Varicose veins are a disease associated with dilation of subcutaneous vessels or veins located deep under the skin of the human body.
With this disease, the walls of the veins lose their elasticity, when varicose joints appear, they dilate, forming a blood station, above all they are seen on the legs of women. They are the ones who suffer most often from the disease. The disease can appear from the age of 20, but more so in middle-aged women. Men also get sick, but much less often.
Causes
Sometimes the cause of varicose veins is the frequent use of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol itself provokes vasodilation, but if abused, will lead to adverse consequences.
Young girls who want to sit cross-legged for hours are also at risk of developing the disease. In this position of the legs, blood stagnation occurs, which leads to disruption of the natural blood supply throughout the body.
The main factors
What are the causes of varicose veins?
- Inheritance. If the parents had weakened the vein 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 late pregnancy. At first, the disease does not appear, but after birth, all the signs of the disease are on the face. The stress that women endure during childbirth strongly influences the location of the veins.
- Overloading the body with physical muscle work provides 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 with sedentary jobs, especially office workers, are exposed to the development of varicose veins.
- Constant standing on your feet is no better - it can also cause illness.
- Women who frequently use multi-hormone contraceptives are at risk.
- Hip joint disease or previous trauma can cause the disease to develop.
- Overweight people more often have varicose veins. They have a constant load on the venous system.
- Tanning abuse, frequent saunas and alcohol consumption lead to the same situation.
Varicose veins are much easier to avoid than to cure. You just have to lead a healthy lifestyle, pay attention to good physical fitness, plus a normal diet. In this case, there is a high probability of avoiding varicose veins.
How do varicose veins appear in the legs? The first signs from the photo
As a rule, at an early stage, various symptoms of varicose veins may appear, at which time the disease is still curable.
As a rule, people rarely think about tired legs in the evening, swelling or varicose veins. If the symptoms appear too severe, 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 stage 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 swelling and fatigue of the feet. This is especially true for pregnant women: often varicose veins are not given special importance and it is believed that such a complication during pregnancy is quite normal.
Indeed, the cause of varicose veins can be considered too much body weight, but usually the pounds go away after the baby appears, but it also happens that a woman who suffered from varicose veins during pregnancy can not get rid of this disease afterthe birth of a child. This is often due to the fact that it is excess weight that leads to venous disease.
Early symptoms of varicose veins are easy to notice: the legs begin to get tired quickly from any physical activity, numb if they are in one position for a long time. But, as a rule, rarely does anyone pay attention to this, believing that leg pain when crossing a long distance is normal. In winter, many attribute the pain to the presence of heavy insulated shoes on their feet, while in summer the reason is heat. However, this is just an excuse, and there is no truth in it.
It is worth considering the earliest symptoms of varicose veins that can be seen during diagnosis when contacting a specialist: foot fatigue after a little physical exertion or pain after wearing heavy shoes, often women who wear heels face this, the presence of pain, burning sensation in the legs in the evening, increased fatigue, deterioration of work capacity. If the disease is neglected, then the first sign of varicose veins are ulcers.
diagnostic
From the beginning of the detection of a disease such as varicose veins, it is necessary to investigate the veins to determine the pain, tension, density, presence of parts of the affected vein, swelling and inflammation within them. The specialist who performs this examination is called a phlebologist. What to do at the first signs of varicose veins in the legs? First of all, it is necessary to diagnose the severity of the disease.
During the procedure, the patient should take an upright position so that the veins fill with blood as much as possible. It is better if the diagnosis is made in the evening - this will allow the affected areas to get a more defined contour. With the help of palpation and a superficial examination, the specialist can get the first information about the condition of the patient's vessels. Once the preliminary examination is performed, the second phase of the diagnosis of varicose veins begins - ultrasound examination.
Taking tests when diagnosing varicose veins is an important source of information that helps in the accurate diagnosis of the disease.
What tests are done if you suspect varicose veins?
The first test is taking blood samples for hormones, biochemistry and hemoglobin. Also a general blood test is taken, its group and rhesus, infectious group are determined.
After that, the patient must pass urine for tests to also determine hemoglobin, sugar, ketone bodies, and this test will also determine the 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 the disease. This procedure lasts no more than half an hour while the patient is in a horizontal position.
Treatment
This disease is very dangerous and widespread throughout the world, depending on the stage of the disease, different methods of treatment are used.
To treat the first signs of varicose veins in the legs, you should consult a phlebologist, after the examination, he will make the correct diagnosis, you can not treat this disease yourself. If treatment is not received in time, patients may die.
Methods for treating the first signs of varicose veins in the legs:
- sclerotherapy;
- medical treatment;
- medicinal herbs;
- compression underwear;
- Surgical intervention.
Traditional methods
They are used only in the complex treatment in combination with medication, you need to take tinctures of nettle, acacia. These solutions are drunk three times a day before meals, it is useful to make cold foot baths from decoctions of burdock, nettle and birch leaves.
All proposed herbal preparations are taken only with the permission of a physician; it is not recommended to drink decoctions and tinctures yourself.
Medication treatment
Used drugs that have a tonic effect on the veins and are sold in pharmacies in the form of oils and gels.
In order for the use of oils to become effective, it is also recommended to wear compression underwear.
Compression underwear
This assortment includes sweaters, socks, in different stages of varicose veins, different compression of linen is described. You can buy such medical sweaters in specialty stores.
This shoe helps to normalize the venous outflow of blood, the necessary compression force restores the normal functioning of the veins.
Taking medication does not completely cure varicose veins, but it relieves some of the symptoms and facilitates the course of the disease. Also, thanks to the use of various drugs, the risk of developing a disease such as thrombophlebitis is reduced. This disease occurs as a result of lack of treatment for varicose veins, it is treated only in a hospital, and surgery is often required.
Also, for treatment often uses lymphatic drainage massage, thanks to its use in the general course of therapy, the patient's lymphatic outflow is improved, edema will decrease, fatigue and heaviness in the legs will disappear. The only negative is the effect of massage. It will only last two months, but then the massage course can be extended.
Sclerotherapy
This type of treatment is used if surgery is needed, but this procedure is different from surgery. A special medicine is injected into the vein in which the thrombus is located.
This medicine works in such a way that the top layer of the affected vein is destroyed, then stuck together. Then, after 1. 5 years, this vein is distributed in the human body, the other veins begin to perform its working functions.
The drug is prescribed by a phlebologist, individual treatment is applied to each patient. The course of sclerotherapy includes 3-6 procedures, after a time of 2 to 8 weeks, the doctor will be able to determine how this treatment worked.
This procedure can only be performed by experienced specialists, as if the procedure is performed incorrectly, the vein will restore its blood flow through the sclerosed vessel and will have no therapeutic effect.
In addition to administering the medication, when using this procedure, the microfose is injected into a vein. For the accuracy of this procedure, an ultrasound scanner is needed, thanks to which the doctor will see on the screen the movement of the needle and the process of distributing the medicine along it.
In more severe cases, when massage, compression underwear, medication do not help and the disease progresses to a more acute stage, such patients are prescribed surgeries.
Consequences of varicose veins
The consequence of the disease does not predict well, this is a cosmetic problem and is associated with other health problems that have arisen as a result of varicose veins. The most affected women are the ones who want their legs to look beautiful and slim. With the onset of the disease, this is impossible, but the cosmetic problem is not the main one. Varicose veins lead to more vulnerable health problems.
Most often, there is pain in the legs, which is accompanied by uncomfortable itching. Painful pain occurs from insufficient oxygen and other trace elements that can not pass to the affected area. The cause of the pain is damage to the large veins. But small vessels also give uncomfortable sensations.
Of course, for women, a cosmetic problem is also important, but the most unpleasant consequences are swollen ankles. The pain goes away 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 the places of varicose veins. With such a disease, a person suffers from constant itching, wound formation and the appearance of various rashes. The onset of dermatitis can lead to thrombophlebitis. When a blood clot appears, you should urgently seek the help of a specialist. If this is not done, then the consequences for a person can be very serious. Therefore, in no case should it be delayed.