Varicose veins - a condition that accompanies the dilation of subcutaneous blood vessels or veins that lie deep within the body's skin.
The disease causes the vein wall to lose its elasticity. When varicose veins appear, the veins expand and form blood stasis, especially in female legs. They are more likely to develop the disease. The disease can appear by age 20, but is more common in middle-aged women. Men also get sick, but much less frequently.
reason
Sometimes the cause of varicose veins is the regular use of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol itself causes vasodilation, but if abused, it can have adverse consequences.
Young girls who like to sit cross-legged for hours are also at risk of developing the disease. In this position of the leg, blood stagnation occurs, which interrupts the natural blood supply throughout the body.
major factor
What are the causes of varicose veins?
- hereditary. If the walls of the veins in the parents weaken, then this can happen again in the child.
- The cause of this disease may be high blood pressure. Sometimes this is due to a violation of the hormonal system.
- Pregnancy is difficult for many women, especially at the end of childbirth. At first, the disease did not manifest, but after childbirth, all signs of disease were on the face. The pressure a woman experiences during childbirth has a big impact on the location of the veins.
- Overloading the body with the physical work of the muscles provides all the conditions for the development of the disease. It is often seen in athletes participating in physical activity. It must be possible to properly regulate the load on the human body.
- People who work sedentary, especially office workers, are prone to varicose veins.
- Standing up constantly isn't much better - it also contributes to disease.
- Women who regularly use contraceptives that contain high amounts of hormones are at risk.
- Hip disease or previous injuries may contribute to the development of the disease.
- People who are overweight are more likely to develop varicose veins. They have a constant load on the venous system.
- Abusing sunburns, frequent saunas, and drinking alcoholic beverages can cause the same.
Varicose veins are easier to avoid than cure. You just have to live a healthy lifestyle, pay attention to good physical fitness, plus normal nutrition. In this case, it is very possible to avoid varicose veins.
How do varicose veins in the legs appear? first sign with photo
Often, the various symptoms of varicose veins may already appear in the early stages, when the disease is still treatable.
Usually, people rarely think about leg fatigue, swelling, or varicose veins at night. If symptoms are too obvious, then we're talking about a neglected disease.
Early manifestations of varicose veins
Often, identifying the early stages of varicose veins is not easy. This is because varicose veins have a large number of symptoms and few people pay attention to them. People ignore swollen legs and fatigue. This is especially true for pregnant women: usually varicose veins are not a big deal, and this complication is thought to be normal during pregnancy.
It's true that being overweight can also be considered a cause of varicose veins, but weight loss usually occurs after having a baby, but it also happens to women who suffered from varicose veins during pregnancy and can't get rid of the condition after giving birth. This is usually due to venous disease due to being overweight.
The early symptoms of varicose veins are easy to notice: the legs begin to tire quickly from any physical activity, and they can become numb if held in one position for extended periods of time. But, as a rule, few people notice this and think that leg pain is normal when overcoming long distances. In winter, many people blame the pain on heavy, insulating shoes on their feet, while in summer, heat becomes the cause. However, it's just an excuse and doesn't make any sense.
It is worth considering, when contacting a specialist, the earliest symptoms of varicose veins that can be noticed at the time of diagnosis: rarely leg fatigue after physical exertion or pain after wearing thick shoes, which is often experienced by women who wear high heels. Conditions, the presence of pain, burning sensation in the legs at night, increased fatigue, worsening performance. If the disease goes unnoticed, the first sign of varicose veins is an ulcer.
diagnosis
From the very beginning of the detection of conditions such as varicose veins, it is necessary to probe the veins to determine pain, tension, density, presence of the part of the vein involved, swelling and inflammation within the vein. The specialist who handles this test is called a phlebologist. What to do at the first signs of varicose veins in the legs? First, it is necessary to diagnose the severity of the disease.
During the procedure, the patient must take a vertical position to fill the vein with as much blood as possible. Diagnosis is best done at night - this will give a clearer outline of the affected area. With the help of palpation and superficial examination, specialists can obtain first-hand information about the condition of the patient's blood vessels. After an initial examination, the second stage of the diagnosis of varicose veins begins - a study using ultrasound.
Testing during the diagnosis of varicose veins is an important source of information that can help to properly diagnose the disease.
What tests should be done if varicose veins are suspected?
The first analysis was blood sampling for hormones, biochemistry and hemoglobin. General blood tests were also performed to determine their group and Rh, the infectious group.
Afterwards, the patient needs to have a urine analysis to determine hemoglobin, sugars, ketone bodies, and this analysis will also determine the acetone and ammonia in the patient's urine.
Ultrasound program
With ultrasound or venous ultrasonography, you can examine the venous system from the inside and find lesions. The procedure takes no more than half an hour, during which time the patient is in a horizontal position.
treat
The disease is very dangerous and widespread worldwide, and different treatments are used depending on the stage of the disease process.
To treat the first signs of varicose veins in the legs, you need to consult a phlebologist who will make a correct diagnosis, you cannot treat this condition on your own. If left untreated, the patient may die.
Treatment for the first signs of varicose veins in the legs:
- sclerotherapy;
- medical treatement;
- medicinal materials;
- compression underwear;
- operation treatment.
folk method
They are only used in complex treatments in combination with drugs, you need to take tinctures from nettles, acacia. These tinctures, taken 3 times a day before meals, are useful in a cooling foot bath with a decoction of burdock, nettle and birch leaves.
All suggested herbal preparations should be taken only with the approval of a doctor; decoctions and tinctures are not recommended for self-consumption.
medical treatement
This intravenous tonic is sold in pharmacies in the form of tablets and capsules, ointments and gels.
For the application of the ointment to be effective, it is recommended to wear compression underwear at the same time.
compression underwear
This range includes tights, stockings, and different compression underwear at various stages of varicose veins. You can buy such medical tights in specialty stores.
This undergarment helps to normalize the venous outflow of blood, the compression of the necessary force to restore the normal function of the veins.
Taking medication doesn't completely cure varicose veins, but it can eliminate some symptoms and facilitate the progression of the disease. In addition, due to the use of various drugs, the risk of diseases such as thrombophlebitis is reduced. The disease arises from a lack of treatment for varicose veins, it can only be treated in a hospital and often requires surgery.
I also use lymphatic drainage massage regularly for treatment, and as a result of using it in the general course of treatment, the lymphatic drainage of the patient's legs has improved, the swelling of the legs has decreased, and fatigue and heaviness have disappeared. The only downside is the effect of the massage. It will only last for two months, but the massage sessions can be extended.
Sclerotherapy
This type of treatment is used if surgery is required, but the process is different from surgery. A special medicine is injected into the vein where the blood clot was found.
This drug works by breaking down the top layer of the affected vein, which then sticks together. Then, after 1. 5 years, this vein dissolves in the body and the other veins begin to perform their working functions.
The drug is prescribed by a phlebologist to treat each patient individually. The course of sclerotherapy consists of 3-6 procedures, and after a period of 2 to 8 weeks, the doctor will be able to determine the effect of this treatment.
This procedure should only be performed by an experienced specialist, because if the procedure is not performed correctly, the vein will restore its blood flow through the hardened blood vessels and there will be no therapeutic effect.
In addition to introducing the drug, microfoam is injected into a vein while applying this procedure. To ensure the accuracy of this process, an ultrasound scanner is used, and the doctor will see on the screen the movement of the needle and the process of dispensing the medication along the needle.
In more complicated cases, surgery is prescribed for such patients when massage, compression underwear, medications do not help and the disease progresses to a more severe stage.
Consequences of varicose veins
The consequences of this disease do not bode well, it is a cosmetic problem and is related to other health problems that arise from varicose veins. Women who want their legs to look nice and thin suffer the most. With the onset of the disease this is not possible, but cosmetic issues are not the main problem. Varicose veins can lead to more obvious health problems.
The most common is leg pain, accompanied by unpleasant itching. The pain is caused by a lack of oxygen and other trace elements that cannot enter the affected area. The cause of the pain is the failure of the large veins. But small blood vessels can also produce unpleasant sensations.
Of course, beauty concerns are also important for women, but an even more unpleasant consequence is swollen ankles. Pain in thighs and calves. Even with good rest, a person can experience persistent pain.
Dermatitis - result of varicose veins
The most serious consequence is dermatitis. This disease occurs where the veins are dilated. With this disease, a person suffers from persistent itching, wound formation, and various rashes. The presence of dermatitis can lead to thrombophlebitis. When a blood clot occurs, you need urgent help from a specialist. Failure to do so can have serious consequences for a person. Therefore, there can be no delay under any circumstances.