Varicose veins in the legs, or varicose veins (from the Latin varicis - "swelling") are a disease of the blood vessels of the lower limbs, in which the outflow of blood is disturbed due to the malfunction of the venous valves: the veins dilate, stretch , begin to protrude from under the skin, nodules are formed. Varicose veins bring great discomfort due to edema, pain and dangerous formation of blood clots and trophic ulcers. This disease in severe cases, unfortunately, can lead to disability.
This disease is extremely common: more than 60% of the world population suffers from it). It haunted humanity, apparently from the moment of its appearance: varicose veins are mentioned in the Old Testament, archaeologists found during excavations in Egypt a mummy with a trophic ulcer on the leg with traces of treatment, signs of Varicose veins can be seen on the legs of ancient statues, and according to written records, the ancient doctors Avicenna and Hippocrates were looking for methods to cure varicose veins. Scientists suggest that such is humanity's price for walking upright, as this disease is much less common in other species.
Although women suffer from varicose veins more often than men - due to children and hormonal problems during menopause - varicose veins in the legs in men often progress faster and have much more serious consequences. This is because so-called "male" jobs are often associated with regular heavy lifting and traditional stereotypes push men to ignore minor pain.
Causes of the disease
Since varicose veins in the legs are caused by excessive blood pressure in the vessels, the following factors, along with congenital weakness of the connective tissue, can cause it:
- stand for a long time, work standing. Varicose veins of the legs are considered an occupational disease of waiters, because they have to walk with heavy trays, hairdressers and surgeons who have to do their work on their feet for many hours in a row;
- long sitting in a chair and long stays with folded legs, in which the vessels are pinched and blood circulation is impaired;
- overweight,
- pregnancy - a woman's weight grows quickly enough and at the same time the pressure on the legs increases, hormonal changes during pregnancy also affect the walls of the veins;
- wearing tight tights, stockings with elastic and similar factors;
- hypodynamia;
- overloading the body during sports, during work associated with frequent weight lifting;
- malfunctions of the endocrine system, as well as various hormonal disorders, which are a common cause of varicose veins on the legs in women;
- leg injuries, foot deformities.
Varicose veins of the legs
Varicose veins occur:
- Congenital.The probability of inheriting this disease from parents is more than 70%. Congenital varicose veins can occur at any age, but, as a rule, it manifests itself at a young age, and in rare cases it also occurs in newborns. This form of the disease has additional unpleasant symptoms: a noticeable increase in a leg, sometimes hemangiomas (vascular tumors) appear throughout the body. Hereditary varicose veins can also appear on the veins of internal organs;
- Primary varicose veins. This type of disorder develops as a result of the reasons listed above;
- Secondary varicose veinsit usually begins as a complication of venous thrombosis or as a result of trauma.
The disease is usually divided into the following stages:
- 0- asymptomatic, when disorders begin to manifest themselves at the cellular level, but do not yet manifest themselves in the form of formed symptoms;
- 1- the appearance of obvious symptoms, which, however, still have little effect on the ability to work;
- 2- at this stage, severe edema becomes permanent, nodes and trophic ulcers appear. A sick person cannot do without special support equipment during the day;
- 3- serious complications, disabilities.
As you can see, varicose veins in the legs are a rather serious disease, the treatment of which should be started when the first signs appear to prevent dire consequences.
Symptoms
Despite the variability of symptoms in each case, it will not be difficult to recognize varicose veins in the legs. Its main manifestation, due to which the disease got its name, is the expansion of the veins in the legs. There may be "cobwebs" or "asterisks" from the subcutaneous vessels - by the way, they will be most noticeable on the legs of women. This is due to the fact that men have more "greenery" on their legs, so the thin threads of the blood vessels can go unnoticed.
The disease progresses slowly over many years or even decades. In the early stages of the disease, the symptoms are few and generally non-specific: there is a feeling of heaviness, swelling, pain in the legs, sometimes burning and night cramps. Swelling of the feet and ankles, pain in the veins are especially common symptoms with varicose veins in the legs. At first, edema appears rarely, is mild and disappears after resting in a horizontal position, but if therapeutic and prophylactic measures are not taken, venous insufficiency becomes chronic and edema appears regularly for no particular reason. These manifestations usually intensify in the evening, after a working day, and even in hot weather.
What is the danger of varicose veins?
Often the first signs of varicose veins of the legs are ignored, the disease is taking hold and irreversible processes begin, which lead to extremely unpleasant consequences - trophic ulcers and thrombophlebitis.
Trophic ulcers are a painful, non-healing wound on the foot or lower leg resulting from poor blood supply to the tissues. This rather painful disease manifests itself more often in old age, and its treatment can drag on for the rest of your life.
Thrombophlebitis is inflammation of the vein wall, in which blood clots form a blood clot that blocks the lumen of the vein.
The signs of thrombophlebitis, which have developed against the background of varicose veins, are as follows:
- fever, chills;
- nodules along the veins, quite painful
- swelling of the limbs
Thrombophlebitis can proceed chronically with periodic exacerbations, perhaps the so-called purulent fusion of the formed thrombus (septic thrombophlebitis) - then the infection quickly spreads throughout the body along with the blood.
Important!A torn blood clot or part of it can enter the pulmonary artery, leading to pulmonary embolism and, often, death. Do not let the disease take its course and do not neglect the supervision of a specialist!
Diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis and treatment of varicose veins is carried out by a phlebologist, who should be consulted if there are any symptoms of this disease. Modern diagnostic methods (ultrasound angiography, Doppler ultrasound, etc. ) determine how affected the veins are and prescribe the correct treatment.
In the treatment of varicose veins, drug treatment and compression therapy are used in combination, as well as surgical methods that are considered the most effective.
There are many drugs that increase the tone of the venous walls, reduce their permeability, improve microcirculation and lymphatic drainage. It can be ointments, gels, tablets with various active ingredients - of natural or synthetic origin.
Gels, ointments and creams are used in home therapy, applied to the affected areas of the vascular network. These drugs are divided into groups:
- Heparin ointments. Heparin has a resorbing effect, prevents blood stagnation.
- Ointments and gels made on the basis of natural ingredients relieve fatigue, pain, strengthen blood vessels, are recommended during pregnancy.
- In the treatment of thrombophlebitis, drugs based on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used.
- Ointments and gels based on hormonal drugs also have anti-inflammatory effects.
Together with local drugs, to achieve the best effect, venotonics, phlebotonics, blood thinners are prescribed, and if necessary, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed orally or in the form of injections.
Compression therapy has been used for varicose veins in the legs since ancient times: Roman legionaries tightened their calves with strips of skin to prevent swelling and pain during long military transitions, and Egyptian pharaohs were sometimes depicted with elastic bandages in their hands. This simple method works by reducing the diameter of the superficial veins, which causes an acceleration of blood flow and a decrease in the amount of blood "ballast" in the legs.
Nowadays, they use not only an elastic bandage, but also a more comfortable compression hosiery. The bandage is applied from the toes to the middle of the thigh. Both the bandage and the compression hosiery are worn in the morning in a horizontal position and worn all day and removed in the evening.
Treatment with folk remedies can be used in combination with these drugs. Folk and to some extent effective remedies are horse chestnut infusion, garlic and lemon infusion, green tomato compresses.
Green tomato wraps are good for treating varicose veins on the legs.
However, when dealing with folk remedies, you need to be careful and approach this process with sound criticism. If you go to any forum devoted to this topic, then, in addition to really good and proven recipes, you can find many amazing ideas: from horse manure tablets to ingesting a decoction of poisonous plants, which can be equally useless and harmless and it can lead to cause serious harm to the body, as not only a specialist, but also an ordinary "Internet troll" or only a person with an unhealthy psyche can write to the forum.
Important!After discovering a new prescription on the Internet, before using the proposed remedy, be sure to consult your doctor.
It should be noted that conservative treatment, such as treatment with folk remedies, cannot cure varicose veins, but only slow down their development and relieve symptoms.
Surgery
As a minimally invasive and very effective surgical method, laser treatment or endovascular laser coagulation is used - this method does not require incisions and hospitalization is not required for inpatient treatment. Under the influence of a laser beam, a sick vessel is "glued together" and the cargo is transferred to healthy vessels. Laser coagulation can be done in the early stages of the disease. Produced under local anesthesia.
Also, in addition to laser therapy, coagulation (gluing) of diseased vessels is carried out using radiofrequency waves (radiofrequency coagulation) and injecting a special substance (sclerotherapy).
Phlebectomy is usually a simple surgery that removes the dilated veins.
With varicose veins, a salt-free diet is prescribed, and an appropriate diet is also required if the causes of varicose veins are overweight or diseases of the endocrine system.
Sport with varicose veins is undesirable, therapeutic and prophylactic physical education, cycling, swimming are recommended. There are special exercises for varicose veins.
It is contraindicated to visit a bath, a sauna, a long stay in hot water.
Massage for varicose veins is not used.
Prophylaxis
Prevention of varicose veins in the legs is extremely important for every person, as it is extremely difficult to completely cure varicose veins, the fight against it takes a lot of time and effort, and the cost of treatment is quite high.
First of all, you need to try, if possible, to prevent or eliminate the reasons affecting its development:
- avoid standing or sitting for a long time, if this is not possible - do the warm-up of the legs as often as possible;
- refusing to wear tight-fitting clothing, tight-fitting tights, or pants;
- choose shoes carefully;
- do not allow excess weight;
- for pregnant women, it is important not to allow overwork of the legs, to rest in a horizontal position during the day;
Recommended:
- an active lifestyle, moderate physical activity, cardio exercise, "inverted" exercises (for example, "birch" is a simple but very effective means of preventing varicose veins);
- hardening, contrast shower;
- Proper nutrition;
- rest horizontally during the day.
Advice!A good prevention method is to raise your legs slightly above head level while resting in a horizontal position, placing a pillow or roller under them, and staying in this position for 3-5 minutes, but no more.