomato compresses.
Green tomato compresses are good for treating varicose veins on the legs.
However, when dealing with folk remedies, you should be careful and approach this process with healthy criticism. If you visit a forum devoted to this topic, you'll find really good, tried and tested recipes and lots of amazing ideas - from compresses made from horse manure to ingesting a decoction of poisonous plants, which can be just as useless and harmless and can cause serious harmon the body, because not only a specialist, but also an ordinary "Internet troll" or just a person with an unhealthy psyche can write in the forum.
Important!After discovering a new prescription on the Internet, be sure to consult your doctor before using the suggested remedy.
It should be noted that conservative treatment, such as treatment with folk remedies, can not cure varicose veins, but only slow their development and relieve symptoms.
surgery
Laser treatment or endovascular laser coagulation are used as minimally invasive and very effective surgical procedures - with this method, no incisions are required and there is no need for hospitalization for inpatient treatment. Under the influence of a laser beam, a diseased vessel is "glued" together and the load is transferred to healthy vessels. Laser coagulation can be carried out in the early stages of the disease. Manufactured under local anesthesia.
In addition to laser therapy, diseased vessels are also coagulated (glued) using radio frequency waves (radio frequency coagulation) and by injecting a special substance (sclerotherapy).
Phlebectomy is usually a simple operation that involves removing the dilated veins.
A salt-free diet is prescribed for varicose veins, even if the cause of varicose veins is obesity or diseases of the endocrine system, an appropriate diet is necessary.
Sports with varicose veins is undesirable, therapeutic and prophylactic physical education, cycling, swimming are recommended. There are special exercises for varicose veins.
It is contraindicated to take a bath, sauna, or prolonged sojourn in hot water.
Massage for varicose veins is not used.
prophylaxis
Prevention of varicose veins in the legs is extremely important for everyone, because it is extremely difficult to completely cure varicose veins, but the fight against it takes a lot of time and effort, and the cost of treatment is quite high.
First of all, if possible, you need to try to prevent or eliminate the reasons that affect its development:
- avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time if this is not possible - do leg warm up exercises as often as possible;
- refuse to wear tight-fitting clothing, tight-fitting tights or pants;
- choose shoes carefully;
- do not allow obesity;
- it is important for pregnant women not to overexert their legs and to rest in a horizontal position during the day.
Recommended:
- an active lifestyle, moderate physical activity, cardio exercise, "reverse" exercises (e. g. "birch" is a simple but very effective means of preventing varicose veins);
- Hardening, contrast shower;
- Good nutrition;
- rest in a horizontal position during the day.
Advice!Good prevention is to lift your legs slightly above head level while resting horizontally, place a pillow or roll underneath, and stay in this position for 3-5 minutes, but no longer.