Varicose veins is a disease in which, first of all, the veins in the legs are very painful. What to do when the symptoms appear, how to treat varicose veins and what factors are the basis for the development of the disease? Being aware of these problems will help avoid the bad consequences of the disease.
General information about varicose veins
People with varicose veins are almost the fifth person in the total percentage of the world population. The main threat of the disease is that its symptoms cannot be noticed immediately, that is why timely treatment is delayed, and the disease leads to complications.
The full medical name of such a disease is varicose veins. From the name it can be understood that when there is a disease, the peripheral veins located on the extremities of the human body increase in size, thus taking on a swollen and unhealthy appearance.
With varicose veins, knots, spider webs, clusters and other non-standard intertwined veins may appear on the skin. Their color becomes deeper, edema and soreness appear. Due to the appearance of nodes, blood cannot circulate stably through the veins, blood clotting occurs, causing the veins to be under high pressure.
Achieving a certain pressure indicator leads to the fact that during thrombosis the blood in the veins is pushed out, straining the vessel walls. The first characteristic symptoms of varicose veins appear, such as noticeably intertwined veins, dilated volumes, and dark blue color.
Usually, veins cover the surface of the legs, so people with such a disease complain of painful sensations in the veins in their legs. Treatment of varicose veins should be carried out immediately and carried out under the supervision of an experienced physician. When the first symptoms appear, contact a therapist.
Reason
The main cause of varicose veins is the disruption of the steady flow of blood. It is the stagnation of blood in the veins that leads to the pressure exerted on them. Therefore, the main factors that influence the development of varicose veins include:
- Genetic predisposition. If both parents have varicose veins, there is a 70% chance that the child will develop the condition. The first symptoms of the disease appear at an early age, and the development of the disease can be avoided with health care.
- Increase physical activity. Standing on your feet often and for long stretches can strain your blood vessels. Therefore, varicose veins are common in professional athletes and in people who do heavy physical work.
- Lack of physical activity. With the complete absence of movement in the blood vessels, blood stagnation occurs. Elderly people, as well as office workers who lead a sedentary or sedentary lifestyle, can develop varicose veins.
- Hormonal imbalance. Dysfunction of the endocrine or endocrine system of the human body can lead to various consequences. For example, female representatives have to deal with stagnation of blood in the vessels. Hormonal disruptions can occur during puberty, pregnancy, lactation, and menopause, as well as from personal stressful situations and neurological disorders. During such periods, it is not estrogen that predominates in the female body, but the hormone of the corpus luteum, which relaxes the muscles.
- Mechanical effects on veins. Constriction of the peripheral veins located on the surface of the extremities can also affect the occurrence of blood clots. For example, tight clothing has such an effect.
- Alcohol abuse. Alcohol contains substances that are toxic to the body, and at the same time increases blood pressure. Toxins and pressure cause blood vessel walls to lose their firmness and tone.
- Fat. Overeating leads to rapid weight gain, as a result of which the limbs of the body may not be able to withstand the load exerted on them.
When the veins are damaged precisely on the legs, then the cause of painful sensations, as a rule, is varicose veins. You should pay attention to the factors that can influence the development of the disease, and adjust your lifestyle.
Symptom
Before starting the treatment of varicose veins, you need to make sure that very painful veins are precisely due to the occurrence of such a disease. The disease has no symptoms, the main thing is to pay attention to any deviations from the norm in the work of the body. The following symptoms indicate varicose veins:
- Pain in the legs. The pressure that blood puts on the vessel walls leads to pain and discomfort in the lower extremities. When veins are painful, you may face an uncomfortable burning sensation and heaviness in your legs.
- Puffy eyes. Swelling on the surface of the legs may appear later in the day, when the extremities are under strain. The swelling affects not only the main part of the leg, but also the foot, ankle, and knee flexion area.
- Convulsion. Convulsive muscle contractions with varicose veins, as a rule, occur at night. They may be accompanied by feelings of anxiety and convulsions.
- Dilation of the veins. As said earlier, varicose veins have a completely different appearance. They are swollen, sinusoidal, and dark green in color. The great hemispheric veins indicate the presence of thrombus.
- Skin color change. Because during the course of the disease, blood stagnation in the blood vessels occurs, the skin under the peripheral veins can change color to darker and dull.
- Nutritional ulcer. Due to a violation of the blood supply to the skin, defects appear for a long time.
The main symptoms of varicose veins are fever and general weakness of the body.
If you start treating the disease, then it can progress to the next stage. With the rapid development of varicose veins of the lower extremities, you may experience the following symptoms:
- hard skin;
- black spot;
- loss of moisture in the skin, violation of its nutrition;
- Bleeding from broken nodes.
If one of these symptoms occurs, you should see your doctor and start treatment right away.
Treatments
If the painful veins in the legs are precisely due to varicose veins, then the specialist will prescribe the application of total measures to eliminate the disease. The most common varicose veins treatments include:
- medical preparations;
- folk remedies;
- exercise;
- Massage;
- compress and bandage the affected area;
- special diet.
Treatment will be most effective if the patient agrees to a holistic rather than selective approach.
Drugs
Drugs used to treat varicose veins can be divided into 4 groups:
- external use;
- For drinking;
- to eliminate symptoms;
- to treat the underlying cause;
- operating methods.
In the fight against this disease, doctors prescribe blood thinners, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, complexes of vitamins, etc. v. Oral medications can be taken orally or by injection.
Any drug should be used only under the supervision of the attending physician, observing the instructions for use and the duration of the course of treatment.
Folk remedies
Folk methods for the treatment of varicose veins should complement a set of measures to eliminate the disease. You can use them at home.
Among the popular folk methods are:
- medicinal leaf bath;
- compression;
- decoction of herbs.
It is recommended to shower 3-4 times / week. Water should be diluted with special sea salts for bathing or specially prepared herbs. For example, you can use the following formula:
- Fill the tub with warm water.
- Dissolve the dried leaves in the water.
- Shower for 20-25 minutes.
Chamomile, St. It is possible to take such baths with a prophylactic purpose, since they help to clear the vessels of harmful substances, and also stabilize blood flow.
Suppositories and lotions can be made using medicinal plants and essential oils, aloe vera juice or honey. To do this, you need to apply one of the listed ingredients to the areas affected by varicose veins, and then wrap the area of application with an elastic bandage. You need to change such dressings twice a day, every 2-3 hours.
You can prevent the development of the disease in folk ways by decocting the herbs inside. To prepare the broth, raw materials of the following herbs are suitable:
- hawthorn;
- Chrysanthemum;
- hop cones;
- planted forests;
- St. John's wort;
- licorice root;
- angelica root.
You should consult with your doctor first about alternative methods. It is possible that some ingredients cannot be used due to the presence of allergic reactions.
Exercise
One of the causes leading to the development of varicose veins is due to lack of exercise, causing blood in the vessels to stagnate. Therefore, people who are forced to have a computer lifestyle should regularly perform home gym exercises. Eg:
20-25 times:
- Sitting on a chair
- Press your feet together
- Squeeze muscle
- Lower your foot to your toes and then to your heels
20-25 times:
- Leaning against the wall with both hands
- Tiptoe up
- Down your heels
15-20 times:
- Sit down
- Standing on tiptoe when sitting
- Down your heels
15 reps for each leg:
- Sit down
- Raise your right leg parallel to the floor for 7 seconds
- Lower
- Do the same with the left leg.
Massage
Massage for varicose veins can be done independently at home. You will need a special cream or balm. Sea buckthorn is perfect. It should be massaged into problem areas of the legs in a circular motion for five minutes a day. This procedure will also increase skin elasticity and nourish skin with moisture.
Diet
Diet for varicose veins implies restriction of consumption or a complete refusal of the following foods:
- water use;
- marina;
- salty, smoked, sweet, fried and greasy foods;
- coffee and beverage derivatives;
- alcohol and tobacco products.
It is necessary to diversify the diet with foods that have a positive effect on strengthening the walls of blood vessels:
- fresh fruits and vegetables;
- nuts;
- fish and seafood products;
- green vegetables;
- fermented dairy products.
Operation method
There is a treatment for varicose veins and surgical intervention. However, it is used in extremely high-profile cases. Operations include softening the veins of the esophagus and stomach by placing an anastomosis or placing a stent in the duct between the hepatic vein and the portal vein.
To avoid varicose veins, you should rest your legs and perform preventive procedures at home. Effective treatment of varicose veins that has arisen includes timely and complex treatment under the guidance of a specialist.
Which doctor to contact?
The treatment is carried out by a phlebologist, a vascular surgeon.