Varicose veins are a disease that primarily affects the veins in the legs. What to do when symptoms appear, how to treat varicose veins and what are the main factors for the development of the disease? Being aware of these issues will help prevent the negative consequences of the disease.
General information about varicose veins
Carriers of varicose veins are almost one in five percent of the world's population. The main danger of the disease is that its symptoms are not felt immediately, so timely treatment is delayed and the disease causes complications.
The full medical name for such a disease is varicose veins. As the name implies, when there is a disease, the peripheral blood vessels located in the limbs of the human body grow, and thus acquire a swollen and unhealthy appearance.
With varicose veins, nodules, spider webs, clusters, and other non-standard interweaving of the veins may appear on the skin. Their color deepens, edema and pain appear. Due to the formation of nodules, blood does not flow steadily in the arteries, blood clots are formed, which causes the arteries to be exposed to high pressure.
Achieving a certain pressure indicates that the blood in the arteries during thrombosis is pushed outwards by stretching the walls of the arteries. The first characteristic signs of varicose veins appear as a noticeable mixing of the veins, dilation of the volume, and a dark blue color.
Varicose veins often cover the surface of the feet, so people suffering from such a disease complain of pain in the veins of the legs. Treatment of varicose veins should be carried out immediately and under the supervision of an experienced physician. Contact a therapist when the first symptoms appear.
Reasons
The main cause of varicose veins is a violation of stable blood flow. It is the stagnation of blood in the arteries that puts pressure on them. Thus, the main factors affecting the development of varicose veins include:
- Genetic predisposition. If both parents suffer from varicose veins, the probability of developing the disease in their child can reach 70%. The first symptoms of the disease appear at an early age and the development of the disease can be prevented.
- Increased physical activity. Standing on your feet regularly and for a long time can strain your blood vessels. Therefore, varicose veins often occur in professional athletes and people who are exposed to heavy physical work.
- Lack of physical activity. Blood stasis occurs due to incomplete movement in the blood vessels. Older people, as well as office workers who lead a sedentary or sedentary lifestyle, may suffer from varicose veins.
- Hormonal imbalance. Functional disorders of the hormonal or endocrine system of the human body can lead to various consequences. For example, women experience blood stasis in the arteries. Hormonal disorders can occur during puberty, pregnancy, lactation, menopause, as well as due to personal stressful situations and nervous disorders. At such times, the female body is dominated by the corpus luteum hormone, which has a relaxing effect on the muscles, rather than estrogen.
- Mechanical effect on blood vessels. Narrowing of peripheral blood vessels on the surface of the extremities can also affect the appearance of blood clots. For example, tight-fitting clothes have such an effect.
- Alcohol abuse. Alcohol contains toxins and toxic substances for the body, as well as raises blood pressure. Toxins and pressure cause the walls of blood vessels to lose strength and tone.
- Obesity. Excessive food intake leads to rapid weight gain, as a result of which the body's organs can not withstand the load falling on them.
If the veins are completely painful in the legs, the cause of the pain is usually varicose veins. You need to pay attention to the factors that may affect the development of the disease and reconsider your lifestyle.
Symptoms
Before starting treatment for varicose veins, you should make sure that the veins are very painful due to the appearance of such a disease. The disease is not asymptomatic, the main thing is to pay attention to any deviations from the norm in the body. The following manifestations speak of varicose veins:
- Pain in the legs. The pressure of the blood on the walls of the arteries causes painful and uncomfortable sensations in the lower extremities. Then you may experience pain in the veins, an unpleasant burning sensation in the legs and a feeling of heaviness.
- Swelling. Swelling on the surface of the feet can be seen towards the end of the day, when the extremities experience a peak of tension. Swelling affects not only the main part of the legs, but also the area of the legs, ankles and knees.
- Convulsions. Convulsive muscle contraction with varicose veins, as a rule, occurs at night. They may be accompanied by nervous tingling and convulsive convulsions.
- Dilation of blood vessels. As mentioned earlier, varicose veins take on a completely different appearance. They are swollen, curly and dark blue. Large saphenous veins indicate the presence of thrombosis.
- Skin discoloration. Due to the stagnation of blood in the arteries during the disease, the skin shade under the peripheral arteries may change to a darker and duller color.
- Trophic ulcers. Defects appear that do not heal for a long time due to disruption of the blood supply to the skin.
The main symptoms of varicose veins are fever and general weakness of the body.
If you start treating the disease, you can move on to the next stage. With the rapid development of varicose veins of the lower extremities, you may experience the following symptoms:
- hardening of the skin;
- dark spots;
- loss of moisture in the skin, malnutrition;
- bleeding from rupture of nodules.
If any of these symptoms occur, you should see a doctor immediately and start treatment.
Methods of treatment
If the veins in the legs are clearly in pain due to varicose veins, the specialist will prescribe all measures to eliminate the disease. The most common treatments for varicose veins are:
- medical preparations;
- folk remedies;
- gymnastics;
- massage;
- compresses and bandages the affected areas;
- special diet.
If the patient agrees to a more comprehensive approach than a selective approach, treatment will be most effective.
Medications
Drugs for the treatment of varicose veins can be divided into 4 groups:
- external use;
- for oral administration;
- relieve symptoms;
- to treat the root causes;
- operating methods.
In the fight against the disease, doctors prescribe blood-thinning drugs, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamin complexes, etc. Oral medications can be administered orally or by injection.
Any medication should be used only under the supervision of the attending physician, following the instructions for use and the duration of the course of treatment.
Folk remedies
Folk remedies for the treatment of varicose veins should complete a number of measures to eliminate the disease. You can use them at home.
Common folk methods include:
- therapeutic baths;
- compresses;
- decoctions of herbs.
For effective treatment of varicose veins, baths are recommended 3-4 times a week. Water should be diluted with pre-prepared baths or special sea salt for special herbs. For example, you can use the following recipe:
- Fill the bath with hot water.
- Dissolve the dried leaves of medicinal plants in water.
- Take a bath for 20-25 minutes.
As a raw material for the bath are suitable chamomile, St. John's wort, oak bark and plantain, which can be purchased at any pharmacy in the city for a small price. It is possible to take such baths for prophylactic purposes, as they help to clean the arteries from toxins, as well as stabilize blood flow.
Compresses and lotions can be used in pharmacy vegetable and essential oils, aloe juice or honey. To do this, apply one of the listed components to the affected areas of varicose veins, and then wrap the application area with an elastic bandage. Such compresses should be changed twice a day, every 2-3 hours.
By consuming herbal decoctions inside, you can prevent the development of the disease with folk remedies. The raw materials of the following herbs are suitable for making broths:
- hawthorn;
- chamomile;
- hop cones;
- plantain;
- St. John's wort;
- licorice root;
- angelica root.
You should consult your doctor in advance about alternative methods. It is possible that some components can not be used due to allergic reactions.
Gymnastics
One of the reasons for the development of varicose veins is the inactivity that causes blood stasis in the veins. Therefore, people who are forced to lead a computer lifestyle should exercise regularly at home. For example:
20-25 times:
- Sit in a chair
- Squeeze your feet together
- Tighten your muscles
- Put your feet on your toes, then on your heels
20-25 times:
- Lean against the wall with both hands
- Climb on tiptoe
- Get on your heels
15-20 times:
- Sit down
- Stand on your toes while sitting
- Get on your heels
15 times on each foot:
- Sit down
- Raise your right foot parallel to the ground for 7 seconds
- Down
- Do the same with the left foot.
Massage
Massage for varicose veins can be done independently at home. You will need a special nourishing cream or oil. The sea dog is perfect. Rub into problem areas of the feet in a circular motion for five minutes daily. This procedure will also increase the elasticity of the skin and nourish it with moisture.
Diet
Diet for varicose veins involves limiting consumption or completely rejecting the following foods:
- broths;
- marinades;
- salty, smoked, sweet, fried food;
- coffee and beverages;
- alcohol and tobacco products.
It is worth diversifying the diet with foods that have a positive effect on strengthening the walls of blood vessels:
- fresh vegetables and fruits;
- nuts;
- fish products, seafood;
- greens;
- fermented dairy products.
Methods of operation
There is treatment of varicose veins and surgery. However, it is used in extremely advanced cases. The surgeries involve closing the esophagus and stomach veins with an anastomosis or placing a stent in the canal between the liver and portal veins.
To prevent varicose veins, it is worth resting your feet and doing preventive procedures at home. Effective treatment of existing varicose veins consists of timely and comprehensive treatment under the guidance of a specialist.
Which doctor to consult
Treatment is performed by a phlebologist, vascular surgeon.