Probably everyone has seen people with visible veins in their arms. Some regard this as the norm or individual characteristic of a person. In fact, the veins have to be hidden under the skin and any change is a reason to think about your health. In addition to swelling of the veins, discomfort or change in skin tone can be an alarming signal.
Are there varicose veins of the upper extremities?
Varicose veins are a vascular disease. It can affect any container and occur anywhere on the body. Given that excessive load is a provocative factor, then more often varicose veins affect the limbs of the body. The disease occurs mainly in the legs, but varicose veins in the hands also occur. According to the international classification (MKB-10), it corresponds to code I86.
Varicose veins of the upper extremities are easy to recognize - the veins in the arm and forearm swell and look like blue snakes. The disease most often affects women over 50, as well as male athletes and body builders. Swollen and swollen veins: is the risk of varicose veins high?Under the action of excessive loads, the venous walls stretch and the venous valves cannot fully perform their functions. If your veins used to look normal but are now swollen, you should see your doctor for a thorough examination. The sooner a problem is detected, the easier it is to treat.
If changes occur in the veins, the risk of varicose veins is really high.
In addition to external non-aesthetic manifestations, varicose veins affect the well-being of the patient, causing pain and provoking some complexes.
Characteristics of varicose veins in the upper limbs
The first changes in varicose veins in the hands appear as blue nodules. After a while, they may disappear and then reappear.
This suggests that the veins can not cope with the increased load, but heal quickly when the provoking factor is eliminated.
In the absence of timely treatment, the nodes in the arm veins will be constantly observed, and then the enlargement will affect the longer part of the vessel. In this case, the vessel swells visibly, which often attracts the patient's attention and forces him to visit a doctor.
Other reasons
Not only does excessive load adversely affect the dishes. Other reasons for the extension may be:
- Stress.
- Taking oral contraceptives or hormonal imbalance in a woman.
- Smoking and alcohol abuse.
- Intense exercise.
- Unbalanced diet. Read about the proper diet for varicose veins here.
- Inheritance.
Hormonal background greatly affects the condition of blood vessels. As you know, it is less stable in women than in men.
Symptoms of Violation - Pay Attention!
Even if a person is unaware of the existence of a problem such as varicose veins, he should be notified of the following changes:
- Puffiness.
- Burning and discomfort.
- Fatigue and rapid weakness.
- Numbness or sadness.
- The contrast between the vein and the skin color is clearly visible.
- Raising the wings upwards reduces the size of the veins.
In thin people with thin skin, the veins may look swollen. However, this is not a pathology, but a feature of the body.
If this symptom is noticed from birth and is not accompanied by other symptoms, do not worry.
Looking at a picture of varicose veins and a healthy limb, you will immediately notice the difference and know what to look for.
Treatment methods
Tactics for treating varicose veins in the hands depend on the stage of development of the disease. In the initial stages, conservative methods of treatment are used, in the later stages, surgical ones.
People at risk are advised to deal with the prevention of varicose veins to avoid dangerous complications.
Conservative treatment includes the use of special compression stockings, prescribing special medications, diet and physiotherapy. All this is aimed at increasing the tone of the veins, strengthening the blood vessels and reducing their permeability.
Medical sweater is represented by special gloves or sleeves that are made of special materials. Underwear should be worn at all times to provide mechanical support to the dishes and to prevent them from expanding. The degree of compression is chosen by the doctor, taking into account the neglect of the pathology.
Treatment of late stages of varicose veins in the hands
When deep veins are affected, limb function can be impaired. The person feels aggravation, pain, discomfort, becomes unable to perform the usual work.
Surgical intervention is used in the later stages. Some of the most effective and safest methods are laser correction and sclerotherapy. Their advantages are as follows:
- No pain.
- No sores or scars.
- Rapid tissue repair.
- Good cosmetic result.
With sclerotherapy, a positive effect may appear a few weeks after the procedure. It only takes a few minutes. The patient is injected into a swollen vein to inject a sclerosing agent.
The process is absolutely painless. The vein is glued together under the action of the drug and does not require the surgeon to cut the tissue. To prevent recurrence, the patient should wear compression garments.
The advantage of modern methods is that they do not have a negative effect on the surrounding tissues, eliminate incisions in the skin and almost never cause complications.
Hirudotherapy
For many vascular diseases, hirudotherapy is popular. Despite the fact that this is an unusual method of treatment, it requires compliance with some rules. It is not recommended to place the caterpillars yourself. Only healthy worms, which are used only once, are suitable for this procedure.
Medical secretion secreted by caterpillars helps strengthen blood vessels and thin the blood. Helps reduce edema, get rid of blood stasis, normalize microcirculation and restore vein structure.
Home treatment
Many patients try to cure varicose veins on their hands with folk remedies. As monotherapy, they are suitable only in the first stage of the disease.
If varicose veins are quite severe, folk recipes can be used only in addition to the basic scheme prescribed by your doctor.
Chestnut-based remedies work well against varicose veins. The healing properties of the essential oils, have long been known in ancient times, as chestnuts are part of many venotonic oils.You can make your own cream at home. For this, the chestnut fruits are crushed and mixed with melted pork fat. The agent is applied externally, with the help of light rubbing on the affected area.
Compresses made from cabbage or wormwood leaves give a positive effect in the treatment of varicose veins. They are ground in a blender with the addition of a small amount of oil or kefir, so that the beneficial substances penetrate deeper into the skin. The mixture is impregnated with gauze and applied to the enlarged areas of the veins.
One of the popular methods to get rid of any disease is a bath.
Prevention of varicose veins in the hands
To prevent varicose veins in the arms, doctors recommend:
- Limit physical activity in the upper limbs. Girls should not lift weights, and male athletes should use compression garments during training.
- Change the type of activity. People with office work sitting at the keyboard should take vacations during which they raise their hands up and stretch their joints.
- Eat well. Antioxidants and vitamins are beneficial for strengthening blood vessels, especially C and PP. In your daily diet, you should include more fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as at least 1. 5 liters of clean water.
- When taking a contrast shower, do not forget about your hands. Cold water trains blood vessels, prevents the formation of nodules and allows you to achieve the desired tone of the veins.
- Check your weight. Excess body weight creates a constant load on the vessels, and over time, their strength decreases.
- Minimize negative factors. Alcohol, smoking, stress - all this has a bad effect on the elasticity of blood vessels and their tone.
Possible complications
Veins on the hands are not only a cosmetic defect, but also a dangerous medical condition.
Blood stasis forms in the enlargement areas, which leads to insufficient nutrition of adjacent tissues.
An area with poor microcirculation eventually becomes a focus of an inflammatory and even infectious process.
In the future, this could lead to thrombophlebitis or blockage of the vascular lumen by a thrombus.
The formation of a blood clot is facilitated by a slowing of blood circulation to the enlargement area, increased coagulation, and a disturbed vascular wall structure. Most often thrombosis occurs in the lower extremities, however, prolonged squeezing of the hand or an uncomfortable position can cause the formation of venous arms and a thrombus.
Thrombophlebitis may be suspected if the patient complains of pain and swelling in the hand while cyanosis increases with clenching of the fist. Severe disruption of blood flow to a certain area causes necrosis of adjacent tissue and leads to the need for limb amputation. Men with varicose veins are less common due to the fact that the stronger sex is more emotionally stable. However, in addition to stress, other provocative factors can cause venous dilation in young men as well.Feeling of heaviness in the hand, evening fatigue and the appearance of joints are some of the first symptoms of varicose veins of the upper limbs. Taking care of your health and regular medical examinations will help you maintain your health and beautiful appearance.