Varicose veins are a fairly common disease among the adult population. According to the World Health Organization, about 40% of people are affected by this disease in varying degrees of severity.
The disease is more characteristic of women, every fifth representative of the beautiful gender is prone to varicose veins. Men suffer from this disease to a lesser extent and only 10% of them face this problem.
In the initial stage, the disease is of little concern and does not pose a threat to the patient's life, but later dangerous diseases can develop, such as thrombophlebitis. Formed blood clots are already a serious threat to life.
Depending on the etiology, two forms of varicose veins are distinguished, these are shown in the table:
| Primary | Secondary | |
|---|---|---|
| OK | Weakening and disruption of the structure of the venous wall | Violation of the outflow of venous blood due to improper functioning of the vascular valves |
| Aggravating factors | Overweight, pregnancy, standing work, compression of veins caused by clothes, congenital weakness of the venous walls | Formation of different types of tumors, disorders arising as a result of trauma |
Causes of the disease
The essence of the disease is an abnormal increase in pressure in the surface blood vessels due to a failure of the valves, which normally facilitate the one-way flow of venous blood (toward the heart). In the event of a disorder, the valves weaken and the blood begins to stagnate in the veins, which leads to elongation, the formation of nodes, etc. tissues, as well as the development of ulcerative processes.
The main causes of the disease:
- genetic predisposition;
- long stay in an upright position;
- limited movement during the day;
- disorders of the endocrine system, both due to diseases and taking hormonal drugs;
- pregnancy;
- various physical activities (at work, gym, dacha, etc. );
- lower limb injuries;
- bad habits, especially smoking.
Note.The risk group includes those who spend the whole day on their feet, sit and move little, such as salespeople, teachers, drivers, people sitting in front of a computer, etc.
The fact is that people who sit for a long time compress the blood vessels, and this slows down blood circulation. Therefore, varicose veins develop regardless of age, and in those who stand for a long time, according to physical laws, the blood exerts constant pressure on the blood vessels, as a result of which they begin to deform, which is the development of the disease.
Also at risk are:
- women wearing high heels;
- athletes who put loads on the legs (power sports, tennis);
- all people who work standing;
- people habitually cross one leg over the other while sitting;
- people who drink a lot of coffee and alcoholic beverages, which contribute to the thickening of the blood, thereby impairing its outflow.
How to recognize the disease
The first sign of varicose veins is the appearance of tiredness in the legs at the end of the day, the appearance of swelling, as a result of which the shoes will be tight. Rare cramps and pain in the calf muscles are also possible.
You can visually notice the manifestation of the disease by the so-called stars, which consist of modified inflamed blood vessels. As varicose veins progress, irreversible pathologies occur in larger-diameter vessels and begin to appear under the skin. The lumpy appearance of the latter is due to the refinement of the walls in some places.
Main features
But in order to more accurately understand whether this is varicose veins or not, we list the main signs of the disease:
- pain and heaviness in the legs;
- an unpleasant warm, burning pain runs through the veins;
- after a working day, the swelling of the legs is clearly visible;
- nocturnal cramps in the calves;
- the blood vessels become wider, more tortuous, denser to the touch;
- the epidermis of the legs becomes thicker and darker;
- Trophic ulcers may occur.
Prevention and treatment
If you notice symptoms of varicose veins, you should see a specialist. Medical institutions should be contacted for the treatment and prevention of varicose veins.
Only after determining the exact diagnosis, the doctor should determine the therapy and eliminate the causes. There are a number of simple rules that can be followed to stop the development of the disease, or even in some cases help to prevent the development of the disease.
The main ones are listed below:
Avoid the effect of temperature on the veins . Hot baths, saunas, long exposure to the sun lead to a decrease in the tone of blood vessels, which causes blood to stagnate, especially in the legs;Physical activity . All sports, except those with heavy loads, have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. Light running, aerobics, morning exercises and fitness are especially good at strengthening the veins.Overweight . In obese people, the condition of the blood and blood vessels deteriorates for a number of reasons. A larger volume creates more pressure, the heart has to work much harder to pump all the blood, excess cholesterol leads to clogging of blood vessels, atherosclerosis, thrombosis and other cardiovascular diseases.Advice.If you don't want to have varicose veins and feel good, watch your weight carefully and prevent obesity.
Tight, constricting clothing interferes with blood circulation . Get rid of tight tights, socks and tights with tight elastic bands, don't tighten the belt too much, and generally eliminate compression of blood vessels.
It should be noted that there are special support stockings and stockings that prevent the formation of varicose veins.Spread the load while you work , change your position, don't stay static for a long time.Do not cross one leg while sitting . This interferes with the passage of venous blood through the vessels.More movement . A long static position in a sitting position, especially in an upright position, provokes the development of the disease due to the increased pressure on the legs and the slowing down of venous blood outflow. Therefore, the more movement, the better. Take breaks, change positions, etc.Normalization of stool . Both constipation and diarrhea negatively affect the vascular system. Therefore, make sure that your diet includes foods rich in fiber. Avoid legumes, beer and yeast products if you are prone to bloating.Eat less salt . Salt, followed by fluid consumption, causes swelling.Do limb exercises . Before going to bed and after waking up in the morning, it is worth doing rotating movements on your fingers and toes for a few minutes, this improves blood circulation.Avoid tight shoes , and the high heel.After a working day, at home, make it a rule to wash or rinse your feet in cold water.
Note that walking barefoot in the dew or on the beach at the surf line and getting your feet wet is helpful to prevent varicose veins.
In the event that there are no manifestations of varicose veins, but there is a tendency to this disease, daily massage of the legs will be useful. It's very easy to do. The technique consists of stroking and kneading the feet.
Note.Massage is contraindicated if the doctor has diagnosed varicose veins!
Patients are advised to elevate their lower limbs while resting or sleeping. To do this, it is advisable to place your feet on a hill, for this use any available means, you can place a pillow or pillow.
A contrast shower for the legs will help, or after a warm shower, rinse the legs with cool or cold water.
Swimming is recommended for varicose veins, it not only forces all muscle groups, but also perfectly strengthens the blood vessels. Morning jogging, hiking, cycling and skiing are also good choices.
Physiotherapy
The treatment and prevention of varicose veins will be successful if you exercise.
Below are some simple exercises that you can do without distracting yourself from work or household chores:
- Calf raise. The instructions to follow are simple. To do this, you need to stand straight, legs together, feet next to each other. Do the lift about 30 times, rising on your toes and returning to the starting position. There are three types of exercises:
- toes side by side, heels side by side;
- toes side by side, heels apart;
- heels closed, toes apart.
It is advisable to perform each variation 20-30 times in each position;
- Rolling on your feet. Stand straight with your feet together. Roll from toes to heels. Repeat on the inside and back of the leg. The number of repetitions is arbitrary, allow 2-3 minutes for the exercises.
- Bicycle. It can be done lying down or sitting on a chair. Use your legs to imitate riding a bicycle, as shown in the picture. During the performance, the legs must be fully straightened. 30-40 repetitions will be enough.
Nutrition and diet
Adhering to proper nutrition and diet not only helps to cope with varicose veins, but also has a positive effect on the body as a whole. Enrich your diet with plant foods, especially fruits, and remove fatty, spicy, salty and smoked foods, which lead to blood thickening and blood clots.
A vegetarian diet is preferable, but since this is not suitable for everyone, try to favor lean meats, fish and animal proteins of marine origin. Reduce alcohol consumption as much as possible, eat more fortified foods, especially those rich in vitamins A, B, C and E.
The first and last help to strengthen the epithelial vessel walls and increase the general immunity of the body. Regular intake of vitamins C and E strengthens the collagen fibers of blood vessels and their valves.
Scientists have proven that, thanks to its unique chemical composition, consumption of fresh garlic has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. Let's just focus on the effect.
Garlic prevents the formation of blood clots and promotes the dissolution of existing ones, prevents the formation of arteriosclerosis and varicose veins. It also stimulates the body's defense mechanisms and helps prevent colds.
It is important to note that garlic should not be overdone. Eating a couple of cloves a day is enough. Being too addicted to this spice can lead to stomach and heart problems.
Some basic nutritional rules:
- lean meat is recommended, steamed or boiled;
- lactic acid products such as yogurt, kefir and cheese are very healthy, especially if they are low in fat;
- increase your intake of vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. They contain a lot of fiber and potassium compounds. The first helps to fight the build-up of sludge in the body and constipation; potassium regulates channels during water-salt metabolism in body tissues. Please note that industrial processing reduces the amount of useful microelements and eliminates the beneficial properties of fiber;
- it is advisable to reduce the amount of fast (sweet) carbohydrates and salt to a minimum;
- For cooking, use dishes that have a special coating that allows you to cook food without using fat, which heats up on the surface;
- replace animal fats with vegetable fats, do not cook twice in the same oil;
- For salad dressing, use olive oil, low-calorie sour cream, kefir or yogurt.
Treatment of varicose veins
Varicose veins are quite difficult to treat, and it is much easier to prevent their occurrence or to control the development of the disease by slowing its progression. When the disease is diagnosed, according to statistics, about 15-20% of patients are completely cured, but you should not despair.
Damaged veins have an elongated structure, which causes stagnant processes in them. In case of severe vascular changes, surgical treatment with ear removal is required to avoid the spread of the disease to healthy veins.
Today, there are many ways to treat the disease. In most cases, these are minimally invasive techniques, and the patient is only placed on the operating table in an advanced state.
Among the most frequently used ones, we highlight the following:
Sclerotherapy. Simply put: removal of a vein without direct surgical intervention. The essence of this is that a special medicine is injected into the damaged blood vessel with the help of a needle, which glues the walls of the veins together and resolves itself after about a week.Laser therapy. A special probe connected to a laser is inserted into the vein through a microincision. The vein is burned from the inside, which leads to adhesion of the walls and subsequent resorption.
Basic treatment techniques
Early recognition of the disease contributes to successful treatment if it is started in time. The more advanced the varicose veins, the more difficult the disease is to treat.
Among the main techniques, therapeutic massage is well proven, but on the condition that it is performed by a specialist. Thanks to appropriate manipulations in the legs, blood circulation improves and blood vessel congestion decreases.
Treatment often involves wearing limbs with elastic bandages or special compression stockings. This helps to avoid the development of the disease and the occurrence of complications such as thrombophlebitis.
The resulting additional compression compresses the veins, their lumen narrows, which results in increased blood flow, reducing blood vessel congestion. This prevents the blood from thickening and blood clots.
Treatment includes following all the basic preventive measures described above. Among them, special attention should be paid to diets, the fight against excess weight, regular rest and therapeutic exercises.
After consultation with the attending physician, drug therapy and the use of various creams and ointments are prescribed. Medicines taken orally have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects, and also help to thin the blood and strengthen the vessel walls.
The cream for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins gives the same result. The price of such drugs is affordable and they are available without a prescription. Their use does not cause complications, but it is still advisable to seek specialist advice.
Traditional treatment methods
Treatment and prevention of varicose veins with the help of traditional medicine is not a panacea for the disease, but it can improve the results of basic treatment and relieve symptoms, especially since it is convenient to use at home.
The most popular methods are:
- bathing with a decoction of herbs (St. John's wort, chamomile, plantain, etc. ), which help strengthen blood vessels and increase blood flow;
- a poultice made with sea buckthorn oil or aloe juice has an excellent wound-healing effect and is used to treat eczema and trophic ulcers (honey ointments can also be used for this);
- the use of herbal decoctions or tinctures that help thin the blood (hawthorn, licorice or angelica root, sweet clover and others).
Complications of varicose veins
If varicose veins are not treated or not taken seriously, stagnant processes progress, leading to the development of the disease and many simultaneous pathologies, which significantly worsen the general condition and reduce the comfort of life. The nutrition of the epidermal layers of the skin deteriorates.
This causes the appearance of eczema, necrosis or trophic ulcers, which become chronic. Blood clots cause the veins to become abnormally tortuous and bulging.
Lime begins to deposit in them and the so-called "vein stones" appear. The nodules that appear can rupture and bleed. The swelling of the legs becomes permanent and "elephantiasis" appears.