Varicose veins called the disease quickly becomes chronic. The disease causes changes in the length and diameter of the veins, the appearance of nodules, the thinning of the vein wall. Most often, varicose veins are manifested during pregnancy, when a woman's body is subjected to a great load by a hormonal change.
The reason for appearing
If we consider the reasons under the influence of varicose veins during pregnancy, there are a few main reasons:
- Weight change.During pregnancy, veins in the legs appear due to the weight gain of tens of kilograms or more, leading to increased pressure and load on the vessel walls;
- Hormonal changes in the body.During fetal formation, the female hormonal background is rebuilt many times, damaging the blood vessels - they lose elasticity, become fragile, prone to varicose veins;
During pregnancy, veins in the legs appeared as a result of the weight gain of 10 kg or more.
- During pregnancy, the work of the valves of the veins changes, due to the increased volume of blood circulation. It should be noted that varicose veins after pregnancy, if left untreated, do not go away anywhere;
- Genetic factors. If one of the parents of a pregnant woman has varicose veins, they are more likely to develop the same disease;
- Wrong selected clothes and shoes. Sometimes moms-to-be are surprised at the cause of varicose veins without thinking that tight clothing and high heels might cause the problem;
- Reduce physical activity. In the veins of the legs during pregnancy, blood can become stagnant if the woman moves a little and does not perform any special exercises.
Some causes of varicose veins during pregnancy are easy to eliminate - as long as you need to change your habits.
Symptoms and Signs
Varicose veins during early pregnancy are difficult to detect because there are no obvious symptoms.
However, you should contact your doctor if you have the following symptoms:
- heavy feeling and pain in the leg;
- swelling, especially in the evening, if you sit for a long time;
- convulsions, especially at night;
- redness or darkening of the skin;
- the appearance of the network of blood vessels;
- seals on the skin, appearance of trophic ulcers;
- Easily palpable inflamed veins during pregnancy.
Types of varicose veins during pregnancy
Varicose veins during pregnancy can be of many types. The most common disease is:
- in the groin;
- on the foot;
- in the vagina;
- in the womb.
Small pelvic varicose veins manifestations have symptoms similar to some gynecological diseases so it is most difficult to diagnose. With each pregnancy, the risk of varicose veins of the labia also increases (symptoms are most felt after exertion or sex).
Diagnosis
Varicose veins and pregnancy greatly affect a woman's body, causing extra stress on many organs, so it is necessary to identify the disease from the very beginning.
For the determination of varicose veins in pregnant women, two-sided ultrasound is in use today. This modern type of diagnostics has replaced the previous ultrasonic scanning and Doppler mapping. Bilateral ultrasound was performed within 20 minutes and provided detailed information about the condition of both deep and shallow veins.
In some cases, for additional diagnostic purposes do:
- Segment Doppler.A simple yet reliable test that shows the condition of the arteries, sets their degree of ventilation and narrowing.
- BMR (magnetic resonance imaging).If the diagnosis of varicose veins during pregnancy, this exam allows you to assess the condition of the vessel without the use of a contrast agent, without harm to the body.
- Computed tomography phlebography.Conducted with the use of a contrast agent, it allows for a great depth assessment of the condition of the blood vessels. If varicose veins have unclear symptoms, this type of test is prescribed.
Methods of treatment of disease
Not all treatments for varicose veins after pregnancy are available during pregnancy. For example, during pregnancy it is not possible to inject certain drugs; Surgery is not always possible. These restrictions also apply to women with varicose veins, but plan to become pregnant within the next two years.
Surgical treatment
As mentioned earlier, varicose veins during pregnancy are very dangerous due to the limitations of treatment options. However, there are cases where the drug treatment does not go away, surgery is required. For example, if you develop severe thrombophlebitis or have nutritional sores that don't heal.
In most cases, surgery is performed when the gestational age is no more than six months and using fibrosis therapy or frequency resection, and other surgeries are performed after pregnancy. In the postoperative period, special underwear and therapeutic exercises are prescribed - these recommendations apply to the postpartum period.
Nowadays, if they detect severe varicose veins during pregnancy, they use laser therapy instead of a scalpel. Modern technology allows you to defeat varicose veins quickly and safely.
Medicines
Doctors are fully aware of the dangers of varicose veins, so they advise you to contact a specialist at the first sign of the disease. In such situations, a process of taking drugs and means of detoxification to normalize blood density is prescribed. There are also a wide selection of special ointments and gels for external use, including those containing Gingko biloba. Any medications that affect the tone of your veins are serious, so they should only be taken according to the regimen recommended by your doctor.
Alternative treatment
Humans have been dealing with "pregnancy and varicose veins" in parallel for a long time, so before, and even today, folk remedies such as lotions, tincture, ointment, bath is widely used in treatment. Of course, if the disease is ignored, then these techniques are considered exclusively as an adjunct therapy, but in the early stages, alternative therapy is quite effective.
Compressed tincture:
- Hops alcohol helps to overcome the early stages of varicose veins in pregnancy very well. You need to take 1 tablespoon of kumquat, pour 200 ml of boiling water and keep for 20 minutes. The solution is then stretched and used for compression. In a similar way, an infusion is prepared from the flowers or leaves of the horse chestnut. Such a compress can be applied at night and kept on the legs until morning.
- Intravenous treatment during pregnancy with peeled horse chestnut fruit powder: 50 grams of this powder is poured with 200 ml of vegetable oil and massaged feet with the obtained preparation before bedtime;
- If you detect varicose veins early in pregnancy, cabbage leaves burn is used as a compress, helping to reduce inflammation, pain, swelling.
Varicose veins during pregnancy in the legs is recommended with infusion trays of a variety of medicinal herbs, a choice widely available in all pharmacies. Recommended to do this:
- must not exceed the temperature of the bath solution above 38 degrees;
- shower no more than 15 minutes;
- relaxing massage after the procedure;
- lie down at the end of the tub for 30-40 minutes in the foot raised position.
Varicose veins in pregnant women are also treated with oral decoction:
- Prepare a decoction of clover flowers: pour 1 tablespoon of chopped flowers into a thermos and pour 400 ml of boiling water. After two hours, filter the broth and drink ½ glass 4 times a day;
- You can make a collection from the leaves of calendula, strawberries and ganoderma, five-color grass, as well as calendula officinalis and viburnum flowers. The ingredients are mixed into equal parts, 2 tablespoons of the resulting mixture is poured with 400 ml of boiling water and kept for 15 minutes in a water bath. Then you need to keep the collection for 40 minutes in a warm place. Drink ½ cup 4 times a day.
Disease prevention
Varicose leg veins is like any disease, not only need treatment but also take precautions to prevent the disease or avoid recurrence:
- Do not sit or stand for long periods of time. It is better to lie on your side to relieve the tension from the small veins of the legs and pelvis.
- To relieve the tension in the veins in your legs, keep your feet elevated while lying or sitting.
- To make the veins of your legs easier during pregnancy, wear a special compression knit fabric. Such underwear helps to redistribute blood through the veins, stimulate blood in the veins of the legs, reduce the possibility of blood clots forming. Compression knit fabric is recommended not only during but also after pregnancy, from one and a half months to two months.
Keep in mind that varicose veins in the legs are less common in people who exercise and have a healthy lifestyle. Even gentle exercise helps keep fit and reduces the risk of developing varicose veins.