Varicose veins of the lower limbs - the appearance of varicose veins (networks) and dilated saphenous veins on the legs. The disease, widespread in the adult population, is more common in women than in men.
The disease received this name when translated from Latin, it literally means: swelling, expansion.
The first sensations with this disease are very different for each patient, but the feeling of heaviness in the legs, fast fatigue, aching pains along the length of the vein unites them all.
Treatment should be selected by an experienced physician who can objectively assess the stage and development of the disease.
The pathology, which is often just a cosmetic defect, however, in some cases, can lead to serious complications and persistent disability.
What are varicose veins, the mechanisms of development of pathology
Some people after 40 years of age can face a rather unpleasant situation - the appearance of varicose veins on the legs. Small purple vessels that penetrate the skin, woven into cobwebs or resemble a densely branched tree, are a serious cosmetic problem for many, especially women. Vascular networks "out of thin air" (in medicine, the term telangiectasia is used) are the expansion of tiny veins less than 1 millimeter in diameter located in the thickness of the skin. This is one of the signs that a person has varicose veins in the legs.
If the nodes begin to protrude above the surface of the skin, soft to the touch, which become more noticeable when a person is standing, then we can talk about another manifestation. This is already a more serious pathology - varicose enlargement of the large and small saphenous veins, as well as their branches.
Leg veins are soft, thin-walled channels that return blood to the heart. To counteract the force of gravity, nature has provided them with valves, which prevent the backflow (reflux) of blood. There are two venous systems on the lower limbs: superficial and deep. The first is represented by the vessels that are under the skin, so they can be seen. The second is the deep veins of the legs, located near the bones in the thickness of the muscles. There are communications between these systems: perforating veins.
The inability of the valves to perform their function leads to stagnation of blood in the lower parts, to the discharge of its "excess" through the perforating veins from deep to superficial. This, in turn, creates greater pressure in the venous system of the legs, located under the skin. What causes his vessels to react to this is "squirm and stretch". And that is why varicose veins in the legs occur.
Reasons for development
There are many conditions that lead to valve damage and loss of elasticity in the vessel wall. There are decisive causes of varicose veins in the legs, which are most often associated with this disease:
- Age. Over the years, our veins lose their elasticity and begin to expand. Even the "coarse" valves lose elasticity and cease to perform their function normally.
- Pregnancy is accompanied by an increase in the volume of blood in the body, and also helps to slow down its movement in the lower limbs (the large uterus presses on the veins of the small pelvis). Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy also play a role. As a rule, symptoms of varicose veins without treatment resolve within 12 months of delivery.
The resulting telangiectasias (or, as many doctors mistakenly call them, capillary varicose veins), the causes of the appearance on the face and legs are often associated with exposure to solar radiation. Therefore, women who want to avoid this aesthetic problem have to choose: a beautiful tan or a vascular network.
Risk factors
Varicose veins are a multifactorial pathology.
- Floor. Women are more likely to develop this disease. Hormonal imbalances that occur during pregnancy, the premenstrual period and menopause can be considered a risk factor because it relaxes the venous wall for a long time. HRT or long-term use of birth control pills also increase the risk of "getting" varicose veins.
- Inheritance.
- Obesity.
- Standing or sitting for a long time (office workers, surgeons, drivers).
- Alcohol abuse. Alcohol and varicose veins also have a definite connection.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
At first, the disease may not cause any discomfort, it can be suspected when the following symptoms appear:
- the formation of varicose veins, networks on the legs (expansion of intradermal vessels of pink, blue, purple);
- the veins become "twisted", protrude above the surface of the skin, like ropes, interrupted by knots.
Subsequently, the following symptoms can join:
- tired legs;
- burning, throbbing, muscle cramps and swelling in the lower limbs;
- worsening of the manifestations of the disease if a person is in a standing or sitting position for a long time;
- itching around the "swollen" vessels;
- bleeding from varicose veins;
- painful and local hardening of the vessel site;
- changes in skin color or ulceration in the ankle area.
The disease is diagnosed on the basis of the data obtained during the examination and questioning of the patient. To assess the severity of the disease (how the valves work, the presence of a blood clot in the veins), Doppler ultrasound is usually sufficient.
Treatment of the pathology
If a diagnosis of "varicose veins of the legs" is made, this does not mean that a long hospital stay is necessary. Thanks to modern minimally invasive procedures, the disease is usually treated on an outpatient basis.
Change your lifestyle or help yourself
There are several self-help methods that reduce the discomfort of varicose veins and help prevent further varicose veins. Here are some of them:
- Regular exercise. Move as much as possible. Walking regularly is an excellent physical activity that can improve blood circulation in the legs. How much load will be optimal - you can ask your doctor about this.
- Constant control of your weight, the excess of which has a detrimental effect on the vessels of the legs. Do not forget about salt, the excessive intake of which in the body causes fluid retention, which increases the load on the veins.
- Pay attention to what you wear. Shoes with low heels, in contrast to high heels, make the muscle-venous pump work on the legs: the gastrocnemius muscle. Avoid wearing tight pants around the groin and waist as this can impair blood flow.
- Keep your feet as often as possible. To do this, several times a day, you need to take breaks and raise your legs above the level of the heart, for example, lie down and put them on pillows.
- Avoid sitting or standing for a long time.
Compression therapy
Usually, the initial stages of varicose veins of the lower limbs are treated with compression stockings. External compression prevents swelling of the veins, which in turn improves the movement of blood through the vessels.
Additional treatments for a more serious situation
If lifestyle modification and the use of compression stockings do not improve symptoms, and even if the stages of varicose veins (undercompensation and decompensation) do not allow you to cope with the pathology on your own, the following treatment options come into play. rescue:
- Sclerotherapy.The procedure, which does not require major anesthesia, is performed on an outpatient basis. The doctor injects a special substance (sclerosing) into the varicose veins, which glues the walls.
- Foam sclerotherapy.Contrary to the usual technique, in this technique, the sclerosing agent is injected into a vein after mixing it with a gas (usually air), which allows for the treatment of veins of larger diameter.
- Laser surgery. . . The new technology, which removes small varicose veins and vascular networks, is performed without skin incisions and vessel piercings.
- Intravenous radiofrequency or laser ablation. . . Technique that involves the introduction of a catheter into the lumen of a vein, on the tip of which there is a radiofrequency or laser energy emitter.
- Safeno-femoral ligation and stripping of the great saphenous vein. . . The first procedure involves bandaging and removing the upper section of the vein. During the second, a special probe is inserted into the lumen of the vessel (two incisions are made: one in the groin area, the second at the level of the upper third of the leg) and extends along its entire length. Then it is removed along with the dilated vein.
- Outpatient phlebectomy. . . The doctor removes small dilated veins, while making several micro-incisions in the skin. The scars are usually almost invisible.
- Endoscopic venous surgery. . . It is usually performed when the patient has an advanced stage of varicose veins of the lower limbs (ulcers appear) or, previous methods of treatment, were ineffective.
Varicose veins that appear during pregnancy usually disappear without any treatment within 12 months of giving birth.
Alternative medicine
There is a large arsenal of alternative treatments for chronic venous insufficiency, a condition associated with varicose veins. The following remedies are most often used for this pathology:
- butcher's broom;
- grapes (leaves, juice, seed extract);
- horse chestnut;
- sweet clover.
Before using any herbs or dietary supplements, you need to make sure that these complementary medicines are compatible with the medications your doctor prescribes and are safe for your specific situation. Therefore, before taking them, you should consult your doctor.
Prophylaxis
There is no universal and guaranteed way that can prevent the development of varicose veins on the legs. However, there are preventive measures that help reduce the chances of getting new manifestations of the disease, improve its symptoms. Here are some of them:
- Physical activity (regular sports, in which the legs are "involved", for example walking or running, improves blood circulation in the lower limbs, strengthens blood vessels).
- Weight control (extra pounds increase the load on the lower limbs (pressure in the veins).
- Do not cross your legs while sitting.
- While resting, raise them above the level of the heart.
- Try to avoid standing or sitting still.
- Diet (less salt and more fiber).
It is also worth rinsing your feet with cold water after a shower or bath. Try to visit baths or saunas less often.
Varicose veins in the legs are a widespread problem, the incidence among men varies from 10 to 20% and in women it reaches 33%. Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely recover from this ailment. But the new, minimally invasive techniques used in medicine can improve symptoms. Early treatment in the early stages of the disease can prevent the development of serious complications.