Varicose veins are a disease from which, first of all, the veins in the legs are very damaged. What to do when symptoms appear, how to treat varicose veins and what factors are the basis for the development of the disease? Awareness of these issues will help avoid the negative consequences of the disease.
General information about varicose veins
The carrier of varicose veins is almost every fifth person from the total percentage of the world population. The main threat of the disease is that its symptoms can not be noticed immediately, which is why timely treatment is delayed and the disease leads to complications.
The full medical name for such a disease is varicose veins. From the name it can be understood that in the presence of a disease, the peripheral veins located in the limbs 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 veins can appear on the skin. Their color becomes deeper, edema and pain appear. Due to the appearance of nodules, blood can not flow steadily through the veins, blood clots occur, which causes the veins to be exposed to high pressure.
Achieving a certain pressure indicator leads to the fact that during thrombosis, the blood in the veins is pushed outwards, stretching the walls of the vessels. The first characteristic symptoms of varicose veins appear, such as noticeable interlocking of the veins, an expansion of their volume, and a deep blue tinge.
Most often, varicose veins cover the surface of the legs, so people suffering from such a disease complain of pain in the veins of the legs. Treatment of varicose veins should be immediate and performed under the supervision of an experienced physician. When the first symptoms appear, contact a therapist.
Causes
The main cause of varicose veins is disruption of steady blood flow. It is the stagnation of blood in the veins that leads to the pressure exerted on them. Therefore, the main factors influencing the development of varicose veins include:
- Genetic predisposition. If both parents have suffered from varicose veins, then 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 avoided with health care.
- Increased physical activity. Regular and long standing posture can strain blood vessels. Therefore, varicose veins are often found in professional athletes and in people who undergo the hard work of physical production.
- Lack of physical activity. With complete lack of movement in the blood vessels, blood stagnation occurs. The elderly, 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, female representatives face blood stagnation in blood vessels. Hormonal disruptions can occur during puberty, pregnancy, lactation, menopause, as well as due to private stressful situations and nervous disorders. In these periods in the body of women does not prevail estrogen, but the hormone of the corpus luteum, which acts on the muscles in a relaxing way.
- Mechanical effect on veins. Shrinkage of peripheral veins located on the surface of the extremities can also affect the occurrence of blood congestion. For example, tight dresses have such an effect.
- Alcohol abuse. Alcohol contains substances that are toxic and poisonous to the body, as well as increase blood pressure. Toxins and pressure cause the walls of blood vessels to lose consistency and tone.
- Obesity. Excessive food intake leads to rapid weight gain, as a result of which the body limbs may not tolerate the load exerted on them.
When the veins are injured exactly in the legs, then the cause of painful sensations, as a rule, are varicose veins. You need to pay attention to the factors that can affect the development of the disease and review your lifestyle.
Symptoms
Before starting treatment for varicose veins, you should make sure that the veins are very sore precisely because of the appearance of such a disease. The disease is not asymptomatic, the main thing is to pay attention to any deviation from the norm in the work of the body. The following manifestations speak of varicose veins:
- Pain in the legs. The pressure that blood exerts on the walls of blood vessels leads to painful and uncomfortable sensations in the lower extremities. Then the vein hurts, you may face an unpleasant burning sensation and heaviness in the legs.
- Bounce. Swelling on the surface of the feet may appear at the end of the day when the limbs are experiencing a peak of tension. The swelling affects not only the main part of the feet, but also the feet, ankles and knee flexion area.
- Convulsions. Convulsive muscle contractions with varicose veins usually occur at night. They may be accompanied by a nervous tic and convulsive tremors.
- Dilation of veins. As mentioned earlier, varicose veins acquire a completely different appearance. They are swollen, bent and deep blue. Large saphenous veins indicate the presence of thrombosis.
- Skin discoloration. Due to the fact that during the disease blood stasis appears in the blood vessels, the skin under the peripheral veins can change its shade to a dark and dull one.
- Trophic ulcer. Due to the violation of the blood supply to the skin, defects appear that do not heal for a long time.
The most primary symptoms of varicose veins are fever and general weakness of the body.
If you start treating the disease, then it can develop to the next stage. With the rapid development of varicose veins of the lower extremities, you may experience the following symptoms:
- skin tightening;
- dark spots;
- loss of moisture in the skin, violation of its nutrition;
- bleeding caused by rupture of joints.
If any of these symptoms occur, you should see a doctor and start treatment immediately.
Treatment methods
If the veins in the leg hurt precisely because of varicose veins, then the specialist will prescribe a series of measures to eliminate the disease. The most common treatments for varicose veins include:
- medical preparations;
- folk remedies;
- gymnastics;
- massage;
- compresses and bandaging the affected areas;
- special diet.
Treatment will be more effective if the patient agrees to a comprehensive rather than selective approach.
medicaments
Medicines for the treatment of varicose veins can be divided into 4 groups:
- external use;
- for oral administration;
- to eliminate symptoms;
- to address the root causes;
- operating methods.
In the fight against the disease, doctors prescribe drugs that dilute the blood, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, a complex of vitamins, etc. Oral medications can be administered orally or by injection.
Any medicine should be used only under the supervision of the attending physician, respecting the instructions for use and the duration of the course of treatment.
Folk remedies
Folk remedies for the treatment of varicose veins should complement a series of measures to eliminate the disease. You can use them at home.
Among the common popular methods are:
- medicinal bath;
- compresses;
- herbal decoctions.
Baths for effective treatment of varicose veins are recommended 3-4 times a week. The water should be diluted with special sea salt for baths or special herbs prepared in advance. For example, you can use the following recipe:
- Fill the tub with warm water.
- Dilute the dried leaves of medicinal plants in water.
- Take a shower for 20-25 minutes.
As a raw material for baths are suitable chamomile, St. John's wort, oak bark and plantain leaves, which can be purchased at any pharmacy in the city at a small cost. Such baths can be made for prophylactic purposes, because they help clean the blood vessels from toxic substances, as well as stabilize blood flow.
Compresses and lotions can be made using vegetable and essential oils in the pharmacy, aloe juice or honey. To do this, you need to apply one of the listed components to the areas affected by varicose veins and then wrap the application area with an elastic bandage. Such compresses should be changed twice a day every 2-3 hours.
You can prevent the development of the disease in popular ways by consuming decoctions of medicinal herbs inside. For the preparation of soups, the raw materials of the following herbs are suitable:
- murriz;
- chamomile;
- kone hop;
- delli;
- St. John's wort;
- licorice root;
- angelic root.
For alternative methods you should consult your doctor in advance. It is possible that some components are not used due to the presence of allergic reactions.
Gymnastics
One of the reasons for the development of varicose veins is inactivity, which causes blood stagnation in the vessels. Therefore, people who are forced to lead a computer lifestyle should regularly perform gymnastic exercises at home. For example:
20-25 times.
- Sit in a chair
- Press your feet together
- Tighten the muscles
- Lower the toes to the toes and then to the heels
20-25 times.
- Lean against the wall with both hands
- Climb at your fingertips
- Get off on your heels
15-20 times.
- Sit
- Stand on tiptoe while sitting
- Get off on your heels
15 times on each leg:
- Sit
- Raise your right foot parallel to the floor for 7 seconds
- Lower
- 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. Sea buckthorn is perfect. It should be rubbed into the problem areas of the feet in a circular motion for five minutes every day. This procedure will also increase the elasticity of the skin and nourish it with moisture.
diets
Diet for varicose veins means a restriction in consumption or a complete rejection of the following foods:
- meat juices;
- marinade;
- salty, smoked, sweet, fried foods;
- coffee and beverages;
- alcoholic and tobacco products.
It is worth diversifying the diet with foods that have a positive effect on strengthening the walls of blood vessels:
- fresh fruits and vegetables;
- arra;
- fish products, seafood;
- vegetables;
- fermented milk products.
Operational Methods
There is a treatment for varicose veins and surgery. However, it is used in extremely advanced cases. The surgeries consist of connecting the esophageal and gastric veins by placing an anastomosis or placing a stent in the canal between the hepatic veins and the portal vein.
To avoid varicose veins, it is worth resting your legs and doing preventative procedures at home. Effective treatment of already congenital varicose veins consists of timely and complex treatment under the guidance of a specialist.
Which doctor to contact
Treatment is performed by a phlebologist, a vascular surgeon.