Varicose veins of the lower extremities are a chronic disease that violates the mechanism of venous blood outflow. Therefore, the vein wall bears constant pressure, gradually becomes thinner, and nodular enlargement is formed on the vein.
Varicose veins develop due to stagnation of blood in the veins of the lower extremities. It is manifested by swelling of peripheral veins and subcutaneous protrusion of the legs. The veins appear tortuous and blue. There is severe pain in the leg.
Varicose vein disease progresses without treatment, complicated by thrombophlebitis and trophic ulcer. Treatment of varicose veins should be started when symptoms first appear to prevent the development of the disease.
First of all, for the treatment of varicose veins in the legs, doctors adopt a conservative approach. If those do not bring results, then they resort to surgery.
Physiotherapy treatment
In terms of how to treat varicose veins on the legs, physical therapy occupies an important position. There are mainly the following:
- Electrophoresis
- Lymphatic drainage;
- hyperbaric;
- Galvanized;
- Magnetic therapy;
- Darsonvalization;
- Exposure to ultraviolet light;
- UHF etc.
The most popular program is darsonvalization. It is carried out with special equipment that produces a weak discharge. Move each leg from bottom to top for 15 minutes. The course of treatment for varicose veins is about 20 courses (depending on the degree of disease development). As a result, blood vessel tension returned to normal, lymphatic outflow and leg microcirculation improved.
Pulse magnetic therapy is performed using a magnetic field generator, which generates eddy currents in the tissues of the lower limbs, thereby producing a therapeutic effect. Due to this effect, the muscle fibers of the blood vessel walls of the legs are stimulated and regulated. This can improve blood circulation in the limbs, reduce swelling, and relieve pain. Depending on the degree of varicose vein development, the course of treatment lasts 10 to 20 minutes.
Pneumatic compression also helps restore the tension of veins and blood vessels through a massage. A device similar to a boot is placed on the patient's leg. It is pressurized by a gas supply. However, this method should be abandoned for patients with varicose veins who are prone to thrombosis.
Balneotherapy is an effective way to treat varicose veins in the legs, including bathing with mineral water. The baths themselves are appointed as local or general. The spa is a contrasting local bath. These methods are particularly effective in the early stages of the disease. These methods of showing varicose veins are quite effective at this stage.
Oxygenate
In addition to local physiotherapy procedures, other physiotherapy procedures that affect the entire body are also performed. For example, bubble bath oxygen can improve blood circulation and relieve the symptoms of varicose veins in the legs. Hyperbaric oxygen is helpful. During treatment, the patient inhales pure oxygen at more than one and a half atmospheres.
Ozone therapy is related to this method. Inhalation of ozone activates many processes in the patient's body: microcirculation is improved, metabolism returns to normal, and regeneration is accelerated. At therapeutic doses, ozone can also prevent thrombosis and slightly thin the blood. The course of ozone therapy for varicose veins is 5-10 times, with an interval of 2 days.
Physical therapy is especially effective in the early and middle stages of the disease. Physical therapy procedures should be prescribed by a phlebologist.
medical treatement
Medications to treat varicose veins in the legs are secondary. They are the key to successful treatment and the main method of high efficiency. Medications are prescribed during physical therapy and other conservative treatments and after surgery.
There are many drugs to treat varicose veins. They can be used in combination or alone. The phlebologist should appoint a suitable person. All drugs can be divided into several groups:
- Intravenous injection
- Anticoagulant
- Decongestant
- Decomposer
- Antioxidants
- Fibrinolytic agent.
Phlebotonics allows you to increase the tension of blood vessels and vein walls, so it can effectively treat varicose veins in the legs. The walls became stronger and denser. The effect of other methods of treatment is fixed. Improved blood circulation in the legs and improved lymphatic outflow. They are used to prepare for surgery and post-surgery rehabilitation, to relieve inflammation of varicose veins.
Anticoagulants are drugs used to reduce the ability of blood to clot. This prevents the formation of blood clots, which is very important for varicose veins in the legs. They can be taken as pills or injections. It is dangerous to take them without consulting a doctor because they have side effects-bleeding, which is difficult to stop.
Decongestants can be taken orally as pills or as gels and ointments for external use. In the form of tablets, diuretics are mainly used. Such drugs can significantly reduce the soreness of varicose veins in the legs and the extra pressure on the vein walls. Their use can improve blood circulation.
Depolymerization agent-a drug that also affects blood clotting, but is not an anticoagulant. They only stop the clotting process at the earliest stage, so they are not anticoagulants. They have no significant effect on general coagulation indicators. When used as an add-on therapy for varicose veins, they have the same effect as anticoagulants.
Antioxidants work by detoxification. Due to the restoration of chemical bonds in the cells, the tones of the walls of blood vessels and veins are strengthened. Therefore, the healing rate of varicose veins in the legs is much faster.
Fibrinolytic agents can prevent blood clots. This is due to the destruction of fibrin, which is part of the blood clot. Using this group of drugs can make plasminogen (an inactive protein) appear in the form of plasmin, thereby destroying blood clots. However, taking this medication does not prevent the varicose veins from forming further blood clots.
This pharmaceutical company has developed a series of drugs that combine the properties of several of the groups. Such drugs should be prescribed by a doctor and taken under his strict supervision. This is because they have quite a few side effects.
Using medication to treat varicose veins in the legs cannot be the only measure. They are used in combination with other treatments.
Laser Treatment
This is an effective way to treat varicose veins in the legs. The principle of the action of laser in this disease lies in its effect on hemoglobin. Hemoglobin absorbs laser light and generates heat in the blood. As a result, the damaged container is "sealed". Laser also indirectly affects the color tone of blood vessel and vein walls, because it causes spasm of these walls. The advantage of this impact is its accuracy. It only affects certain organizations and does not affect surrounding organizations in any way.
After exposure to the laser, the movement of blood through the treatment area will stop. The blood supply to this part of the limb will be produced by deeper veins. In the "non-working" part of the blood vessel, connective tissue forms and dissolves over time.
The advantage of this method of getting rid of varicose veins is minimal trauma. Patients will not feel discomfort or soreness after the intervention. In addition, there are other advantages:
- Unlike surgery, this method does not require skin incisions. Therefore, no scars will be left after it. No bruises after the operation;
- The procedure is very short and is carried out under local anesthesia. In view of this, compared with surgical interventions under general anesthesia, it is as safe as possible for health;
- From a financial point of view, laser treatment of varicose veins is similar to surgery. Although it looks more expensive, it must be remembered that patients do not need to recover after a period of time, take long-term sick leave, and do not need to spend money to recover.
Many diseases can be cured with laser. It has become a good substitute for many types of procedures. Minimal trauma, painlessness and effectiveness-all these make laser treatment more desirable in many situations.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is a common method of treating varicose veins in the legs and is sometimes called physical therapy. Essentially, special drugs are injected into a vein. This method is non-invasive and effective, so it is very popular. The effectiveness of this method is sometimes comparable to laser or even surgery. After such a procedure, the blood vessel walls are glued and strengthened, so it is possible to defeat varicose veins in the legs. And the drug is absorbed in the body.
The main advantage of the method of getting rid of the disease is that there are no scars and bruises after the operation. It is also important that it is not too painful and can be performed under local anesthesia. After the operation, the integrity of the circulatory system will not be compromised because the veins are not removed. This intervention is ideal when the surgical method is dangerous (thrombophlebitis, periphlebitis), when the disease recurs, and when the veins are fragile and twisted.
This method has many contraindications. First of all, this is pregnancy and lactation. Severe diseases of the cardiovascular system, diabetes, chronic liver and kidney diseases, allergies-all these will also become contraindications to the use of sclerosing agents. It is best to consider how to treat varicose veins in different ways.
If the doctor prescribes sclerotherapy, then he should be informed of possible contraindications. When patients suffer from chronic diseases of any nature, the possibility of using sclerotherapy is still questionable.
Surgery
Surgery is an effective treatment for the traumatic and painful treatment of severe varicose veins in the legs. However, only its efficiency reaches 100%. In addition, it sometimes takes much less time than any other time. Among the shortcomings, large scars and scars can be mentioned, and the recovery period is long. There are several types of surgical interventions:
- Peeling involves removing part of the vein with a thin probe. It is injected at the beginning of the vein and withdrawn at the end. In this case, the area fixed on the probe is like turning over and it is easy to remove it;
- Phlebectomy is a traditional surgical method to treat varicose veins, which involves cutting tissue with a scalpel. It can be done when minimally invasive intervention is not possible (for example, when a significant area is affected or there is severe inflammation) and other indications;
- Microphlebectomy is considered a minimally invasive surgery. Helps to effectively treat varicose veins. From the perspective of the type of execution, it is similar to the previous method, except that the incision on the skin is very small. Therefore, it is less traumatic. It can be done when the disease is not so severe and it is not necessary to remove most of the veins.
This method has many indications and contraindications. Therefore, pregnant women and those who have just given birth cannot be disturbed. After giving birth, you have to wait at least one and a half months. In the early stages of varicose veins, you should not use this method either.
Surgical intervention does not guarantee that varicose veins in the legs will not recur. You should pay attention to your health.
Many treatments for varicose veins in the legs allow doctors to choose the best method for each specific case. However, the more the disease starts, the more radical approach must be chosen. Therefore, if you notice the first symptoms of varicose veins in your legs, you should not delay contacting your doctor.