Varicose veins treatment

Varicose veins in the legs are not only a cosmetic problem that worries people about their attractiveness, but also a dangerous disease that requires proper treatment and prevention.

The causes of varicose veins are many: from a sedentary lifestyle, physical overload and ending with hormonal disorders, congenital weakness of the blood vessel wall, pregnancy. What happens during varicose veins? With varicose veins in the lower extremities, they lose their normal elasticity and prolong under blood pressure.

The valves in the veins are usually closed, and when blood flows through them, they close and allow the blood to return. If the valves malfunction, the blood can be transported down freely, leading to blood stagnation.

Causes

Why does varicose veins occur and what is it? The main risk factors for developing the disease are considered to be genetic predisposition and gender. Because of the love for high-heeled shoes, hormonal changes during pregnancy, and taking birth control pills, women become twice as likely to experience varicose veins as men.

Promotes the development of the disease:

1. Inheritance. It is not the disease itself that is inherited, but the genetically determined structure of the veins: the weak connective tissues of the venous walls, congenital defective venous valves. Therefore, varicose veins can be observed in young, healthy, and active (regardless of gender) people, and even children. Scientists say genetic predisposition is the main factor that leads to varicose veins in the legs.
2. Hormonal changes. Due to the characteristics of women’s bodies, periods of hormonal abnormalities become the cause of blood stagnation. The most dangerous period for them is puberty, pregnancy, the time after childbirth. The timing of menopause is also dangerous. This gender category of patients visits doctors 2-3 times more often. There are not enough hormones in female organs called estrogens. Instead, so-called corpus luteum hormones prevail. He is thought to be the one who has a relaxing effect on the muscles. This promotes varicose veins.
3. A sedentary, sedentary lifestyle, or work that requires prolonged work contributes to the development of varicose veins.
4. Cor. Over time, the walls of the valves and vessels become thinner, leading to disruption of their work.
5. Obesity. Being overweight leads to increased stress in the veins of the legs.

sections

There are 3 stages of progression of varicose veins.

1. Compensation phase. No complaints. During the examination, varicose veins were observed on one or two legs.
2. Subcompensation phase. On examination, a marked varicose vein is seen on the legs. Patients complain of fullness, paraesthesia ("chills") in the tibia, and nocturnal cramps. In the evening, there is a slight swelling of the feet, ankles and lower legs. The swelling disappears in the morning.
3. Decompensation phase. Dermatitis, eczema associated with the listed signs. Patients are worried about itching. The skin will be dry, shiny, adhering tightly to the tissue under the skin. Minor bleeding and subsequent hemosiderin deposits cause hyperpigmentation.

Varicose veins alone are not considered a very serious disease, but once they have developed, they never go away on their own and, in fact, will continue to develop and lead to all sorts of complications that pose the greatest danger.

Signs

First signs of onset of varicose veins:

• rapid leg fatigue;
• swelling of the lower extremities;
• feeling of heaviness in the legs.

In later stages, spider veins appear on the skin, protruding veins and various seals indicate vascular congestion.

Symptoms of varicose veins in the legs

Symptoms can vary at different stages of the varicose veins - from almost asymptomatic small spider veins to severe and painful manifestations.

You may suspect the development of the initial phase with the following symptoms:

• appearance of pain in the legs, feeling of warmth and sometimes burning in the veins of the legs;
• difficulty in the legs;
Swelling of the legs
• appears in the evening;
• leg cramps begin at night;
• dilated veins;
• the skin of the lower leg gets a dark color, seals appear, trophic ulcers are possible.

As soon as you discover the primary signs, you should start treating the varicose vein - the symptoms will not go away on their own.

Diagnostics

In order to diagnose varicose veins in the lower extremities and prescribe appropriate treatment, the practitioner will offer the patient a comprehensive examination involving a variety of methods.

1. Duplex scanning (ultrasound of the veins) is the most informative method of diagnosing varicose veins in the legs, allowing us to get an idea of ​​the extent of the varicose veins, the direction of blood flow through the veins and their permeability, and the presence of blood clots. .
2. Contrast venography, a test method that allows the detection of dilated veins and the understanding of blood permeability.

Only a highly trained phlebologist can diagnose deep vein varicose veins.

Varicose veins in women

Varicose veins occur in many women. This is due to the fact that women are prone to the disease due to the peculiarities of the female hormonal system. In addition, pregnancy and childbirth become causes of varicose veins in most cases due to increased stress and increased blood flow to the pelvic organs.

In addition to varicose veins in the lower extremities, women often develop varicose veins in the perineal region, which affect the external genitalia as a result of congenital or acquired weakness of the vessel wall and valve insufficiency. The effect of external (prolonged static stress, significant physical activity) or internal factors (obesity, diseases of the pelvic organs in chronic form) leads to the development of varicose veins.

Important! The question of the effects of oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy remains open.

Varicose veins during pregnancy

Carrying each subsequent pregnancy dramatically increases the chances of developing venous insufficiency in women and the development of varicose veins. This is due to hormonal changes in the woman’s body and a significant increase in the load on the veins.

Pregnancy significantly increases the risk of lower limb varicose veins for the following reasons:

1. Hormones circulating in the blood during pregnancy increase the elasticity of the venous wall and contribute to congestion of the venous blood in the legs.
2. At the end of pregnancy, increased intra-abdominal pressure makes it difficult for blood to flow through the veins in the legs.
3. Varicose veins during pregnancy may disappear completely after childbirth or develop further depending on individual factors (heredity, presence of other additional factors).

Varicose veins in men

Varicose veins often occur in men in the form of varicocele - the spermatic zero varicose vein. Symptoms of the disease:

• pain in the testicle and difficulty along the spermatic cord, a feeling of scrotum that is exacerbated by physical exertion and prolonged standing;
• The tortuous veins of the spermatic cord are determined by palpation of the scrotum.

Varicocele formation is the cause of male infertility due to harmful blood circulation and abnormal changes in the normal functioning of the testes:

• increases the temperature of the testicles to body temperature. High temperature affects the course of spermatogenesis;
• testicular hypoxia (oxygen starvation, ischemia);
• Accumulation of free radicals in testicular tissues, interfering with their activity.

Treatment of varicose veins in men consists of surgery if there are indications: testicular pain, infertility, aesthetic defect in the scrotum, lack of growth of the affected testis at puberty. However, the disease can be asymptomatic and does not cause significant discomfort to the man.

When diagnosing varicocele in adolescents and children, surgery is required at any stage of the disease to avoid further development of infertility.

Operations are performed in the usual open and endoscopic manner. Surgery can be performed with mini access and microsurgical surgical testicular vascularization.

Varicose veins in children

Children are also prone to developing varicose veins. For them, this phenomenon is extremely rare, and in most cases it is a consequence of congenital pathology - angiodysplasia, disorders of the peripheral vascular system. The disease mainly affects the lower extremities. As a result, pronounced anatomical functional disorders occur. This leads to irreversible change and early disability.

Important! The effectiveness of the treatment depends on the age of the child. It requires immediate hospitalization at the first signs of varicose veins. In this case, surgery is recommended.

In addition, the development of varicose veins in adolescence has become quite common. This disease affects girls the most. You can provoke:

• hormonal changes in the adolescent body;
• hereditary predisposition.

Among the factors that affect the appearance of varicose veins, children are:

• squint, flat leg, hernia;
• poor posture;
• improperly fitted shoes;
• is ​​overweight.

For preventive purposes, the child's diet should be monitored to avoid varicose veins. The diet should be balanced, preferably with foods rich in routine. It is also found in large quantities in hazelnuts, horse chestnuts and berries - rosehips, sea buckthorn, black currants. Decoctions and juices made from these berries can have a preventive and general strengthening effect on the body.

Pelvic varicose veins

Varicose veins can also occur in the pool area. This form occurs in most cases in women, which is related to the specifics of the blood supply to the female body. Enlarged veins cause pain and difficulty in the pelvic area, which can be caused by venous congestion.

The development of pelvic varicose veins occurs for several reasons:

• pregnancy and childbirth;
• change in uterine shape;
• lifting and carrying weights;
• hereditary predisposition;
• lack of physical activity;
• sedentary work;
• Take oral contraceptives.

If there are risk factors and symptoms of the disease, it should be tested. Varicose veins can be detected by ultrasound diagnosis at an early stage. Pre-diagnosis is also possible with a gynecological examination in a standard procedure.

Treatment of the disease includes taking venotonic medications, wearing special compression underwear, and performing therapeutic and prophylactic gymnastics. It is also necessary to rule out risk factors and check with your gynecologist regularly. If conservative treatment methods are ineffective, surgical intervention is indicated.

Treating varicose veins in the legs

Treatment for leg varicose veins may only be a medical necessity unless symptoms are problematic.

However, there are people who, for cosmetic reasons, want to receive varicose veins because they are not happy with their appearance.

Let's look at the main methods to help get rid of this problem.

1. Sclerotherapy. This method of treatment is used alone and in conjunction with conservative procedures. The point is that a special preparation is injected into a vein with a thin needle or syringe and then the vein disappears completely. Classes are held once a week, 3-6 of which are required. The method avoids scars and scars.
2. Non-surgical treatment. If the varicose veins are in the early stages and not very uncomfortable, elastic compression stockings are recommended. They are worn during daily activities. They help constrict blood vessels, preventing them from stretching, and limiting any discomfort or pain.
3. Medical treatment for varicose veins relieves symptoms, reduces swelling and pain, slows the developmental process, but is unable to completely stop the disease and restore damaged veins.
4. Laser treatment of leg varicose veins can be applied to the surface of the skin. With a small flash of laser light, the process of sclerosis develops in the vein wall and the varicose veins disappear as if they were removed.

Physical activity - fast walking, gymnastics, swimming and water exercises (excluding high-foot sports - tennis, weightlifting, jumping) play an important role in treatment and prevention.

Venotonic drugs

The purpose of these drugs is to increase the tone of the smooth muscles of the vessel walls, allowing them to maintain flexibility and normalize blood circulation in the affected areas.

Many of the venotonic drugs are complex drugs. The effect of their use extends not only to the veins but also to all the vessels in our body.

How to treat varicose veins with folk remedies

There are plenty of methods for treating varicose veins on the legs with folk remedies, both for external and internal use. Here are the most common:

1. Horse chestnut flower (50 grams), 500 g of alcohol should be poured and then left to cook for 14 days, shaking the bottle every day. Transfer the tincture to a net and drink one tablespoon of water three times daily before meals. How to heal for a week - take a break for two weeks. Treatment can then be restarted.
2. Dried nettle infusion is used for varicose veins. The dry, crushed leaves of the plant are poured into a thermos with 1/2 liter of boiling water, infused for 30-40 minutes, filtered and 1/3 cup three times a day, 1 hour after a meal.
3. Tomato compression. Finely chopped tomatoes, lie on a bandage, gauze and place on the sore spot. For convenience, you can tie it with elastic or other binding. Such compression lasts for 2 hours at the vein and then changes again, making a total of three times. The convenience of this compression is that it can be repeated every day.
4. Walnut oil tincture: cut the unripe walnuts, pour into a glass jar, add olive oil and leave in a sunny place for 40 days. Lubricate sore spots with finished tincture. The process of treatment is long, as is the use of Kalanchoe.

In addition to folk remedies, many varicose veins supplement therapy with special exercises - Mikulin’s exercises allow him to feel significant improvement.

Varicose veins are a predominantly feminine disease associated with constant wearing of high heels, pregnancy, childbirth, and many other conditions. But the disease can also affect men, especially if they are doing physical activity that requires more physical effort. Because varicose veins cause severe wear on the veins, which can trigger their atrophy and thrombosis, it is important to diagnose and treat the disease in a timely manner. It can be done in operative and conservative ways. Treatment should only be selected by your doctor.

Traditional methods of treating varicose veins

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar relieves varicose veins

There are two ways to use this home remedy. Rub the small amount of apple cider vinegar 1-2 times a day on the affected areas. The last technique is best done before bed, so you can soothe sore limbs and improve sleep. If the varicose vein is localized, you can soak a clean gauze with vinegar and apply it to the sore spot for 5-10 minutes. Such manipulations are repeated 1-2 times a day. The duration of treatment is 2-3 weeks. A mandatory monthly break is required between courses.

Honey ointment

To make an effective home remedy, you need beeswax, propolis, and olive oil. These ingredients should be taken in a 2: 1: 1 ratio. After thoroughly mixing the parts, store them in the refrigerator. Apply homemade ointment twice a day in the morning and evening, you do not need to rinse the product. Therapy can be performed for 3-4 weeks, after which a break should be taken for the same period.

Horse Chestnuts

Horse chestnut solution is an effective remedy for varicose veins

To prepare the solution, a half-liter glass of chestnuts must be collected and the fruit peeled. The plant should then be poured with 200 ml of alcohol or vodka, the resulting solution is infused only in a dark, cool place for 14 days, using the lower drawer of the refrigerator. After settling, 30 drops of the resulting infusion should be taken three times after the main meals. The duration of such treatment is 20-30 days.

The tincture can also be used as a rub, in which case the product cannot be applied internally. They rub their feet before going to bed, it is recommended to wash them first. As soon as the product is applied, you must go to bed immediately. Use chestnut tincture in this way daily for a month. In both cases, a three-month break is required between treatments.

Potato juice

Varicose potato juice is used as a compress

This treatment can be applied to the initial degree of varicose veins as well as to the ulcers in the affected area. To do this, wipe the raw potatoes and then saturate them with a clean gauze bandage. It is applied to the ulcerative lesion for five hours. After that, the compression must be changed. You can use potato applications 1-2 times a day for two weeks. Breaks between therapy should be at least three to four weeks.

Attention!The true effectiveness of folk remedies for varicose veins remains in doubt. Therefore, it is recommended to use such methods only in combination with a doctor's permission and in combination with traditional medicines.

When should you see a doctor urgently?

In severe cases of worsening of varicose veins, conditions may develop that require immediate medical attention. These cases involve the following processes:

• the pain in the affected area is so severe that it is impossible to move the limb and get out of bed;
• tactile skin is characterized by elevated temperature, the sore spot is swollen and very dense;
The
• skin turned bluish from normal or was close to red and purple;
• sudden shortness of breath, difficult to take even a short breath;
• increased sweating and severe weakness of the whole body;
• Bleed into the affected vein or the entire area.

Attention!Similar conditions can occur not only in women but also in men and children if they have varicose veins. In this case, the delay could endanger the patient’s death if the necessary medical assistance is not provided.

Complications (consequences) of varicose veins

Varicose veins can lead to serious complications. In the last stage of varicose veins, extreme thinning of the vessel wall is observed, in this respect the risk of trophic ulcers increases - open, poorly healing wounds on the vessels, even minor traumas.

Rupture of the varicose vein results in the development of thrombophlebitis. During the onset, thrombosis develops with inflammation of the venous wall and a thrombus is formed, closing its lumen.

With the development of acute thrombophlebitis, severe pain occurs in the area of ​​thrombinated veins, the body temperature rises, accompanied by chills. With superficial-vein thrombophlebitis, painful seals associated with reddening of the skin along the veins are characteristic. Deep vein thrombophlebitis is accompanied by limb edema due to a sharp violation of venous outflow.

Disease Prevention

Preventive measures play an important role in the presence of risk factors for varicose veins. Therefore, adherence to them should not be ignored even for diagnosed varicose veins. This saves you from further development and the need for surgery.

To reduce the risk of varicose veins, you need:

• moderate physical activity, a visit to the pool is especially useful. Swimming has the effect of massage, it has a beneficial effect on the blood vessels without undue stress;
• Reinforcement of vessel walls with contrast shower. Complete hygiene procedures with contrasting foot shower. To do this, pour feet for 10 minutes, alternating cold and warm water;
• dietary change - reducing the consumption of fatty foods, including a diet rich in routine foods;
• wears compression underwear, especially with increased physical activity on the legs;
• Intake of vitamins and mineral complexes that boost immunity, strengthen blood vessel walls and reduce the risk of blood clots.

Exercises

Prevention and treatment of varicose veins also consists of performing therapeutic and preventative gymnastic exercises aimed at improving blood circulation and getting rid of signs of blood stagnation.

Important! It is helpful to do these exercises regularly on a daily basis.

Classes should begin with the legs prepared in advance: to do this, you should lie on your back, with your feet on the cushion or back of the couch. Stay in this position for 10-15 minutes.

Then start the exercises by lying down:

1. bicycle - knee bending to mimic pedaling;
2. bending-extending the legs in the ankle joint - the legs are extended, performing alternately bending and stretching movements;
3. will then process your toes in the same way;
4. raise your foot at an angle and screw your foot in and out;
5. Perform the scissor exercise in a supine position: cross your legs alternately;
6. stand on the spot while holding your socks;
7. Staying in a standing position, we perform lifting on the toes: we go down when we inhale, on top, when we exhale.

Varicose veins develop over a long period of time, so there is a chance that they will stop when the first signs appear. But the only way to get rid of the varicose veins completely is to surgically remove the veins.