Varicose veins or in common people, varicose veins are irreversible and persistent elongation and extension of the veins, mainly of the lower extremities, as well as the formation of certain "nodes" as a result of pathology of the venous walls or due to a genetic defect (insufficiency of their valves).
Today, varicose veins are a very common disease. It affects every tenth man and every third woman. The more a person follows a sedentary, inactive lifestyle, the more prone they are to this disease.
USA, France, United Kingdom - are the leading countries in the prevalence of varicose veins (more than 30% of the population on average).
The causes of varicose veins
This utility is manifested by an increase in venous pressure. It is generally accepted that the varicose veins are exclusively of the lower extremity, however, there are varicose veins of the esophagus, stomach, testicles or small pelvic varicose veins.
Incidentally, the latter is one of the reasons for a fairly common disease such as hemorrhoids.
The main reasons for the development of varicose veins include:
- Gender: Often in female representatives, varicose veins are caused by taking various hormonal drugs or pregnancy.
- Heredity
- Increased venous pressure, including due to weight problems, sedentary sedentary lifestyle.
The above reasons contribute both to the expansion of the veins and to the disruption of the normal normal function of the venous valves.
Stages of the disease
The following stages of varicose veins can be distinguished:
- Initial- characterized by leg pain, swelling and heaviness. Prevention of the disease at this stage, after all, is more appropriate.
- First stage- to the above symptoms are added the nodes, the spider veins, which are seen through the skin. It is often possible to feel a burning sensation in the area of the legs and calves.
- Second level- the number of varicose veins and asterisks increases vertically, making them more visible. The pain becomes unbearable, the legs drain a lot.
- Third stage- here the skin of the feet is directly affected. It becomes cracked, lifeless and dry. In addition, it is possible to change the color and structure of the skin on the feet. The venous nodes begin to take on a convex shape.
What about varicose veins?
One of the first symptoms of varicose veins is frequent swelling of the legs, stretching and heaviness in the calves when you sit for a long time.
Also, no less characteristic of varicose veins is the reduction or disappearance of these symptoms after a night's rest or walking.
If you do not start treatment on time, the following symptoms appear - broken pains in the calves, cramps in the calf muscles, feeling of heat in the legs.
Also on the legs you can see red-blue vascular "stars", the clear veins dilate and you can see intradermal dark blue veins.
With advanced varicose veins, thrombophlebitis (inflammation of the dilated veins with the formation of blood clots in them), eczema in the affected areas or food ulcers can develop.
In order to eliminate the risks of varicose veins, it is necessary to get rid of the main causes of appearance and external factors: smoking, alcohol, unhealthy diet.
Varicose veins of the lower extremities develop from a lack of fiber-rich foods in the diet. It is an intestinal cleanser that removes waste, pus, toxins and radionuclides from the body.
Varicose veins
There are the following types (forms) of varicose veins of the lower extremity:
- Localized venous lesion with defective secretion through communication or pathological veins.
- Detected intradermal or subcutaneous vascular damage without reflux.
- Widespread venous involvement with defective deep vein blood flow.
- Widespread lesion of the veins with defective blood flow through the communication veins.
In addition, separately isolated, such a form as the reticular form of varicose veins. It is a type of common varicose veins, with it there is an extension of thin intradermal veins
Diagnostics
When you notice the initial symptoms, you should immediately contact a specialist in venous diseases - a venologist.
Success in treating varicose veins depends largely on when you started treatment. Of course, the earlier you see a doctor, the lower the risk of complications.
After the first test, the doctor will prescribe an instrument, usually a Doppler ultrasound.
It happens that methods of radiopaque and radionuclides are used, if the need arises.
With these methods, special substances are injected into the bloodstream and then their distribution through the blood vessels is studied.
How to treat varicose veins
Varicose veins can be treated with 3 methods:
- Sclerotherapy.
- Perform varicose vein surgery.
- Medication (conservative treatment).
In addition to the above methods, the band uses medical knits and physiotherapy exercises.
Below we will examine each of the 3 methods in more detail.
Sclerotherapy
Scleropenia is a painless, non-surgical and most importantly high quality and effective method of treating varicose veins. This is a fairly new way of treating varicose veins compared to others.
One of the main advantages of sclerotherapy is that the treatment does not require hospitalization, ie it is performed on an external basis and that it does not in any way affect the patient's usual rhythm of life.
The essence of the method lies in the fact that a special sclerosing drug is carefully injected into the "sick" vein, which causes a kind of "sticking" of the veins.
At the end of the procedure, a bandage is applied, which must be worn for a week. During this period, the vein grows, after which the blood flow disappears and is restored.
Unfortunately, not all types of varicose veins can be treated with this method. If the patient needs surgery, then sclerotherapy not only will not help in this case, but can also cause a number of complications, and possibly even worsening.
For example, there is a classification of varicose veins according to the flesh, where the varicose veins are divided into degrees and this method can only treat grade 1 varicose veins.
As for the consequences of sclerotherapy, it is the maintenance of small bruises for a short time and a slight staining of the "weak" veins.
Performed by a professional doctor, this method guarantees a permanent result: the dilated veins "close" and the blood flow never returns through them.
Mode
Varicose vein surgery or laser varicose vein surgery. Currently, this method is one of the main ones. One, there are many contraindications:
- During pregnancy or women who have just given birth, it is recommended to wait at least 5 weeks, as in many cases, the varicose veins that have arisen during pregnancy go away on their own without any intervention.
- If you are dealing exclusively with the aesthetic side of the problem and there are no other symptoms (inflammation of the veins, pain).
- A surgical method for treating varicose veins is indicated only if the others do not make sense or will not bring results.
The treatment of varicose veins with a surgical method is carried out, as a rule, on an external basis, without hospitalization of the patient.
There are 3 methods of surgical treatment of varicose veins - ligation, stripping and microflebotomy.
- Connectivity- This is a kind of varicose veins connection. Typically, this method is used in conjunction with others, for example, it serves as an adjunct to stripping or phlebectomy.
- Stripping- a surgical method for the treatment of varicose veins, in which the "sick" vein is removed using a thin small catheter.
- Microlevectomy- the substance lies in the removal of varicose veins through a puncture, which is done on the skin.
Pharmaceutical method of treatment
Medication is an equally important ingredient in treating varicose veins. Properly selected medications will help not only to eliminate the rather basic manifestations of varicose veins, but also to reduce the risk of complications.
Most of these drugs help relieve bloating and pain syndromes, improve blood flow and so on.
These medicines help with the following:
- Improve the function of the lymphatic drainage.
- Increase general venous tone.
- Improving the microcirculation of hematological disorders.
It should be noted that the use of these drugs, like any other, should be carried out only after a thorough examination and in accordance with the instructions of the doctor.
Treatment with folk remedies for varicose veins
In addition to traditional medicine, there are also recipes from the "folk" first aid kit:
- Take a few cloves of garlic and chop them. Note that only garlic with white skins is used! Then mix it with two tablespoons of butter. Apply the resulting yeast to the "wounded" veins for the night, over parchment paper, secure with a tight bandage and at the end wrap it with a warm handkerchief. In the morning, after the shower, we dress with something warm.
- Hop infusion is an equally effective folk remedy against varicose veins. Take hop cones (make sure they dry) and pour 1 glass of boiling water. Let it boil for an hour and then do not hesitate to make the infusion half an hour before meals in a glass.
And remember that varicose veins are not a suggestion, they are still possible and necessary to treat and the sooner you consult a specialist, the easier and more effective the treatment itself will be.
Be healthy!