Prevention of varicose veins in the legs

It is necessary to start preventing varicose veins in the legs when the first signs of stretching of the vascular walls are detected. If therapy is neglected, the disease will continue to develop, leading to serious complications. Lifestyle changes are important in preventing the development of varicose veins. The patient should balance daily routine, review clothing and his food system. We will tell you about all the methods of preventing varicose veins.

Causes of varicose veins

Prevention of varicose veins affects all people because every person is exposed to negative factors that provoke the development of the disease. In the first place among them is physical inactivity. Most modern people spend 80% of their time in the office. Being in a sitting position negatively affects the work of the muscular apparatus. Therefore, people who think about how to protect their feet from varicose veins are forced to include daily gymnastics in their schedule. Causes of the disease include:

  • abuse of fatty and sweet foods;
  • considerable excess body weight;
  • serious foot injuries;
  • bad habits;
  • taking hormonal medications;
  • excessive foot loads.

Before you start preventing varicose veins in your legs, you need to determine the degree of risk of developing the disease. There are certain groups of people who are more likely to experience this disease. They should visit the phlebologist 1-2 times a year to prevent the appearance of varicose veins.

bad habits as a reason for the development of varicose veins

The most vulnerable groups of people

Prevention of varicose veins begins with determining if you are a person prone to developing this pathology or not. Only a phlebologist can answer this question exactly after assessing the condition of the veins, but you yourself can try to classify yourself. The following people are at high risk of developing varicose veins:

  • with an inherited predisposition to vascular disease;
  • women who have given birth and are pregnant;
  • persons engaged in heavy physical work and standing almost all day;
  • women who constantly walk in high heels;
  • fans of spicy and overly salty foods;
  • alcohol abusers;
  • people who want to take very hot baths, go to the sauna;
  • women with dishormonal disorders;
  • persons suffering from increased swelling of the feet.

How to prevent varicose veins

How to avoid varicose veins by 100%, doctors will not be able to show, tk. there is no such way. You can follow all the recommendations of doctors, but still cope with this disease. On the other hand, the implementation of preventive measures contributes to the normalization of body functions and blood flow, which significantly slows the development of the disease. The most effective means of preventing the progression of varicose veins are:

  • physical education;
  • wearing comfortable shoes;
  • Balanced diet;
  • normalization of body weight;
  • gymnastics;
  • wearing compression stockings;
  • performing a foot massage;
  • choosing work with more normal working conditions.

Of course, not all recommendations can be immediately implemented in practice, but everyone can eat less fatty foods and exercise for 20 minutes a day. Do not be too fanatical about preventing the disease, because pursuing the improvement of the condition of blood vessels, you can seriously harm yourself.

gymnastics for the prevention of varicose veins

Moderate activity

Working with free weights and very intense physical activity will not be able to help fight varicose veins. Rather, they provoke the destruction of valves and the stretching of blood vessel walls. Prevention of varicose veins involves performing specialized exercises that normalize blood flow. Lessons should be developed at a strong pace and not make you painful. Sports methods for the prevention of varicose veins include:

  • water gymnastics and swimming;
  • walking in the race;
  • jogging;
  • stretch.

Quality shoes

To prevent varicose veins, many doctors recommend wearing orthopedic insoles. They contribute to an even distribution of the load while walking. An important aspect is the shoes themselves. To prevent varicose veins in the legs at home, you can wear sneakers with footrests. The type of bedding and the height of the lift should be chosen by the doctor. Purchased shoes must meet the following characteristics:

  1. Do not have a flat sole and heel that is more than 6 cm high.
  2. Sit well on your feet. Loose shoes on your feet increase the likelihood that you will injure your ankle and pressing down will cause poor circulation.
  3. The nail / heel should be stable. Even summer shoes should have a non-slip coating.
comfortable and uncomfortable shoes for the prevention of varicose veins

Convenient work

When it comes to preventing varicose veins in the legs, doctors recommend normalizing work and rest. For many patients, this is due to a change in job or specialization. Not everyone agrees to take such a radical step, but if you are now engaged in employment, then when choosing a new job, try to consider the following recommendations:

  1. Work should not be associated with heavy physical work.
  2. You can not stay in one position for 7-8 hours. Look for companies where employees are allowed to get up every 2-3 hours and are allowed to do light heating.
heat at work to prevent varicose veins

In general, any job can be done conveniently by doing a warm-up every hour. If you do not want to change the field of activity or specialty, then you can simply engage in physical education in the workplace. The main thing is not to allow an increase in blood to the lower legs, caused by immobility of the lower leg.

Proper nutrition

If you have thoughts on how to avoid varicose veins in the legs, then pay attention to your diet. People who abuse fatty, salty and very sweet foods are more likely to suffer from this disease because they are more likely to experience high cholesterol and overweight. To normalize bowel function, you need to eat lots of fiber vegetables. If you have practically not eaten raw carrots or cabbage up to this point, then you should not consume them immediately in kilograms. It is enough to eat 300 grams of such vegetables a day.

People prone to varicose veins should take care to maintain water balance. You should consume at least 1. 5 liters of clean water per day. Juices, soups, teas are not included in this rate. They are perceived by the body as food, so they are quickly excreted by the kidneys and intestines. It is undesirable to use non-carbonated water. If you are prone to varicose veins, carbonated and sugary drinks will need to be excluded. A similar rule applies to drinks with high caffeine content.

Weight normalization

Maintaining a normal body mass index is important for preventing varicose veins. Simple physics works here. The more weight a person has, the stronger the pressure on the vessels. Of course, it is necessary to compare body weight with your muscle volume, height and physique. At the same height, the difference in mesomorphic and ectomorphic weight can reach 15 kg.

weight control for the prevention of varicose veins

If you decide that the amount of fat in your body dominates over muscle, then cut calories in your daily diet. This approach will allow you to lose weight without experiencing strong cravings for food. If you change your diet drastically, this will lead to breakdown and regain of mass. To reduce calories in your daily diet, you need to include more fiber-rich vegetables. They will not only help you lose weight but will also help normalize digestion.

Rejection of bad habits

Prevention of varicose veins in the legs affects all areas of human life. Bad habits are also on this list. Smoking, alcohol and the tendency to overeat have a detrimental effect on blood vessels. This also includes a state of constant stress. Although it is relatively easy to cope with overeating, a strong addiction to alcohol and smoking requires medical attention. A hobby session or group therapy can help relieve stress.

Discharge gymnastics

In preventing varicose veins of the legs, it is imperative to perform exercises that help relieve excess tension from the muscles of the lower extremities. The maximum duration of such exercises is 5-10 minutes. Doctors recommend doing them at least once a day, but preferably 2 times a day. The following physical activities are considered beneficial:

  • Exercise bike. Lie on a firm surface, lift your legs, and then begin to make movements similar to riding a bicycle. If you can not immediately interact with your legs one by one, then just take turns pulling them towards the body.
  • exercise bike for the prevention of varicose veins
  • Bending / stretching the leg. The exercise is performed in a sitting position. It is necessary to perform 20 movements with each leg.
  • flexion and extension of the legs to prevent varicose veins
  • Rotates from heel to toe. They contribute well to blood distribution if a person has been in a sitting position for a long time.
  • rotational exercises for the prevention of varicose veins
  • Get up to your toes. First, the actions are performed simultaneously with two legs, and then alternately. At the highest point, you should stand for 10-15 seconds, and then sit in the starting position.
  • exercises on the fingers to prevent varicose veins

Foot massage

If you are not sure how to prevent varicose veins in the legs, try a gentle massage. By itself, the reflex effect on the skin and blood vessels has a tonic effect throughout the body. Due to short manipulations, blood and lymph flow increases, epithelial nutrition is normalized. Foot massage can be performed independently or entrusted to a specialist. With a predisposition to varicose veins, compression and constriction movements should be avoided during procedures. The self-massage is performed as follows:

  1. The patient should sit on the floor or on a bed / sofa, bending the knee slightly.
  2. Friction movements should be made from the toes to the bottom of the foot.
  3. The foot should be wrapped around the toes so that the big toe is on the back of the foot, and all the rest is inside.
  4. The segment wrapped around the hands should be squeezed lightly, moving slowly towards the upper part of the foot.
  5. The lateral surface of the heel should be wrapped with fingers on both sides, and then squeezed for a few seconds. Next, you need to climb from the Achilles tendon to the knee.
  6. The procedure ends with the caressing of the feet.
Self-massage of the feet to prevent varicose veins

Compression garments

The means of preventing varicose veins are various. Compression therapy is also one of them. If you want, you can follow specialized physiotherapy procedures, when the pressure effect is performed using specialized equipment, but it is easier to buy socks and medical tights.

Compression stockings must be selected individually. In the absence of a predisposition, it is sufficient to wear underwear with an initial degree of compression. If you have symptoms of varicose veins, then the doctor should deal with the choice of flannel. Recommendations for choosing medical linen are as follows:

  1. It should be comfortable. If you do not feel comfortable in the first outfit, then these underwear are not suitable for you.
  2. The compression grade should be in accordance with the doctor's recommendations. If you have been told to wear first class compression socks, then you can not buy zero degree knee socks.
  3. Products must be of high quality. It is better to buy compression stockings in specialty stores, and not in the market or any sale, because there is a high probability of running into a fake, which will stretch over time and cease to have an effecttherapeutic standing.

Additional recommendations

Measures to prevent varicose veins include the use of specialized external cosmetic products (gels, creams, etc. ). They cool the surface of the feet, which contributes to the natural contraction of blood vessels. People prone to varicose veins of the legs should avoid overloading the muscles of the lower extremities. Hygiene is important to prevent the onset of the disease. It is recommended not only to thoroughly clean the skin of the feet, but also to take a contrast bath. It also has a local irritating effect on blood vessels, which improves skin tone.

How to stop varicose veins

Prevention and treatment of varicose veins are closely related. The spread of the disease can be stopped in the early stages with the help of medications and alternative therapies, but with a disease progressing rapidly, only surgery can help. A phlebologist should design a treatment plan for a patient with varicose veins. It is impossible to independently choose medication and engage in any oriental practice. Any action of redness can worsen the condition of the blood vessels.

Drug therapy

Medications are able to stop the development of varicose veins in the initial stage. As a rule, the disease begins to form because the vessels do not have enough nutrients to keep the walls elastic. In this case, an increased accumulation of blood in the limbs is often observed. Venotonics / phlebotonics - medicines that improve the flow of fluid from the feet. They also help restore vascular walls. They are:

  • natural;
  • combined;
  • synthetic;
  • based on rutoside.

With high blood viscosity, patients are prescribed heparin drugs. They help improve blood flow, but are contraindicated in people with a tendency to bleed.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help reduce the pain in the second stage of varicose veins. They also help relieve the itching and burning sensation that often accompanies this disease. External remedies promote skin healing. The duration of use of the drug should be determined by the doctor, but often the standard course of treatment is 6-8 months, so you should not expect all the symptoms of the disease to disappear within 2 weeks after using the medication.

Traditional therapy

In the initial stages, the disease is not considered life-threatening, but neither should it be allowed to pass. Sclerotherapy is a traditional minimally invasive method of preventing further development of varicose veins. Can be used to remove stars and small dishes. Traditional therapy includes:

  • echosclerotherapy;
  • microsclerotherapy;
  • thermocoagulation;
  • electromagnetotherapy;
  • darsonvalization;
  • electrical stimulation;
  • manual lymphatic drainage;
  • use of elastic compression of the legs;
  • hydrotherapy;
  • balneotherapy;
  • presotherapy.

All of these techniques help prevent further development of the disease. They activate the natural process of vascular regeneration.

Unconventional methods

You can improve the condition of the feet with the help of mud therapy. The patient should be reminded that the coils should only be cold. Heating varicose veins is very harmful to the body. Ayurveda helps to get rid of the chronic stress that provokes the dilation of blood vessels. This is one of the varieties of alternative medicine, built on the Hindu philosophical system. Various herbs are used there as medicines. Non-traditional methods of treating varicose veins include:

  • yoga;
  • homeopathy;
  • naturopathy;
  • Tibetan gymnastics.

Surgery

With varicose veins of the lower extremities, the most effective way to normalize blood flow is a specialized surgery. Perfect methods of surgical treatment of the disease are characterized by minimal invasiveness and a rapid return of the patient to normal life activity. They allow you to completely get rid of the affected veins, which slows down the development of the disease. Modern methods of surgical treatment of varicose veins include:

  • short undressing;
  • video endoscopic surgery;
  • microphlebectomy;
  • laser coagulation;
  • venectomy;
  • safenectomy.

These methods are most often used to treat varicose veins. The method of surgery for removal of vessels is chosen by the doctor based on the size of the vein and its general condition. Sometimes it is necessary to cut only part of the vessel, and sometimes it is necessary to completely eliminate it and create an alternative channel for blood flow.

Popular method

Folk remedies that improve the condition of the veins are divided into external and internal. If you are not sure that the cause of the development of varicose veins was the high platelet count, the use of various tinctures should be postponed, because they contain decoctions of herbs that help dilute the blood. Effective external remedies for varicose veins:

  • Baths with coniferous salt. 300 grams of dry matter are added to hot water and then submerged there. If pine salt is not sold in your area, you can replace it with baking soda. It is recommended to take such baths 2-3 times a week.
  • Apple cider vinegar compress. The product is diluted with water in a 1 to 1 ratio and then applied to the skin. From above the foot is wrapped in bandages, and then everything is fixed with plastic wrap. You can simply apply apple cider vinegar 2-3 times a day. Irriton veins.
  • items for a compress to prevent varicose veins
  • Rubbing with horse chestnut. A ready-made solution based on this plant can be purchased at a pharmacy or you can prepare it yourself. In the latter case, you will need kernels with plant skin. 400 grams of dry product is poured with 1. 5 liters of vodka and then put for a week in a dark place. Once the tincture is ready, begin to wipe the parts of the feet damaged by varicose veins.
  • horse chestnut for the prevention of varicose veins

Prevention forecast

In women with a low predisposition to the development of the disease, during the prevention of varicose veins in the legs, it develops in only 5% of cases. The disease is mild, so it can be treated quickly. With a moderate predisposition to the disease, the disease occurs in 30% of patients. Most often it is a mild to moderate form of the disease. With a pronounced tendency towards varicose veins, the disease progresses rapidly to a moderate form. Without prevention, the disease quickly becomes severe, which greatly complicates further treatment.

Clinical examination of the population

All citizens can undergo a free medical examination. In general, not all medical examinations are important, but only a visit to the surgeon and the results of a general blood test. The surgeon may notice the first changes in the blood vessels and then refer you to a phlebologist. Also, you should be careful if platelets predominate in the printing of a general blood test, you should visit a phlebologist. This may indicate vascular thrombosis.

How to avoid varicose veins during pregnancy

During childbearing, the load on a woman's internal organs increases greatly. During pregnancy the risk of developing varicose veins of the legs, small pelvis and external genitalia increases. The risk increases especially in the II and III trimester, when the fetus begins to grow actively. A phlebologist can tell you in detail how to prevent varicose veins in pregnant women. All preventive measures should begin with a consultation with him. Doctors recommend a woman in a position:

  • wear comfortable shoes with low heels (completely flat soles are also harmful);
  • try not to drink too much fluid;
  • go to water gymnastics for pregnant women;
  • most often I position my legs during the day;
  • wear compression flange and backing.

Why disease prevention is important

It is much easier to think about how to prevent varicose veins in the legs than to deal with the treatment of an already formed disease. Many people who suffer from this disease have a genetic predisposition to develop it. The main purpose of preventive measures is to maintain the normal condition of the ship. This can be done in different ways. All preventive measures can be divided into 2 types:

  • addressed to people with an inherited predisposition to the disease or faced with unfavorable working conditions;
  • addressed to patients suffering from any stage of varicose veins.

Approximately 80% of phlebologists believe that preventing a disease is much easier than treating it, so all conscious citizens should devote at least 10-20 minutes a day to their foot care.