Therapeutic regimen for varicose veins of the lower extremities

20 September 2020

Varicose veins are the scourge of modern humanity. But often the treatment of varicose veins, the shape of which is chosen separately, ends successfully. Sometimes it is just a matter of treatment and medication, but sometimes the condition is saved only by surgery. What are the ways to get rid of this nasty and serious disease?

Varicose veins - basic information Varicose veins are a pathological condition characterized by damage to the venous vessels.

There are special valves in the veins, which act as a kind of closure, blocking the flow of blood downwards (the venous blood in the legs flows from the bottom up).

Valve system failure leads to blood reflux and congestion. As a result of these processes, the veins weaken, stretch and deform, unable to cope with the rising blood pressure.

The result is a symptom known to many - swollen veins on the surface of the skin, which indicates the dynamic development of the pathology.

The whole lie of the disease lies in the fact that in the early stages it manifests itself as usual fatigue and heaviness in the legs.

Therefore, many do not rush to see a doctor and already start the alarm when blue spots become visible on the skin, spoiling the appearance of the feet.

Learn more about the symptoms of early varicose veins here.

The reasons for the development of this pathology are very different.These include both congenital abnormalities of the vascular system and certain factors that cause: sedentary lifestyle, overweight, uncomfortable shoes, occupational activities associated with prolonged posture.

The treatment of the disease is always carried out in a complete way. The necessary regimen is selected by a specialist based on the stage of development of the disease and the individual characteristics of the organism.

Which doctor treats veins?

Varicose veins are not only dilated veins, but also serious valvular violations and failure of blood circulation, which leads to serious complications throughout the body. And if the first symptoms appear - swelling of the veins, muscle cramps, constant heaviness in the legs - you should make an appointment with a venologist.

Based on the severity of the case, the causes of the disease and the state of health, the doctor will choose the most appropriate course of treatment from the options available today.

Threatening symptoms

The main reasons that lead to varicose veins are: heredity, overweight, sedentary lifestyle, sedentary or permanent work, hormonal imbalance in the body. According to statistics, 40% of adult women and 20% of men have signs of varicose veins.

A venologist diagnoses the disease, you should contactif you have any of these symptoms:

Heavy on legs that gets worse towards the end of the day.
Rapid fatigue of the legs during long walks.
Pain in the legs.
The appearance of a thin vascular plexus in the legs.
Convulsions that increase in intensity at night.
Itching of the skin of the lower extremities.

atrophy of the muscle fibers of the superficial veinsgradually develops, the blood vessels elongate, dilate, become round, nodules appear on them above the surface of the skin. The skin above the swollen veins becomes blue-red, dry and hot, ulcers appear due to eating tissue disorders.

Due to dystrophic changes in the subcutaneous fat layer, lipodermatosclerosis can develop - a dangerous complication of varicose veins in the legs, the treatment of which with conservative methods may not be successful.

To avoid the serious consequences of varicose veins, phlebologists advise their patientsto start treatment earlywhen the first signs of the disease appear.

Treatment methods

Hardening is very effective, which involves injecting a special hardener into the vessels using a syringe with the best needle. The venous lumens tighten, the ends of the ruptures stick together, thus stopping the flow of blood out of the vessels. The substance itself, having fulfilled its function, is absorbed.

This method removes all stains and gives an excellent cosmetic effect. But after the procedure, it is necessary to maintain the condition of the veins with additional treatment and wear compression garments.

Almost 10 years ago, a laser, or rather laser intravenous coagulation, began to be used successfully in medicine to fight varicose veins. Treat the veins as follows:

Using local anesthesia, a small puncture is made in the vein.
An optical fiber is inserted into the resulting hole.
The laser acts on damaged areas, sealing the damage.
Then a new fabric appears on the sealed part.

The operation is not performed "blindly" - the process is monitored by an ultrasound machine, so there is almost no risk of failure. In addition, the absence of significant incisions excludes painful sensations, bleeding and violation of adjacent tissues.

After the procedure, you should bandage the affected areas or wear compression stockings and tights.

Radiofrequency ablation is often used and high frequency current successfully treats varicose veins. It happens as follows:

The vein is pierced.
A catheter is inserted into the hole.
Radiation enters the vessel through it.
The duct acts at the molecular level, changing the protein molecules of the damaged vein.

The method allows you to quickly treat all venous nodules and does not require special postoperative treatment.

Methods for treating varicose veins

There are two of these: conservative and surgical. The patient faces an urgent question: how to treat varicose veins in the legs without surgery. When choosing a method, the doctor takes into account the signs, the stage of the disease, the presence of complications, concomitant diseases, the age of the patient. Non-surgical methods for the elimination of varicose veins of the lower extremities give good results only when the symptoms of the pathology are still poorly expressed.

To stop the degradation of the affected vessels help:

drug treatment?
compression processing?
physiotherapy exercises?
physiotherapy?
massage?
traditional medicine recipes?
diet.

Phlebologists try to choose for patients during pregnancy exclusively non-drug treatments for varicose veins of the lower extremities. First of all, they are compression underwear, gymnastic exercises, physiotherapy, massage, diet. If medicines are required, only medicines for external use are prescribed.

The debate continues over whether hierotherapy helps with varicose veins. Hirudin produced by leeches, penetrating the venous system of the lower extremities, thins the thick blood. However, today there are many modern medicines with the same property. In addition, there are risk factors for the use of leeches - vascular infection, allergic reactions.

If necessary, the treatment of varicose veins is done by radical methods. This:

sclerotherapy?
ozone treatment?
cryotherapy?
electrocoagulation?
laser coagulation?
surgery.

Sclerotherapy - injection into a diseased vein of a drug that "sticks" the dilated vessel. It stops pumping blood and gradually dissolves. The maximum effectiveness of sclerotherapy is achieved at an early stage of pathology. A similar method is ozone therapy: some of this gas is injected with a syringe into the lumens of the small veins and the vessels "stick" as well.

Cold is used during cryotherapy procedures. During electrocoagulation, a high frequency current is supplied to the vessels through a very thin electrode. Laser treatment of varicose veins is also an effective modern method, especially when used in combination with conservative methods. At the same time, the cosmetic effect is high: after a few weeks, the patient has no scars or scars.

However, surgical removal is the most effective treatment that allows you to get rid of varicose veins radically when medication does not lead to the desired result. Diseased vessels are removed through local subcutaneous incisions. After surgery, the foot is tied tightly and after three to four hours the patient can walk.

Principles of medical treatment of varicose veins

Effective treatment of varicose veins is possible only if the selected drugs prevent the mechanisms of pathology, destruction of vascular walls and valves.

The main tasks of varicose vein medication are:

restore blood circulation?
strengthening of the venous walls.
increased vascular tone.
decrease in blood viscosity?
prevention of blood clots?
normalizing the valve system?
elimination of inflammatory processes.
normalization of blood circulation in capillaries.

Medications are necessary for the complex treatment of the disease.

They are also widely used for preventive purposes, which is especially important for people at risk of developing pathology.

To date, there are a large number of drugs for the treatment of varicose veins in the legs and all differ in composition and mechanism of action.

See a doctor

Varicose veins are a serious disease, which, if treated incorrectly or not, can threaten various complications that are dangerous to human health and life.

Help. Vascular thromboembolism, thrombophlebitis, food ulcers - this is not a complete list of complications of varicose veins that pose a threat to humans.

In this regard, you should not even try to self-medicate.

Home drug selection experiments can either make matters worse or ineffective.

In any case, this is a waste of time, health and money.

Therefore, you should contact a venologist. Only a specialist will be able to choose the right drugs and create the treatment regimen so as to reap the maximum benefit for the patient.

What drugs are used

Complex treatment of varicose veins consists of using several groups of drugs at the same time:

Phlebotonics.
Anticoagulants.
Anti-inflammatory.
Fibrinolytics.

They are also used to enhance the therapeutic effectmeans of systemic and local influence.

Creams, gels, ointmentsare used as topical preparations. When choosing a remedy for varicose veins and thrombophlebitis, you should keep in mind that it is thefactor in the form of an ointment that is characterized by the highest content of the active ingredient.

Important!A common contraindication to all topical treatments is a violation of skin integrity.

As a rule, such drugs are applied several times a day and the product should be rubbed with light movements from bottom to top.

Drug groups and their effects

In the case of varicose veins, drugs are classified according to the type of action intothree main groups:

bentonic or phlebotropic agents?
blood thinners (anticoagulants) and drugs that inhibit platelet adhesion (antiplatelet agents).
anti-inflammatory drugs.

Research and medical practice have proven the effectiveness of phlebotonics developed based on the natural flavonoids- diosmin and hesperid. These substances not only protect the cells of the veins, but stimulate the outflow of lymph and stabilize the work of capillaries. Co-administration of combination drugs containing both flavonoids is particularly effective.

Most often phlebotropic agentsare taken for 2 to 3 months in courses. It is important that the reception coincides with the hot season, when the load on the containers increases due to the high air temperature and the use of large volumes of water. If varicose veins are accompanied by chronic venous insufficiency, phlebotonics are taken continuously at half dose.

A patient diagnosed with varicose veinsshould receive systemic treatment from the beginningto prevent the disease from developing and reduce the chance of complications.

The second task is solved with drugs that dilute the blood (anticoagulants) and improve its flowing properties, preventing the formation of thrombotic clots (antiplatelet agents).

The formation of blood clots, their separation from the vascular wall and movement along the venous bed leads to the overlap of the vessels of the heart, lungs and human brain. As a result, the risk of heart attack, pulmonary embolism and ischemic stroke is very high.

Anticoagulants are not a cure for varicose veins, but are used to prevent serious complications- thrombosis and thrombophlebitis. We can say that these drugs save the patient's life and minimize the threat of disability.

Function

Removal of damaged veins of the lower extremities or parts of them is performed through incisions or puncture. Elimination of diseased vessels in the clinic is necessary if:

The veins in the legs dilate abnormally.
the skin is affected.
trophic ulcers appeared.

Surgical treatment of varicose veins of the legs is contraindicated:

for severe hypertension, coronary heart disease, infectious diseases, eczema.
if the patient has already reached old age.
during pregnancy (over 5 months).

Complementary therapy

In addition to medical and surgical treatment, adjunctive therapy is important, including some measures to restore veins to normal:

The wrap has a relaxing effect, removes the feeling of heaviness in the legs. When buying the necessary money, it is worth remembering that warm varicose vein wraps are contraindicated.
Foot baths are another way to help relieve stress on your feet. Using medicinal herbs and oils, you can strengthen blood vessels, get rid of swelling and redness. But the result will be only with the daily use of the method.
Shower with contrast. 10 seconds of cold soaking and 30 seconds of hot (hot water is best avoided) for 5-7 minutes every morning will help keep your veins in good condition. For these purposes, you can use the shower Alekseev or Charcot.

Phlebologists often include physiotherapy in combination therapy - laser, magnetotherapy, electrophoresis

They do not cause discomfort and pain, cheaply and quite effectively. In addition, the treatment is carried out under the supervision of doctors. The main condition is regular visits to the office.

Physiotherapy has a beneficial effect on the condition of the venous walls, muscle tissue and valve activity.

Compression therapy is an important component not only of treatment but also of prevention and the postoperative period. The use of bandages will avoid stagnant processes, support damaged blood vessels and stop the progression of the disease.

Applying bandages requires some knowledge and dexterity, as excessive pulling can lead to deterioration and the weak bandage will not give the desired result. Therefore, for the proper use of bandages, it is worth consulting a doctor.

Varicose vein massage is not allowed in all cases, so only a doctor can tell if it is worth using in a particular case or not. If the method is chosen correctly, then after the first session you can feel the result. This method can lead to improved blood microcirculation, relief of the main symptoms of the disease, including external ones.

The more advanced the disease, the harder it is to fight it, and sometimes patients come too late, and then there is only one way out - phlebectomy. To avoid this, you should not expect complications, but receive timely special help.

Conservative method

Varicose veins treatment specialists try to do without traumatic surgeries that are not needed in the early stages of the disease. For example, this is typical of varicose veins, the occurrence of which is limited only by blue venous networks. The drugs help to improve the condition of the valves and the walls of the blood vessels. Men, like women, should wear compression stockings. The pathology can not be completely cured. However, conservative methods stop the development of varicose veins and protect against complications.

Gymnastics

Exercise therapists know how to remove leg veins by doing physical therapy exercises. This is possible provided that the exercise, which improves blood flow to the legs, is done systematically. For example:

In the upright position, the heels of the feet are raised sharply alternately.
In the same upright position, they slowly ascend to their toes and descend just as slowly.
Sitting in a chair, throw a small ball on the floor with your feet back and forth.

Wear special underwear

Doctors recommend a combination of medical treatment of varicose veins with the use of compression underwear - these are products made from a special type of knitted garments that put pressure (compression) on the veins. The degree of pressure of the linen on the walls of the containers can be adjusted by buying products with different degrees of compression.

There are four degrees of compression in total: the first is used for prevention, the rest for treatment. With varicose veins of the lower extremities, leggings, tights, high knees and leggings, the doctor selects the required degree of compression.

Compression underwear creates a dense frame of crush on the feet,thanks to this, the following effects are developed:

Weak leg muscles are supported.
The walls of the blood vessels are compressed, thus preventing them from stretching.
Lymph flow and blood circulation are stimulated.
Stagnation is removed.
The function of the venous valves is normal.
Reduces the load on the dilated veins.
Thrombophlebitis is preventable.

It is mandatory to wear compression stockings after varicose vein surgery. Underwear helps prevent the recurrence of the disease, creates additional support for the body during the recovery period.

Compression sclerotherapy

Compression sclerotherapy is a modern method of treating varicose veins, which involves injecting drugs into the affected veins. As a result, sclerosis (adhesion) of the venous walls occurs, the blood flow to the injection site stops and the vein gradually dissolves or leaves behind an almost noticeable limb that does not bother the patient at all.

Sclerotherapy is most often performed when spider veins appear, when the varicose veins are in the early stages. With the progressive development of varicose veins of the legs, sclerotherapy treatment is carried out after analysis of the condition of the venous valves and the walls of the vessels, the functional characteristics of the patient's circulatory system.

If a decision is made to perform compression sclerotherapy, the patient undergoes a blood clotting test and an ultrasound examination of the veins. When performing sclerotherapy, the patient does not experience painful sensations, as the drug is injected into a vein using the thinnest needle. At the end of the procedure, a sterile bandage is applied to the drug delivery area and the patient wears a compression garment. In the first week after sclerotherapy, compression stockings should be worn around the clock and then allowed to be removed at night.

Positive results of sclerotherapy:

Restoration of efficient blood flow.
Blockage of blood clots in venous lesion
Prevention of eating disorders in tissues.
Elimination of clinical symptoms of varicose veins: edema, seizures, pain.
Excellent cosmetic effect due to the fact that the distal veins disappear completely.

Diet

For a more effective treatment of varicose veins, it is important to organize your diet properly. Berries, apples, citrus fruits, which contain flavonoids, antioxidants, routine, help to improve the condition of blood vessels. Diluted blood provides a daily intake of a sufficient amount of fluid (1. 5-2 liters). The diet with varicose veins on the legs is incompatible with fatty, fried foods, hot spices, alcohol.

Folk remedies

Treatment of varicose veins with folk remedies at home in the summer is very effective. The following recipes are popular:

Foot compress for 15-20 minutes with tomato paste. It has a high content of lycopene, which actively strengthens blood vessels and prevents the formation of blood clots. At the same time, it is useful to eat fresh tomatoes every day.
Infusion of sweet clover, an herb necessary for varicose veins: Art. large. The raw materials are prepared with two glasses of boiling water, kept until cool, filtered. Drink half a glass 3 times a day, the rest of the volume is used as a lotion.

What not to do

When diagnosed with varicose veins, attention should be paid to lifestyle, diet and sports.Not allowed:

active physical activity, running, jumping (yoga classes allowed).
prolonged posture or prolonged sitting position?
use of all medicines without consulting a venologist.
long flights with forced footwork. In addition, at high altitudes, a sharp thickening of the blood occurs, which leads to the formation of blood clots.
take hot baths, visit a sauna.
Massage with butter and honey is strictly forbidden, only manual medical massage is allowed.

Possible complications

Food ulcersare a form of varicose vein complication that manifests itself in the development and deepening of a long-term ulcer without healing. Usually, a separate painful ulcer develops in the lower part of the foot, in which "outflow" is often observed in the form of a bloody outflow of serum that covers the affected tissues.

Emergency medical care

Immediate medical attention is required if the following symptoms occur:

Increased pain in the affected limb, inability to get out of bed or take a few steps.
The skin on the foot is warm, swollen and firm to the touch.
Skin color changes from light blue to light blue.
Sudden shortness of breath, shortness of breath, sweating and severe weakness.
Bleeding from infected skin or varicose veins.

The necessary medicines for varicose veins of the lower extremities should be included in the complex treatment regimen.Even after surgery, many series of phlebotonic and antiplatelet agents will be requiredto avoid possible eating disorders, inflammation and complications of the disease.

Many multi-ingredient anti-varicose vein drugs work in combination, they have many functions. The effectiveness of these drugs is more intense.It is ideal to use therapy courses in the correct dosage, calculated by the venologist, in combination with compression therapy, yoga classes, swimming in the pool, herbal remedies.

Conclusion

The complex treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities involves the use of various therapeutic techniques.

Along with medication, physiotherapy, special exercises, massage etc. are prescribed.