Varicose veins are a dangerous disease that significantly reduces the quality of life, if not treated promptly, will make the disease become uncomfortable.
That is why it is important for everyone who encounters such a problem to know the causes of varicose veins, its manifestations and most importantly, to research the best methods to treat varicose veins. treat this disease.
General information
Varicose veins are a chronic vascular disease that develops due to pooling of blood (usually in the lower extremities). This is due to a malfunction of the vascular valves, which normally direct blood upward, from the lower extremities to the heart. Stagnant blood puts pressure on the walls of blood vessels, as a result they become thinner, lose their elasticity, and deform and dilate significantly. On the legs of such a patient with the naked eye, one can observe "snake" zigzag blood vessels protruding above the skin, and in some places the formation of varicose "nodes".
Causes of varicose veins
There are quite a few reasons for the development of this disease. In particular, varicose veins can lead to:
- "bad" heredity. Varicose veins are encountered in people with congenital weakness of the valve apparatus or venous walls.
- Increased venous pressure. Usually, the factors that increase blood pressure that lead to such a disease are pregnancy, obesity, constant vertical loads (when a person stands on his feet for a day), a sedentary lifestyle(sedentary work).
- Are taking hormonal drugs. Some hormonal drugs, such as high-estrogen birth control pills, cause blood clots and can lead to varicose veins.
- Violation of blood circulation. These interruptions can be caused by poor physical activity, smoking, wearing shoes that are too tight, or chronic constipation.
- Hormonal disruptions are associated with age-related changes in the body.
Manifestations and complications of the disease
The doctors found that varicose veins in and of themselves were not so terrible because its complications were dangerous. Indeed, at the very first stage of the development of the disease, dilation of the ophthalmic desert veins is a cosmetic problem for a person (to which women are especially susceptible). First, a network of blood vessels appears on the skin - the so-called "spider web". At the same time, a person begins to feel heaviness in the legs, notices swelling in the limbs, and feels pain when walking. These are important symptoms of varicose veins that should not be ignored. If a person does not rush to see a doctor and find out the cause of the disease, they run the risk of developing varicose veins and encountering a problem that cannot be solved without surgery.
With the development of varicose veins, the skin in the lower leg area becomes thicker and becomes bluish. The patient's calves begin to "groan" even after a short walk, swollen veins can be seen under the skin. Moreover, over time, such veins become very painful.
But this is just the beginning of serious health problems. If a person does not begin to fight the existing disease, irreversible changes begin to occur in the skin around the affected veins, as a result of which fibrosis develops and then the appearance ofnutritional ulcer. Furthermore, if left untreated, the inner walls of the veins will become inflamed and cause blood clots. This is how thrombophlebitis develops. Increasing in size, the blood clot clogs the vein, and the clot can dislodge at any time. And this state is equivalent to death.
Thus, it can be seen quite clearly that varicose veins need to be treated. And you need to start therapy as soon as possible. Next, we'll look at treatments for this serious illness.
Medicines for treatment
In the treatment of complex varicose veins, drugs are necessarily used. Most of these are capsules or tablets, which have a multi-purpose effect on the body. Especially:
- Phlebotonics. These drugs increase blood flow, prevent the development of thrombus, and at the same time increase the tone of the vessel walls. It will not be possible to get rid of varicose veins with such drugs, but they are able to reduce swelling of the legs, eliminate the sensation of heat and pain.
- Blood thinners. Such drugs thin the blood and promote better blood circulation, preventing the development of thrombosis. The drug is prescribed only on an individual basis and the duration of application is fixed by the doctor.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs. These include pills, ointments, and gels that help relieve pain, reduce swelling, and prevent platelets from sticking together. More importantly, these drugs prevent inflammation of the veins that leads to thrombophlebitis.
Stockings and tights due to varicose veins
The normal sex has to deal with varicose veins much more often than men. This is largely due to hormonal changes that occur in a woman's body (menopause, pregnancy). That's why the most optimal way to prevent varicose veins for them is to wear special tights or socks. Such compression underwear will compress the legs and prevent varicose veins, which means it is an excellent prevention of varicose veins. And in the event that an illness has developed, such panties will protect the legs from pain, swelling and fatigue.
Hydrotherapy
Treatment of varicose veins with water has been known since time immemorial. At different temperatures, the veins narrow and widen, which increases their elasticity. Knowing this, modern doctors use hydrotherapy in the early stages of the development of varicose veins, when a new network of blood vessels begins to appear on the skin. Moreover, depending on the existing problem, the bath can be local (for the feet only), or general (for the whole body). The water temperature in such a bath varies from 20 to 40 ° C.
Unique treatment
In the treatment of complex varicose veins, non-traditional methods can also be used. Here are some examples.
Potato juice
The affected veins should be lubricated with freshly squeezed potato juice in the morning, afternoon and evening, and bandages soaked in this juice should be bandaged at night. In addition, it is recommended to drink 100 ml of potato juice 3 r / day. Varicose veins should be treated with such a remedy for 3-4 months.
Apple vinegar
It's been called the "#1 remedy" for varicose veins, and it's all because apple cider vinegar improves blood circulation, strengthens blood vessel walls, and improves skin tone. Usage is very simple: 2-3 r / day you apply vinegar on the damaged skin veins. And at the same time, you should drink a glass of water in which 1 teaspoon has been diluted. Vinegar. The duration of treatment is 2 months.
Kalanchoe leaves
This is another effective remedy to deal with varicose veins. Fill half a liter of chopped Kalanchoe leaves and pour 40% alcohol into the ingredients to fill the bottle. After letting the product sit in the dark for a week, strain it and use tincture to apply to the affected areas twice a day. Treatment should be supplemented by gentle massaging the swollen veins. This treatment lasts 4 months.
Willow bark
Bathing with white willow bark will help a lot in the fight against this disease. For such a procedure, it is necessary to grind the peel, then 2 tbsp. l. Pour such ingredients with 400 ml of water and boil over low heat for 15 minutes. Put the finished product in a bucket of water, then lower your legs and hold for 30 minutes. And right after the procedure, put on compression stockings and let your feet rest. The procedure should be performed every other day for 3 months. By the way, to enhance the effect, a decoction of willow bark can be diluted with a decoction of oak bark.
All of these methods are excellent means to prevent this disease and aid in the treatment of varicose veins in the early stages of the disease. However, in fact, in 80% of cases, people with affected veins go to the doctor when the disease is already severe. In such a situation, compression underwear, creams and ointments as well as folk remedies are not able to affect the development of the disease in any way. Drastic measures are needed. Fortunately, modern medicine already offers effective methods to solve this complex problem.
Therapeutic therapy
This is a non-surgical method of dealing with varicose veins, in which the doctor, using a thin needle, injects a special substance into the affected vein - scleroderma. Such a substance sticks to the veins from the inside, as a result it dissolves and blood flow begins to flow through healthy veins. The number of times the repellent is applied can vary depending on the severity of the injury. And throughout the treatment, the patient must wear compression underwear.
As a result of such therapy, a person almost permanently forgets about troublesome varicose veins. Recurrence occurs only in 25% of cases and they are often associated with advanced disease. Yes, it should be understood that sclerotherapy is not performed for pregnant women and obese people.
Laser treatment
This is one of the modern advances in medicine that allows you to get rid of varicose veins without surgery. The radiation generated by the laser "welds" the affected vein from within, thus closing the lumen and cutting off the path of blood flow, which begins to pass through the deeper veins. Over time, connective tissue is formed from the glued vessel, which then disappears.
This method of problem solving is more effective than sclerotherapy. It is a low trauma, the surgery lasts no more than 40 minutes and the patient can leave the clinic literally 2 hours after the surgery. It's no surprise that laser treatment of varicose veins is called "office surgery". In this case, skin incisions are made only when large veins are removed, while small veins are removed without damaging the tissues. One just has to remember that the cost of such a surgery is quite high.
TV signal lost
More recently, in our country, they began to implement the most modern method of removing the affected veins, which is called radiofrequency ablation. It is used to treat the major veins affected by varicose veins. In this case, a radiofrequency catheter is inserted through a puncture in the skin into the affected vein, using a microwave, "punctured" the vein from the inside. Furthermore, the catheter has sensors that allow you to monitor the effectiveness of the procedure.
This method can compete with laser treatment, as it also requires no incision in the skin, leaves no hematomas and is done in just 30 minutes. On the day of surgery, the patient can return to do his or her duties. However, the cost of such a procedure is high even compared with laser coagulation.
Surgical removal
It is important to understand that in the case of eczema, thrombophlebitis, as well as trophic ulcers, treatment with the above methods is not carried out. Only varicose veinectomy combined with sclerotherapy can remove neglected varicose veins. However, everything is not so important here. In the arsenal of modern surgeons, there are minimally traumatic microsurgery methods that allow you to remove the diseased vein through a small incision and simply will not leave a scar after the procedure. In addition, new technologies make it possible to remove painful veins in just 30-40 minutes.
No need to fear varicose veins. Quite the contrary, this disease requires self-care and the sooner the better, the better. Timely recognition and the right choice of treatment will allow you to get rid of the disease without problems and live a full life.
Wish you health!