Varicose veins are a disease accompanied by dilation of subcutaneous vessels or veins located deep under the skin of the human body.
With this disease, the vein walls lose their elasticity, when they appear dilated nodes, they will expand, forming blood stasis, most of which they are often found in the legs of women. They are the ones who get sick most often. The disease can appear from the age of 20, but is more common in middle-aged women. Men also get sick, but less often.
Reason
Sometimes the cause of varicose veins is the frequent use of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol itself has a vasodilator effect, but overuse can lead to bad consequences.
Young girls who like to sit cross-legged for long hours are also at risk. In this position of the leg, blood stagnation occurs, resulting in the interruption of the natural blood supply to the whole body.
Key factors
What are the causes of varicose veins?
- Genetic. If the parents have weakened venous walls, then this can be repeated in children.
- High blood pressure can be the cause of the disease. Sometimes this is due to a violation of the hormonal system.
- For many women, pregnancy is difficult, especially in the late stages of pregnancy. At first, the disease did not manifest itself, but after giving birth, the signs of the disease showed on the face. The stress women endure during childbirth strongly influences the location of the veins.
- The body is overloaded with physical muscle activities that create all the conditions for the development of the disease. This is common in athletes who exercise. One must be able to properly regulate the load on the human body.
- People who work sedentary, specifically office workers are at risk of developing varicose veins.
- Constantly standing on your feet isn't better - it can also give rise to disease.
- Women who regularly use hormonal birth control methods are at increased risk.
- Hip disease or previous trauma may give rise to the disease.
- People who are overweight often have varicose veins. They have a constant load on the venous system.
- Overuse of tanning, frequent sauna bathing and alcohol consumption also lead to the same condition.
Varicose veins are easier to avoid than to cure. You just need to follow a healthy lifestyle, pay attention to good physical exercise, plus a normal diet. In this case, there is a high chance that varicose veins can be avoided.
What are the symptoms of varicose veins in the legs? The first signs from the photo
As a rule, in the early stages, various symptoms of varicose veins may appear, at this time the disease is still treatable.
As a rule, people rarely think about tired legs at night, swollen or varicose veins. If the symptoms appear too obvious, then we are talking about a neglected disease.
Early manifestations of varicose veins
As a rule, it is not so easy to identify the early stages of varicose veins. This is due to the fact that varicose veins have a large number of symptoms and few people pay attention to them. People ignore leg swelling and fatigue. Especially it concerns pregnant women: often varicose veins are not given special importance and it is believed that during pregnancy a complication is completely normal.
Indeed, the cause of varicose veins can be considered to be too much body weight, but usually kg is lost after the arrival of the baby, but there are also cases where a woman develops varicose veins while pregnant. The fetus cannot get rid of this disease after giving birth. This is usually because excess weight leads to venous disease.
The early symptoms of varicose veins are easy to notice: legs begin to tire quickly after any physical activity, paralysis if in one position for a long time. But, as a rule, few people notice this, believing that leg pain when crossing a long distance is normal. In winter, many people attribute the pain to wearing heavy insulated shoes on their feet, while in summer the reason is due to heat. However, this is just an excuse, and there is no truth in it.
The earliest symptoms of varicose veins that can be seen during the diagnosis should be considered when contacting a specialist: leg fatigue after little exertion or pain after wearing heavy shoes, often women walkHigh heels face this, the presence of pain, a feeling of heat in the legs in the evening, increased fatigue, impaired working capacity. If the disease is ignored, then the first sign of varicose veins is ulcers.
Diagnose
At the outset of a disease such as varicose veins, it is important to examine the veins to determine pain, tenderness, density, presence of affected vein segments, swelling, and inflammation of the side. in them. The specialist who performs this test is called a phlebologist. What to do at the first sign of varicose veins in the legs? First of all, it is necessary to diagnose the severity of the disease.
During the procedure, the patient must be in an upright position so that the veins are filled with as much blood as possible. It is best that the diagnosis is made in the evening - this will allow the affected areas to get a clearer contour. With the help of palpation and physical examination, the specialist can obtain the first information about the patient's pulse status. After the preliminary examination has been performed, the second stage of the diagnosis of varicose veins begins - examination with the help of ultrasound.
Performing tests during the diagnosis of varicose veins is an important source of information to help make an accurate diagnosis.
What tests are done if you suspect varicose veins?
The first test is to take a blood sample to look for hormones, biochemistry, and hemoglobin. A general blood test is also performed, its group and hastily, the infectious group is determined.
The patient is then required to have a urinalysis to determine both hemoglobin, sugar, and ketone bodies, and this analysis will also identify acetone and ammonia in the patient's urine.
Ultrasound 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 disease. This procedure takes no more than half an hour, while the patient is in a horizontal position.
Treatment
This disease is very dangerous and common all over the world, depending on the stage of the disease, people apply different treatment methods.
In order to treat the first signs of varicose veins in the legs, you need to consult a vascular specialist, after the examination, the doctor will make an accurate diagnosis, you cannot arbitrarilytreat this disease. In the absence of prompt treatment, the patient can die.
Methods to treat the first signs of varicose veins in the legs:
- therapeutic therapy;
- medical treatment;
- medicine;
- compression underwear;
- surgical intervention.
Traditional method
They are used only in complex treatment in combination with drugs, you need to take the drug of nettle, acacia. These tinctures, taken three times a day before meals, are useful for making a cool foot bath from decoctions of burdock, nettle and birch leaves.
All recommended herbal preparations are taken only with the permission of a doctor; Do not arbitrarily drink decoction and medicine.
Drug treatment
Used drugs that strengthen the veins and are sold in pharmacies in the form of ointments and gels.
In order for the ointment to be effective, you should also wear compression underwear.
Compression underwear
This category includes tights, stockings, at different stages of varicose veins, linen fabrics of different compression are prescribed. You can buy such medicated tights in specialized stores.
This underwear helps to normalize the outflow of blood from the veins, the necessary compression restores the normal functioning of the veins.
Medication does not completely cure varicose veins, but eliminates some of the symptoms and facilitates progression. In addition, thanks to the use of different drugs, the risk of manifestations of such a disease as thrombophlebitis is reduced. This disease occurs because there is no cure for varicose veins, it is only treated in a hospital and often requires surgery.
In addition, for treatment, I usually use lymphatic drainage massage, thanks to its use in the general treatment, the patient's leg lymphatic drainage is improved, the edema is reduced. reduced, fatigue and heaviness in the legs disappeared. The only negative thing is the effect of the massage. It will only last two months, but then the massage course can be extended.
Therapeutic therapy
This is the type of treatment used if surgery is needed, but the procedure is different from surgery. A special medicine is injected into the vein where the blood clot is found.
This medicine works in such a way that the top layer of the affected vein is destroyed, then it sticks back together. Then, after 1. 5 years, this vein disappears in the human body, other veins begin to perform its working functions.
Medicines are prescribed by a specialist venipuncture, applying individual treatment to each patient. The sclerotherapy course includes 3 - 6 courses, after a period of 2 - 8 weeks, the doctor will determine this treatment.
This procedure can only be performed by experienced specialists, because if done incorrectly, the vein will restore blood flow through the hardened vessel and will have no therapeutic effect. .
In addition to the use of medication, when using this procedure, microfoam is injected into a vein. For the accuracy of this procedure, an ultrasound scanner is needed, by which the doctor can see on the screen the movement of the needle and the delivery of the drug along it.
In more difficult cases, when massage, wearing underwear, drugs do not help and the disease moves to a more acute stage, such patients are indicated for surgery.
Consequences of varicose veins
The consequences of the disease are not good, this is a cosmetic problem and is related to other health problems that arise as a result of varicose veins. The most affected women are those who want their legs to look beautiful and slim. With the onset of the disease, this is not possible, but the cosmetic issue is not primary. Varicose veins lead to more specific health problems.
Usually, there is pain in the legs, accompanied by unpleasant itching. Soreness occurs because not enough oxygen and other trace elements cannot get into the affected area. The cause of the pain is damage to the large veins. But the small vessels also give a feeling of discomfort.
Of course, for women, cosmetic issues are also important, but the more unpleasant consequence is swollen ankles. Pain relief in the upper and lower legs. Even with good rest, the person will feel constant pain.
Dermatitis - a consequence of varicose veins
The worst consequence is dermatitis. The disease develops in places with varicose veins. With such a disease, a person suffers from constant itching, the formation of wounds and the appearance of various rashes. The onset of dermatitis can lead to thrombophlebitis. When a blood clot occurs, you need to urgently seek the help of a specialist. If this is not done, the consequences for a person can be very serious. So under no circumstances should it be delayed.