Varicose veins (or varicose veins) in the legs are a fairly common disease. Most women between the ages of 30 and 60 are victims, especially if they suffer from diabetes mellitus or are overweight and have posture problems. In addition, these people suffer from varicose veins, which force them to work while standing or sitting for long periods of time. Unfortunately, the number of patients is growing every year. Therefore, it is important to know not only how to treat varicose veins in the legs, but also how to avoid it.
Reasons
Treatment of varicose veins should, first of all, eliminate the cause immediately. Below are the most common ones in everyday life:
- Prolonged standing or sitting;
- Overweight (obesity);
- Increased pressure in the arteries of the lower extremities due to constipation, weight lifting and high loads during pregnancy;
- Congenital or post-traumatic absence of venous valves in the vessels of the lower extremities.
It is possible to treat varicose veins in the legs only after getting rid of the above factors. Otherwise, the recurrence of the disease can not be prevented.
symptoms
One of the most important symptoms of varicose veins is the appearance of bulging and nodular swellings along the veins of the lower extremities. Often it is accompanied by severe pain and heaviness in the legs, which can be accompanied by an unpleasant burning sensation. In severe cases, episodic leg cramps and edema, which usually appear in the afternoon, may occur. A characteristic feature of varicose veins is the gradual thickening and darkening of the skin on the lower leg.
When left untreated, the walls of the affected blood vessels become inflamed and clogged with numerous blood clots. Over time, ulcers can form on the skin. In most cases, such developments lead to very serious diseases, such as thrombophlebitis or thrombosis.
In what situation should you see a doctor?
Varicose veins develop gradually, but sometimes they progress very quickly - in such cases, do not hesitate to consult a doctor. The following symptoms are characteristic of the acute course of the disease:
- Pain so severe that a person cannot move independently. This is accompanied by a feeling of warmth and hardening of the skin on the legs;
- shortness of breath, weakness and shortness of breath;
- Localized bleeding in or near the affected venous vessels.
Diagnostics
When the first signs of varicose veins appear, you should seek medical help. As a rule, after standard examinations (examination, anamnesis, OAC, OAM), such patients are referred to a specialist in vascular diseases (phlebologist) or immediately to a vascular surgeon.
In addition to the basic diagnostic measures, the following can be assigned:
- Vascular ultrasound (duplex scanning);
- Contrast venography.
Treatment
Today, there is no cure for varicose veins that is 100% effective. Treatment should be comprehensive, using both surgical and therapeutic methods.
Conservative treatment
The fight against varicose veins in the legs with the help of conservative methods is possible only when the symptoms begin to reappear and there is no need to talk about possible complications. The main components of this treatment are:
- diet;
- a number 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 is undoubtedly the maintenance of a proper diet aimed at eliminating extra weight. There are many changes in how you prepare your daily diet, but none of them should be followed without first consulting a dietitian.
As a rule, such diets include avoiding sweets, along with foods high in plant fiber.
Physical training
An excellent treatment for varicose veins in the legs is physiotherapy exercises. There are a number of specific exercises that can be performed to significantly slow the progression of the disease and sometimes get rid of it completely. Do not forget about both outdoor walking (morning and evening) and swimming.
Important!In case of varicose veins, you should avoid visiting the sauna, bath, take a very hot bath and do not lift your legs. The reason for this is that with these procedures, there is a significant increase in blood flow to the extremities, where there is already stagnation with varicose veins.
Compression therapy
Treatment of varicose veins at home involves the use of special knitted garments in the form of golf, socks and tights and elastic bandages of different lengths. As a rule, doctors recommend wearing them all day and only before going to bed.
Thus, it is possible to significantly increase vascular tone and improve blood flow in the legs. And this, in turn, helps to eliminate the symptoms of the disease. It is also very useful to massage the legs with varicose veins, which should be performed by a specialist.
Drug treatment
Today, drugs for the treatment of this disease are widely represented in the pharmaceutical market. In addition, in addition to tablet forms, gels, ointments and foot creams for varicose veins are 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 medication should be used only on doctor's instructions. In fact, almost everyone has many contraindications, and proper use can lead to unforeseen situations.
For varicose veins of the lower extremities, doctors often prescribe drugs from the following groups:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Venotonics - drugs that help increase vascular tone and improve venous flow;
- Preparations aimed at reducing blood viscosity and preventing clotting.
Surgical Treatment
Surgery is the most radical method used when all alternative methods of struggle do not give any positive results.
The most common operation is to make small incisions in the skin and remove the affected veins through them. After the operation, the legs are tightly wrapped. After a few hours, patients can already move independently.
Today, a technique for laser removal of pathologically altered vessels is becoming more widespread. Such an operation is less traumatic, but then there is a recurrence of the disease.
Prevention
Undoubtedly, like most modern diseases, varicose veins are easier to prevent than to cure. Therefore, doctors recommend that the prevention of this disease begin in the early years. To do this, do the following:- Do sports;
- You should take regular breaks while working on your feet (walk with your toes, then your heels);
- It is necessary to take a cool shower after exercise;
- Special uniforms should be worn during pregnancy, especially in the later stages.