Causes and treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities

blood flow to the leg with varicose veins

Varicose veins of the lower extremities - the appearance of spider veins (nets) and dilated clear veins in the legs. The disease, which is widespread in the adult population, is more common in women than in men.

The disease got this name when translated from Latin, it literally means: bloating, expansion.

The first sensations with this disease are very different for each patient, but the feeling of heaviness in the legs, rapid fatigue, pain along the vein unite everyone.

Treatment should be chosen by an experienced physician who can objectively assess the stage and progression of the disease.

The pathology, which is often just a cosmetic defect, however, in some cases, can lead to serious complications and persistent disability.

What are varicose veins, the mechanisms of development of pathology

knots in the legs with varicose veins

Some people over the age of 40 may experience a rather unpleasant condition - the appearance of varicose veins on their legs. Small purple vessels that penetrate the skin, braided into cobwebs or look like a densely branched tree, are a serious cosmetic problem for many, especially women. Vascular networks "out of nowhere" (in medicine, the term telangiectasia is used) is the extension of tiny veins with a diameter of less than 1 mm located in the thickness of the skin. This is one of the signs that a person has varicose veins in the legs.

If the knots start to protrude above the surface of the skin, soft to the touch, which become more noticeable when a person is standing, then we can talk about another manifestation. This is already a more serious pathology - varicose veins of the large and small clear veins, as well as their branches.

The veins in the legs are soft, thin-walled canals that return blood to the heart. In order to compensate for the force of gravity, nature provided them with valves, which prevent the reverse flow (regression) of blood. There are two venous systems in the lower extremities: superficial and deep. The first is represented by the vessels that are under the skin, so that they are visible. The second is the deep veins of the legs, which are located next to the bones in the thickness of the muscles. There are communications between these systems - perforated veins.

The inability of the valves to perform their function leads to stagnation of blood in the lower parts, emptying of its "excess" through the perforated veins from deep to superficial. This, in turn, creates increased pressure on the venous system of the legs, which is located under the skin. What makes her vessels react to this is that they "spin and lengthen". And that is why varicose veins appear on the legs.

Growth reasons

There are many conditions that lead to valve damage and loss of elasticity in the vessel wall. There are definite causes of varicose veins in the legs, which are most often associated with this disease:

  • Age. Over the years, our veins lose their elasticity and begin to expand. The valves are also "coarsely cut", lose their elasticity and cease to function normally.
  • Pregnancy is accompanied by an increase in blood volume in the body and also helps to slow down its movement in the lower extremities (the large uterus presses on the veins of the small pelvis). Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy also play a role. As a rule, the symptoms of varicose veins without treatment resolve within 12 months after birth.

The resulting telangiectasias (or, as many doctors mistakenly call them, capillary varicose veins), the causes of the appearance on the face and feet are often related to exposure to sunlight. Therefore, women who want to avoid this cosmetic problem should choose - either a beautiful tan or a vascular mesh.

Risk factors

Varicose veins are a multifactorial pathology.

  • Floor. Women are more likely to develop this disease. Hormonal imbalances that occur during pregnancy, premenstrual period and menopause can be considered a risk factor because it relaxes the vein wall for a long time. Hormone replacement therapy or long-term use of birth control pills also increases the risk of varicose veins.
  • Heredity.
  • Portliness.
  • Prolonged standing or sitting (office workers, surgeons, drivers).
  • Alcohol abuse. Alcohol and varicose veins also have a definite relationship.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Initially, the disease may not cause discomfort, it may be suspected when the following symptoms occur:

  • the formation of spider veins, nets in the legs (extension of the intradermal vessels pink, blue, purple).
  • the veins "twist", protrude above the surface of the skin, like cords, interrupted by knots.

Later, the following symptoms may occur:

  • tired legs.
  • burning, palpitations, muscle cramps and swelling in the lower extremities.
  • worsening of the manifestations of the disease if a person is standing or sitting for a long time.
  • itching around "swollen" vessels.
  • bleeding from varicose veins;
  • painful, local hardening of the vessel site.
  • changes in skin color or ulceration in the ankle area.

The disease is diagnosed based on the data obtained during the examination and interrogation of the patient. Doppler ultrasound is usually sufficient to assess the severity of the pathology (how the valves work, the presence of a blood clot in the veins).

Treatment of pathology

If you are diagnosed with "varicose veins", this does not mean that you need to stay in the hospital for a long time. Thanks to modern minimally invasive procedures, the pathology is usually treated on an external basis.

Change your lifestyle or help yourself

There are several self-help methods that reduce the discomfort of varicose veins and help prevent further varicose veins. Here are some of them:

  • Regular exercise. Move as much as possible. Regular walking is a great physical activity that can improve blood circulation to your legs. How much load will be optimal - you can ask your doctor about it.
  • Continuous control of your weight, the excess of which has a detrimental effect on the vessels of the legs. Do not forget the salt, the excessive intake of which in the body causes fluid retention, which increases the load on the veins.
  • Pay attention to what you wear. Shoes with low heels, in contrast to high heels, make the muscular-venous pump in the legs work - the gastrocnemius muscle. Avoid wearing skinny pants at the groin and waist, as this can affect blood flow.
  • Hold your feet as often as possible. To do this, several times a day, you need to take breaks and raise your legs above the level of the heart, for example, lie down and put them on pillows.
  • Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time.

Compression therapy

Usually, the initial stages of varicose veins of the lower extremities are treated with compression stockings. External compression prevents swelling of the veins, which in turn improves the movement of blood through the vessels.

Additional treatments for a more serious condition

If lifestyle modification and the use of compression stockings do not improve the symptoms and also if the stages of varicose veins (compensation and compensation) do not allow the pathology to be treated on its own, the following treatment options come to the rescue:

  • Sclerotherapy.The procedure, which does not require much anesthesia, is performed on an external basis. The doctor injects a special substance (hardener) into the varicose veins, which sticks to the walls.
  • Foam sclerotherapy.In contrast to the usual technique, in this technique, the hardener is injected into a vein after mixing it with gas (usually air), which makes it possible to treat larger diameter veins.
  • Laser surgery. . . The new technology, which removes small varicose veins and vascular networks, is performed without skin incisions and vascular perforation.
  • Intravenous radiofrequency or laser removal. . . A technique that involves inserting a catheter into the lumen of a vein, at the end of which is a radio frequency or laser energy emitter.
  • Safeno-femoral ligation and stripping of the great saphenous vein. . . The first procedure involves bandaging and removing the upper part of the vein. During the second, a special catheter is inserted into the lumen of the vessel (two incisions are made in advance: one in the groin area, the second at the level of the upper third of the lower leg) and extends along its entire length. It is then removed along with the dilated vein.
  • Terrible phlebectomy. . . The doctor removes small dilated veins, while making several small incisions in the skin. The scars are usually almost invisible.
  • Endoscopic Vein Surgery. . . It usually occurs when the patient has an advanced stage of varicose veins of the lower extremities (ulcers appear) or, the previous methods of treatment were ineffective.

Varicose veins that appear during pregnancy usually disappear without any treatment within 12 months after birth.

Alternative medicine

There is a wide arsenal of alternative therapies for chronic venous insufficiency, a condition associated with varicose veins. The following treatments are most commonly used for this pathology:

  • butcher broom;
  • grapes (leaves, juice, seed extract).
  • horse chestnut;
  • sweet clover.

Before using any herb or dietary supplement, make sure that these supplements are compatible with the medicines prescribed by your doctor and that they are safe for you. Therefore, before taking them, you should consult your doctor.

Prophylaxis

There is no universal, guaranteed way to prevent the development of varicose veins in the legs. Nevertheless, there are preventive measures that help reduce the chances of new manifestations of the disease, in improving its symptoms. Here are some of them:

  • Physical activity (regular sports, where the legs are "involved", for example, walking or running, improves blood circulation in the lower extremities, strengthens blood vessels).
  • Weight control (extra pounds increase the load on the lower extremities (pressure in the veins).
  • Do not cross your legs while sitting.
  • During rest, raise them above the level of the heart.
  • Try to avoid standing or sitting still.
  • Diet (less salt and more fiber).

It is also worth rinsing your feet with cold water after a shower or bath. Try to visit rare baths or saunas.

Varicose veins in the legs are a widespread problem, the frequency among men ranges from 10 to 20% and in women it reaches 33%. Unfortunately, it is impossible for me to fully recover from this disease. But new minimally invasive techniques used in medicine can improve symptoms. Early treatment in the early stages of the disease can prevent the development of serious complications.