Methods of treating varicose veins, possible causes and symptoms of the disease

Varicose veins are a very common pathology that significantly reduces quality of life and causes dangerous complications that require expensive and complex treatment.

What is varicose veins?

Varicose veins or varicose veins are a disease that involves a failure of the valve structure of the veins. As a result of their defeat, the normal outflow of blood from the periphery is interrupted and the blood stagnates in different parts of the vascular bed, causing dilation.

The main contingent of the disease is people over 40 years of age. This is due to the fact that the vessels are already exposed to various negative effects at this time, which causes a decrease in their adaptability.

Most commonly, the varicose veins affect the lower extremities, but the pathological process can also be observed in the groin or internal organs.

Preventive measures should be taken as this pathology progresses and the treatment regimen for varicose veins is quite complicated.

Causes

Excessive and insufficient mobility is the main cause of varicose veins. The mechanism of normal blood flow through the veins is closely related to muscle contractions. During muscle tension, blood is pushed through the veins and valves in the venous cavity prevent it from flowing back.

Lack of physical activity leads to congestion in the periphery, causing the blood to put excessive pressure on the valve equipment.Excessive stress also has a detrimental effect on the vascular system. Frequent muscle contractions can damage the valves in the veins.

In addition, a number of negative factors and diseases increase the risk of developing varicose veins:

• Bad habits. Alcohol and nicotine have vasomotor properties. They can dilate and contract the lumen of the blood vessels, disrupting normal blood flow.
• Abuse of coffee.
• Uncomfortable shoes.
• Genetic predisposition.
• Systemic connective tissue diseases.
• Atherosclerosis.
• Diabetes mellitus.
• Traumatic injuries.
• Overweight.

The presence of such factors significantly increases the risk of disease. Regardless of the etiological factor, the symptoms of varicose veins in the lower extremities do not differ.

Clinical manifestations

Usually, the symptoms of this disease occur when there are already irreversible structural changes in the veins of the lower limb. That is, the patient needs surgical treatment even when he goes to the doctor.

In the early stages, the varicose veins may be asymptomatic. Some patients complain of mild pain that occurs after a long walk or run. There are no specific symptoms that would allow a diagnosis to be made. Initial forms of varicose veins can only be detected by instrumental examinations.

Symptoms of advanced varicose veins include:

1. The appearance of cyanosis that localizes along blood vessels.
2. Pots bulge over the surface of the skin and form lumps. These formations are painful and dense, associated with inflammation and the process of connective tissue proliferation in these areas (sclerosis).
3. Constant pain that does not depend on physical exertion. If the pathology occurs only after an overexertion at the very beginning of its development, it can disturb the patient even in his sleep in later periods. This is due to the fact that one of the signs of inflammation is pain syndrome. The intensity of the pain can be quite pronounced, leading to the appearance of lameness.
4. Local temperature rise in the node area.

The onset of the first symptoms of the disease requires immediate medical attention for diagnosis and treatment.

Why varicose veins are dangerous

Lack of proper treatment leads to a number of dangerous complications that endanger not only health but also life. These are the following:

1. Thrombophlebitis. In inflamed areas of the veins, blood flow slows down significantly. Such conditions are convenient for blood clot formation. These blood clots can block the lumen of a vessel in the lower extremities, causing gangrene, or blood to enter the lungs, heart, brain, and other organs, causing an acute disruption of the blood supply. These conditions are extremely difficult to treat and often lead to disability and death.
2. Trophic ulcers. Violation of venous outflow of blood is always accompanied by microcirculatory disorders in the tissues of the lower extremities. Lack of oxygen and nutrients leads to ulceration. These ulcers are difficult to treat and often recur because therapy is needed to address the cause of their appearance.
3. Bleeding. If varicose veins are associated with high blood pressure, it can lead to rupture of peripheral blood vessels and bleeding. This is due to the fact that dilated blood vessels become thinner and high blood pressure can rupture. In addition, bleeding may occur with minor mechanical damage, which does not lead to the development of a hematoma in a healthy person.

Almost any complication can be exacerbated by the addition of an infectious factor that significantly worsens the condition and complicates treatment.

If complications develop, treatment of the varicose vein should be reconsidered.

Diagnostics

If varicose veins are suspected, the patient should undergo a series of tests to confirm the diagnosis and assess the condition of the tissues surrounding the foci of the pathology.

This requires the following surveys:

1. Complete blood count.
2. Blood biochemistry.
3. Coagulogram. This laboratory test makes it possible to predict the development of thrombosis and thrombophlebitis based on coagulation properties. High blood clotting is a threatening condition.
4. ultrasound. Ultrasound can help you get a detailed picture of the vascular bed and identify foci of inflammation that do not appear externally.
5. Phlebography. Obtaining a graphic image of the venous system of the lower limbs with contrast material allows you to study its structure in detail and reveal even the smallest changes.

In addition to instrumental and laboratory tests, specific tests are performed to assess the condition of soft tissues and the degree of circulatory insufficiency.

An external examination is also important, during which the physician can see external specific manifestations, putative localization, and trophic ulcers.

The phlebologist should be involved in the treatment and supervision of patients with the disease. This doctor specializes in treating varicose veins.

Management

Varicose veins of the lower extremities can be treated with medication or surgery. The choice of treatment method depends on the severe changes observed in the affected area.

Treatment of varicose veins in the lower extremities is carried out according to a special scheme that takes into account the effect on the pathological process and prevents the development of complications.

Surgical treatment of varicose veins is most effective as it allows you to get rid of the pathology forever. However, this is not allowed for all patients and has a number of contraindications.

Conservative therapy

Treatment of varicose veins without surgery is allowed only in the early stages of disease progression.

It is worth noting that conservative treatment only helps to eliminate the manifestations of the disease. It is impossible to achieve a lasting effect with drugs alone. They only work for a certain amount of time and are unable to prevent the disease from progressing.

The following groups of medicines are used in patients with varicose veins:

• NSAIDs. It is advisable to apply non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs topically in the form of ointments. In some cases, it is possible to prescribe these medications in tablet form, but a long course of treatment can lead to gastritis or peptic ulcer disease caused by side effects.
• Antiplatelet agents. The effect of such drugs is to prevent blood clots. The primitive representative is the standard aspirin, which is used in small doses. They dilute the blood, which facilitates the flow of blood through the inflamed veins. The use of such drugs is unacceptable for patients prone to bleeding.
• Hormones of the prednisolone group. In cases where NSAIDs do not show the desired effect, the use of adrenal cortex hormones is necessary. These substances are also used as ointments. They have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect and also improve tissue microcirculation. It is worth remembering that long-term use of hormones also has a detrimental effect on the condition of the body.
• Phlebotonics. This class of drugs is used to treat varicose veins in the lower extremities. They normalize the sound of the vessel wall, which ensures normal blood flow.

Varicose vein management should be systematic. Regular cyclic administration of drugs makes it possible to maintain a constant concentration of active ingredients, which ensures a constant effect on the damaged blood vessels.

These medications should be used strictly as directed by your doctor. Their independent use is strictly prohibited as they can cause side effects and have specific contraindications. Failure to comply with such restrictions will aggravate the general condition.

Conservative therapy is the most appropriate supportive method in preparation for planned surgery.

Surgical treatment

Many people are wondering how to cure varicose veins without surgery? In fact, it is impossible. The main type of surgical treatment is saphenectomy.

Safenectomy is the process of removing damaged large saphenous veins. As a result, the foci of the disease are completely eliminated. But the disadvantage of such treatment is the rather high injury rate. More recently, such operations have been performed with a large number of incisions in the skin that were necessary to provide access to the veins.

Today, modern methods of treating varicose veins allow safenectomy with minimal incisions because there are special probes to extract the veins. A vein of up to half a meter can be removed with a single incision.

This action has several contraindications that make it impossible to perform. These are:

1. Diabetes mellitus. This pathology is accompanied by the fact that wound healing is significantly reduced. In such a situation, surgery may trigger purulent-septic processes that may require amputation of the limbs.
2. Intolerance to antibacterial agents. In the postoperative period, antibiotics are prescribed that kill the pathogenic flora that got into the wound during surgery. Some patients show intolerance to these drugs. Surgical treatment without antibiotic therapy is strictly prohibited.
3. Severe diseases of the cardiovascular system. Pathologies associated with heart failure may become contraindicated as the use of certain anesthetics is prohibited.

Narrowing is performed on uncomplicated forms of the varicose vein. In cases where trophic ulcers or necrotic changes are detected caused by an acute disruption of the blood supply, the scope of the operation should be expanded.

Possible removal of ulcers during surgery. Thus, tissue death is prevented. In cases where venous thrombosis has led to gangrene, amputation is required. Such an operation is performed only in extreme cases.

There are also modern, minimally invasive treatments, including:

• Sclerotherapy.
• Radio frequency ablation.
• Laser ablation.

These treatments are based on clogging and further destruction of the lumen of the blood vessels using chemicals or physical agents.

These should be used in the early stages of the disease. In such a situation, the risk of relapse is minimized. With advanced varicose veins, it is not advisable to use such a treatment as it may require a fairly large number of sessions.

Folk remedies

Some sources suggest using a variety of traditional remedies to treat varicose veins of the legs. It is strongly not recommended to do this as the effect of plants in this pathology has not been scientifically proven.

Treatment of varicose veins in the lower extremities should only be planned by a licensed specialist. Methods of treating varicose vein without surgery only delay its implementation. You should not consult a different folk healer because the time lost before starting proper treatment can lead to amputation.

Combination therapy

Additional measures should be taken in combination with medications to achieve the maximum effect of treatment. These are:

• Dieting. Varicose veins should avoid fatty foods. It helps increase cholesterol levels and blood viscosity. Such processes lead to an increase in the slowing of peripheral blood circulation in the area of ​​varicose veins and provoke the formation of a thrombus. You also need to drink plenty of fluids to thin your blood. It is recommended to drink plain water, not carbonated drinks or tea.
• Keep your legs high regularly. Such procedures stimulate blood outflow under their own weight, which prevents congestion.
• She is wearing tight stockings. In the vertical position of the body, such stockings prevent blood from accumulating in the dilated veins. But you need to use such stockings correctly, as prolonged wear can negatively affect the condition of the foot as well as the skin of the lower leg.
• Walk. Patients should maintain an active lifestyle. In later stages of varicose veins, walks should be short-lived and should not cause fatigue or pain in the legs.

In addition, co-morbid conditions such as atherosclerosis, diabetes or obesity should be treated. The presence of such therapy is in some cases limited to medication, which ensures a favorable outcome of the disease.

Prevention

To prevent varicose veins, you need to follow a number of simple rules that reduce the risk of them occurring. Each is aimed at maintaining the properties of normal blood as well as developing a normal lifestyle. These include:

1. Fluid consumption of at least one and a half liters per day.
2. Proper nutrition. This term means not only providing all the substances needed in the diet and excluding harmful foods, but also regular meals. A simultaneous meal allows you to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from the food as a reflex develops and an adequate amount of gastric juice is released.
3. Bad habits are giving up.
4. Limit the amount of coffee and other energy drinks.
5. Maintains mobility while sitting. For this, there are special exercises designed to contract the leg muscles.
6. Timely treatment of diseases. Any pathology of the human body can have long-term consequences. To avoid this, you should always see a doctor if you experience symptoms and undergo preventive tests.

There are many ways to treat varicose veins today. With timely diagnosis, they allow you to get rid of the problem once and for all. Non-surgical treatment of varicose veins is recommended only at the very beginning of the disease.