Varicose veins (or varicose veins) in the legs is a fairly common disease. Most women between 30 and 60 years old fall victim to it, especially if they are diabetic or overweight and have posture problems. In addition, people with varicose veins, which require them to stand or sit for long periods of time. Unfortunately, the number of cases is increasing every year. That is why it is important not only to know how to cure varicose veins in the leg, but also to know how to prevent it.
Reason
Treatment of varicose veins, first of all, must eliminate the cause immediately that caused its appearance. Here are the most common things in everyday life:
- Stay upright or sit for extended periods of time;
- Overweight (obesity);
- Increased pressure in the veins of the lower extremities due to high loads associated with constipation, weight lifting and pregnancy;
- There is no congenital or post-traumatic venous valve in lower limb vessels.
Varicose veins in the legs can only be cured after eliminating all of the above factors. If not, recurrence will be inevitable.
Symptoms
One of the most important signs of varicose veins is bulging and nodular masses along the veins of the lower extremities. Often this is accompanied by severe and severe pain in the leg, which can add an unpleasant burning sensation. In severe cases, occasional leg cramps and edema may occur, usually in the late afternoon. A characteristic feature of varicose veins is the thickening and darkening of the skin in the legs.
If left untreated, the affected vessel walls become inflamed and blocked with numerous blood clots. Over time, sores can develop on the skin. In the majority of cases, the development of such events leads to quite formidable diseases, for example, thrombophlebitis or thrombosis.
In what situation should you see a doctor?
Varicose veins develop gradually, but sometimes it progresses quite quickly - in such cases you cannot hesitate to see a doctor. For the acute course of the disease, the following symptoms are characteristic:
- The pain was so intense that one could not move independently. This is accompanied by a burning sensation and stiffness in the legs;
- Difficulty breathing, feeling weak and short of breath;
- Bleeding locally in the vicinity of affected venous veins or from themselves.
Diagnosis
When the first signs of varicose veins appear, you should seek help from your doctor. As a rule, after performing standard examinations (examination, history examination, OAC, OAM), he referred such patients to a specialist treating vascular diseases (venom-ops). Or immediately go to the vascular surgeon.
In addition to basic diagnostic measures, they can be specified:
- Intravenous ultrasound (double-sided scan);
- Contrast venous imaging.
Treatment
Nowadays, there is no cure for varicose veins that can give 100% results. Treatment should be carried out in a holistic manner, using both surgical and therapeutic techniques.
Treat with caution
The fight against varicose leg varicose legs with the help of conservative methods is only possible in the event that symptoms first begin to appear, regardless of possible complications. . The main ingredients of this treatment are:
- Diet;
- A set of special exercises;
- Compression therapy;
- Drug treatment.
Diet
As mentioned earlier, varicose veins mainly affect overweight people. In this regard, one of the conditions for successful treatment, inevitably, is adherence to the correct diet, with the aim of destroying excess weight. There are many ways to prepare your daily diet, but it shouldn't be one without consulting a dietitian first.
As a rule, such diets involve the avoidance of any sweets, as well as foods that contain a large amount of plant fiber.
Physical strength
Another great cure for varicose veins in the legs is physical therapy exercises. There are special exercises that can be done to significantly slow the progression of the disease, and sometimes to heal completely. Also, don't forget to walk outdoors (morning and night) and swim.
Important!When you have varicose veins, you should limit sauna, baths, baths too hot and should not soak feet. This is due to the fact that with these procedures, blood flow to the extremities is significantly increased, of which, with varicose veins, its stagnation has been observed.
Compression therapy
Treatment of varicose veins at home implies the use of special golf jerseys, socks and tights, as well as elastic bandages of varying lengths. As a rule, doctors recommend wearing them all day and only taking them off before going to bed.
Therefore, it is possible to significantly increase the tone of the veins and improve blood flow in the legs. And this, therefore, helps in eliminating the symptoms of the disease. Foot massage is also very helpful for varicose veins, which must be done by a specialist.
Drug treatment
Nowadays, drugs for treating this disease are widely represented in the pharmaceutical market. Furthermore, along with tablets, gels, ointments and foot creams for varicose veins are also used. All of them can significantly reduce the rate of disease progression and even prevent the development of some complications.
However, we must not forget that any medicine is to be used only as directed by a doctor. After all, almost every type has quite a few contraindications, and improper use can lead to unforeseen situations.
Usually, for varicose veins of the lower extremities, doctors prescribe drugs of the following groups:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Intravenous tonic - drug that increases the tone of the veins and improves the flow of the veins;
- Preparations intended to reduce blood viscosity and prevent blood clots.
Surgical treatment
Surgery is the most radical method used in situations where all alternative methods of struggle are not giving good results.
The most common maneuvers include making small incisions in the skin and removing the affected veins through them. After the operation, the leg is tightly bandaged. After a few hours, the patient was able to move independently.
Nowadays, the technique of removing the pathologically altered veins using lasers is becoming increasingly popular. Such a surgery is less traumatic, but after that, a relapse is often observed.
Precautions
No doubt, like most modern diseases, varicose veins are easier to prevent than cure. That is why doctors recommend starting to prevent the disease from the very first years. To do this, do the following:
- Actively play sports;
- While standing at work, you need to take regular breaks (go on tiptoes, then tiptoes);
- After exercising, you need a cool bath;
- During pregnancy, especially in the later period, a special gown should be worn.