Varicose veins on the legs-causes, symptoms and treatment

Leg varicose veins or varicose veins (from the Latin varicis-"swelling") is a disease of the blood vessels of the lower extremities, in which blood flow is disturbed due to the dysfunction of the venous valves: the veins dilate, become longer, and begin to bulge under the skin, nodulesform. Varicose veins can cause great discomfort due to edema, pain, and the risk of thrombosis and trophic ulcers. In severe cases, this disease, alas, can cause disability.

This disease is extremely common-more than 60% of the world's population suffers from it). Obviously it has been plagued mankind since its appearance: Varicose veins are mentioned in the Old Testament. Archaeologists discovered a mummy with trophic ulcer on the leg during excavation in Egypt. There are signs of treatment, which can be seen. Signs of varicose veins on the legs of the ancient statue. According to written evidence, the ancient doctors Avicenna and Hippocrates were looking for a cure for varicose veins. Scientists believe that this is the price for humans to walk upright, because this disease is not common in other species.

Although women are more likely to develop varicose veins than men—due to hormonal problems during childbirth and menopause—the men’s leg varicose veins usually progress faster and have more serious consequences. This is because so-called "male" jobs are usually associated with regular weightlifting, and traditional stereotypes urge men to ignore minor pains.

Weightlifting is the cause of varicose veins

Cause

Because leg varicose veins are caused by high blood pressure in the blood vessels, the following factors and congenital weakness of connective tissue may cause it:

  • Standing for a long time, standing work. Varicose veins in the legs are considered to be an occupational disease of waiters, because they have to walk with heavy trays, hairdressers and surgeons have to stand for several hours to do their work;
  • Sitting on a chair for a long time, with legs curled up for a long time, blood vessels are squeezed, blood circulation is impaired;
  • overweight,
  • Pregnancy-women’s weight gains quickly, and pressure on their legs increases. Hormonal changes during pregnancy will also affect the vein walls;
  • Wear tight pants, socks with elastic bands and similar factors;
  • Decreased physical strength;
  • During exercise, overload the body during work related to frequent weightlifting;
  • Dysfunction of the endocrine system and various hormonal imbalances are common causes of varicose veins in women's legs;
  • Leg injury, foot deformity.

Varicose veins on the legs

Varicose veins occur:

  • Congenital.The probability of inheriting this disease from parents is more than 70%. Congenital varicose veins can show up at any age, but they usually show up at a young age, and in rare cases even occur in babies. There are other unpleasant symptoms of this disease: a significant increase in one leg, and sometimes systemic hemangioma (vascular tumor) appears. There may also be hereditary varicose veins in visceral veins;
  • Primary varicose veins. This type of disease is caused by the above-mentioned reasons;
  • Secondary varicose veinsIt usually starts as a complication of venous thrombosis or as a result of trauma.

The disease is usually divided into the following stages:

  • 0-Asymptomatic, when the disease begins to occur at the cellular level, but has not yet manifested itself in the form of symptoms;
  • 1-Appears with obvious symptoms, but has little effect on work ability;
  • 2-At this stage, severe edema becomes permanent, and lymph nodes and trophic ulcers appear. Patients cannot do without special support equipment during the day;
  • 3-Serious complications, disability.
Vein tumor

As you can see, varicose veins in the legs are a very serious disease, and treatment should be started at the first signs to prevent dire consequences.

symptom

Although the symptoms are different in each case, it is not difficult to identify varicose veins in the legs. Its main manifestation is dilated veins in the legs, which is why the disease gets its name. The blood vessels under the skin may have "spider webs" or "asterisks"-by the way, they will be more visible on women's legs. This is because men have more "plants" on their legs, so thin blood vessels may be overlooked.

This disease progresses slowly for many years or even decades. In the first stage of the disease, symptoms are few and usually non-specific: feeling heavy, bloating, leg pain, sometimes burning and night cramps. Swelling of feet and ankles and sore veins are particularly common symptoms of varicose veins in the legs. At first, the edema does not appear often and is mild, and will disappear after resting in the supine position, but if treatment and preventive measures are not taken, the venous insufficiency will become chronic, and the edema will often appear for no reason. These manifestations are usually exacerbated at night, after workdays, and in hot weather.

What are the hazards of varicose veins?

Often, the first signs of varicose veins in the legs are ignored, the disease is spreading, and an irreversible process begins, which can lead to extremely unpleasant consequences: trophic ulcers and thrombophlebitis.

Nutritional ulcers are painful and unhealable wounds on the feet or calves caused by insufficient blood supply to the tissues. This rather painful disease is more common in old age, and its treatment may be delayed for the rest of your life.

Thrombophlebitis is an inflammation of the vein wall, in which a blood clot forms a blood clot that blocks the venous cavity.

The signs of thrombophlebitis that develop against the background of varicose veins are as follows:

  • Fever, chills;
  • Lumps along the veins, quite painful
  • Swollen limbs

Thrombophlebitis may develop for a long time with periodic deterioration. It may be a so-called purulent fusion of thrombosis (septic thrombophlebitis)-then the infection will quickly spread throughout the body with the blood.

important!The torn blood clot or part of it can enter the pulmonary artery and cause a pulmonary embolism, usually leading to death. Don't let the disease go on its own, and don't ignore the supervision of experts!

Diagnosis and treatment

Diagnosis and treatment of varicose veins are performed by a phlebologist. If symptoms of this disease appear, you should consult a phlebologist. Modern diagnostic methods (ultrasound vascular scan, Doppler ultrasound, etc. ) will determine the extent of the affected vein and prescribe the correct treatment plan.

Doctor examines varicose veins in the legs

In the treatment of varicose veins, a combination of drug therapy and compression therapy, as well as the most effective surgical method.

There are many drugs that can increase the tension of the vein wall, reduce its permeability, and improve microcirculation and lymphatic drainage. It can be ointments, gels, tablets with various active ingredients-natural or synthetic sources.

Gels, ointments and creams are used in home remedies and applied to the affected area of the vascular network. These drugs are divided into several groups:

  1. Heparin ointment. Heparin has an absorption effect and prevents blood stagnation.
  2. Ointments and gels based on natural ingredients can relieve fatigue, pain, and strengthen blood vessels. It is recommended to use them during pregnancy.
  3. In the treatment of thrombophlebitis, drugs based on anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs are used.
  4. Ointments and gels based on hormone drugs also have anti-inflammatory effects.

Together with topical medications, to achieve the best results, prescribe intravenous injections, intravenous injections, blood thinners, and when necessary, prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of oral or injections.

Compression therapy has been used for varicose veins in the legs since ancient times: during the long military transition, Roman legionnaires tightened their calves with leather straps to prevent swelling and pain, 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 causes an increase in blood flow and a decrease in the amount of blood "ballast" in the legs.

Nowadays, they not only use elastic bandages, but also more comfortable compression socks. The bandage goes from the toe to the middle of the thigh. Bandages and elastic stockings are worn in a horizontal position in the morning, worn all day, and taken off at night.

Folk remedies can be used in combination with these drugs. Popular and to some extent effective remedies are horse chestnut infusion, garlic and lemon infusion, and green tomato dressing.

Green tomatoes for varicose veins

Green tomato dressing is good for treating varicose veins on the legs.

However, when treating with folk remedies, you should be careful and approach the process with healthy criticism. If you go to any forum dedicated to this topic, then in addition to very good and time-tested recipes, you can also find many amazing ideas-from the compression of horse dung to the ingestion of decoctions of poisonous plants, This can be equally useless and harmless, and can cause serious harm to the body, because not only an expert, but also an ordinary "Internet troll" or just a mentally unhealthy person can write on the forum.

important!After discovering a new prescription on the Internet, be sure to consult your doctor before using the recommended medicine.

It should be noted that conservative treatment, like folk remedies, cannot cure varicose veins, but can only slow down its development and relieve symptoms.

Surgery

As a minimally invasive and very effective surgical method, laser therapy or intravascular laser coagulation is used-this method does not require incisions and hospitalization. Under the influence of the laser beam, the diseased blood vessels are "sticked together" and the load is transferred to the healthy blood vessels. Laser coagulation can be performed at the initial stage of the disease. Produced under local anesthesia.

In addition to laser treatment, radiofrequency waves (radio frequency coagulation) and injection of special substances (sclerotherapy) are used to coagulate (adhere) the diseased blood vessels.

Phlebectomy is usually a simple operation that removes dilated veins.

People with varicose veins should prescribe a salt-free diet. If the cause of varicose veins is overweight or endocrine system disease, a proper diet is also required.

Exercise for varicose veins is not advisable. It is recommended to treat and prevent sports, cycling, and swimming. There are special exercises for varicose veins.

Varicose Vein Surgery

It is forbidden to take baths, saunas, and long-term hot baths.

Do not use varicose vein massage.

prevention

Preventing varicose veins in the legs is extremely important for everyone, because it is extremely difficult to completely cure varicose veins, it takes a lot of time and energy to fight against it, and the treatment cost is also quite high.

First, 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-warm up your legs as much as possible;
  • Refuse to wear tight clothes, tights or pants;
  • Choose shoes carefully;
  • Overweight is not allowed;
  • For pregnant women, it is important not to overwork their legs and rest in a horizontal position during the day;

Respected:

  • Active lifestyle, moderate physical exercise, aerobic exercise, "handstand" exercise (for example, "birch tree" is a simple but very effective way to prevent varicose veins);
  • Hardening, contrast shower;
  • Good nutrition;
  • Rest in a horizontal position during the day.
Exercise to prevent varicose veins

Suggest!A good prevention method is to raise your legs to slightly higher than the level of the head, while maintaining a horizontal position, put a pillow or roller under the legs, and maintain this position for 3-5 minutes, but not longer.