Varicose veins - a disease associated with the expansion of subcutaneous vessels or veins that lie deep under the skin of the human body.
With this disease, the walls of the veins lose their elasticity, when varicose veins appear, they expand and form stagnation of blood, they are most visible on the legs of women. They are more likely to suffer from the disease. The disease can manifest itself by the age of 20, but is more likely to occur in middle-aged women. Men also get sick, but much less often.
The reasons
Sometimes the cause of varicose veins is frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol itself provokes vasodilation, but when abused, it leads to adverse consequences.
Young girls who like to sit cross-legged for hours at a time are also at risk of contracting the disease. In this position of the legs, blood stagnation occurs, which leads to disruptions in the natural blood supply to the entire body.
main factors
What are the causes of varicose veins?
- inheritance. If the parents had weakened vein walls, this can happen again in children.
- The cause of the disease can be high blood pressure. Sometimes this is due to a violation of the endocrine system.
- Pregnancy is difficult for many women, especially at the end of the pregnancy. At first the disease does not manifest itself, but after childbirth all the signs of the disease are on the face. The stress that women endure during childbirth greatly affects the location of the veins.
- Overloading the body with physical work of the muscles provides all the conditions for the development of the disease. It is commonly found in athletes who engage in physical activity. It is necessary to be able to properly regulate the load on the human body.
- People with a sedentary job, especially office workers, are prone to developing varicose veins.
- Being constantly on your feet is no better - it can also give the disease a boost.
- Women who often use contraceptives with a large amount of hormones are at risk.
- Diseases of the hip joint or previous injuries can lead to the development of the disease.
- Overweight people are more likely to develop varicose veins. They constantly stress the venous system.
- Sunburn abuse, frequent sauna use and drinking alcoholic beverages lead to the same situation.
Varicose veins are much easier to prevent than to cure. You just need to lead a healthy lifestyle, maintain good physical fitness and eat normally. In this case, there is a high probability of avoiding varicose veins.
How do varicose veins form on the legs? The first signs with a photo
As a rule, various symptoms of varicose veins can appear at an early stage when the disease is still treatable.
As a rule, one rarely thinks of evening tiredness in the legs, swelling or varicose veins. If the symptoms occur too severely, it is referred to as a neglected disease.
Early manifestations of varicose veins
Recognizing the early stages of varicose veins is usually not that easy. This is because varicose veins have a variety of symptoms and few people pay attention to them. People ignore leg swelling and fatigue. This is especially true for pregnant women: often, great importance is not attached to varicose veins and it is believed that during pregnancy such a complication is quite normal.
In fact, excess body weight can be considered the cause of varicose veins, but usually kilograms disappear after the baby appears, but it also happens that a woman who suffered from varicose veins during pregnancy does not have this disease after childbirthcan get rid of. This is often because obesity leads to venous disease.
Early symptoms of varicose veins are easy to spot: legs tire quickly from any physical activity, they become numb from staying in one position for a long time. But, as a rule, rarely does anyone pay attention to this, believing that pain in the legs when overcoming a long distance is normal. In winter, many pains are attributed to the presence of thickly insulated shoes on the feet, while in summer the heat is the cause. However, this is just an excuse and there is no truth to it.
It is worth considering the earliest symptoms of varicose veins that can be identified when diagnosing when contacting a specialist: fatigue in the legs after minor physical exertion or pain after wearing heavy shoes, women wearing heels, often experience this, the presence of pain, burning in legs in the evening, increased fatigue, decrease in performance. If the disease is neglected, the first sign of varicose veins is ulcers.
diagnosis
From the very beginning of detecting a disease such as varicose veins, it is necessary to examine the veins to determine pain, tension, density, the presence of affected sections of veins, swelling and inflammation in them. The specialist doctor who deals with this examination is called a phlebologist. What to do at the first sign of varicose veins on the legs? First of all, it is necessary to diagnose the severity of the disease.
During the procedure, the patient must be in a vertical position so that the veins are filled with blood as much as possible. It is best if the diagnosis is carried out in the evening - this will give the affected areas a more defined contour. With the help of palpation and superficial examination, a specialist doctor can get initial information about the condition of the patient's vessels. After the preliminary examination, the second stage of the diagnosis of varicose veins begins - an examination using ultrasound.
Testing during the diagnosis of varicose veins is an important source of information that helps to properly diagnose the disease.
What tests are carried out if varicose veins are suspected?
The first analysis is a blood test for hormones, biochemistry and hemoglobin. A general blood test is also performed, the group and Rh, infectious group, of which are determined.
After that, the patient has to submit urine for analysis to also determine hemoglobin, sugar and ketone bodies, and this analysis also determines acetone and ammonia in the patient's urine.
ultrasonic procedure
With the help of ultrasound or ultrasound examination of the veins, you can examine the venous system from the inside and find the foci of the disease. This process takes no more than half an hour, during which time the patient is in a horizontal position.
treatment
This disease is very dangerous and widespread all over the world, depending on the stage of the disease progression, different treatment methods are used.
To treat the first signs of varicose veins in the legs, you need to consult a phlebologist, after the examination he will make the correct diagnosis, it is impossible to treat this disease yourself. If not treated in time, patients can die.
Treatment methods at the first signs of varicose veins on the legs:
- sclerotherapy;
- medical treatment;
- medicinal herbs;
- compression underwear;
- surgical intervention.
folk methods
They are used only in complex treatment in combination with drugs, you need to take tinctures of nettle, acacia. These tinctures are drunk three times a day before meals. It is useful to prepare cool foot baths from decoctions of burdock, nettle and birch leaves.
All proposed herbal preparations are taken only with the permission of a doctor, it is not recommended to drink decoctions and tinctures yourself.
treatment with medication
Such drugs that have a strengthening effect on the veins are sold in pharmacies in the form of tablets and capsules, ointments and gels.
In order for the application of ointments to be effective, it is advisable to wear compression underwear at the same time.
compression underwear
This assortment includes pantyhose, stockings, different compression underwear is prescribed at different stages of varicose veins. You can buy such medical tights in specialized stores.
This underwear helps to normalize venous outflow of blood, compression of the necessary force restores the normal functioning of the veins.
Taking medication does not completely cure varicose veins, but it eliminates some of the symptoms and facilitates the course of the disease. Also, thanks to the use of various drugs, the risk of manifestation of a disease such as thrombophlebitis is reduced. This disease occurs as a result of the lack of treatment for varicose veins, it is treated only in a hospital, and often surgery is required.
I also often use lymphatic drainage massage for treatment, thanks to its use in the general course of therapy, the patient improves lymphatic drainage in the legs, there is less swelling, fatigue and heaviness in the legs disappear. The only downside is the effect of the massage. It will only last two months, but then the massage course can be extended.
sclerotherapy
This type of treatment is used when surgery is required, but this procedure is different from surgery. A special drug is injected into the vein where the thrombus is located.
This drug works by destroying the top layer of the affected vein, then it sticks together. Then, after 1. 5 years, this vein in the human body dissolves, other veins begin to perform their working functions.
The drug is prescribed by a phlebologist, individual treatment is used for each patient. The course of sclerotherapy includes 3-6 procedures, after some time from 2 to 8 weeks the doctor can determine how this treatment worked.
This procedure can only be performed by experienced specialists, since if performed incorrectly, the vein will restore its blood flow through the sclerotic vessel and there will be no therapeutic effect.
In addition to the introduction of drugs, this procedure involves injecting microfoam into the vein. For the accuracy of this procedure, an ultrasound machine is needed, thanks to which the doctor can see on the screen the movement of the needle and the process of distributing the drug along it.
In more complex cases, when massage, compression underwear, medication do not help, and the disease passes into a more acute stage, such patients are prescribed surgery.
Consequences of varicose veins
The consequence of the disease does not bode well, it is a cosmetic problem and is associated with other health problems that have arisen as a result of varicose veins. Women who want to have beautiful and slim legs suffer the most. With the onset of the disease, this is impossible, but the cosmetic problem is not the main one. Varicose veins lead to more tangible health problems.
Most often there is pain in the legs, which is accompanied by unpleasant itching. Aching pain arises from an insufficient amount of oxygen and other trace elements that cannot get to the affected area. The cause of the pain is the defeat of large veins. But small vessels also give unpleasant sensations.
Of course, a cosmetic problem is also important for women, but more unpleasant consequences are swelling of the ankles. The pain is in the thighs and lower legs. Even with good rest, a person will constantly experience pain.
Dermatitis - a consequence of varicose veins
The most severe consequence is dermatitis. The disease develops in sites of vein dilatation. With such a disease, a person suffers from constant itching, the formation of sores, and various rashes on the skin. The appearance of dermatitis can lead to thrombophlebitis. If a blood clot appears, you need to urgently seek the help of a specialist. If this does not happen, the consequences for a person can be very serious. Therefore, it cannot be delayed under any circumstances.