Probably everyone has seen people with prominent veins on their arms. Some consider it to be the norm or an individual characteristic of a person. In fact, the veins should be hidden under the skin, and any change is a reason to think about your health. In addition to swollen veins, a warning sign may be discomfort or a change in skin tone.
Are there varicose veins of the upper extremities?
Varicose veins are a vascular disease. It can affect any vessels and appear anywhere on the body. Since the provoking factor is excessive load, then varicose veins most often affect the limbs of the body. The disease mainly occurs on the legs, but there are also varicose veins on the arms. According to the international classification (ICD-10), it corresponds to the I86 code.
Varicose veins of the upper extremities are easy to recognize - the veins on the hand and forearm swell and look like blue snakes. The disease more often affects women after the age of 50, as well as male athletes and bodybuilders.
Bulging 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 looked normal but are now swollen, you should see your doctor for a detailed examination. The sooner the problem is detected, the easier it is to treat.
If there are changes in the veins, the risk of varicose veins is really great.
In addition to external non-aesthetic manifestations, varicose veins affect the well-being of the patient, causing pain and provoking some complexes.
Features of varicose veins on the upper limbs
The first changes in varicose veins on the arms appear as blue nodules. After a while, they may disappear and then reappear.
This suggests that the veins cannot cope with the increased load, but recover quickly when the provoking factor is eliminated.
In the absence of timely treatment, nodules on the veins of the hands will be constantly observed and then the dilation will affect the longer part of the vessel. In this case, the vessel noticeably swells, which often attracts the patient's attention and forces him to go to the doctor.
Other reasons
Not only does overload negatively affect vessels. 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 proper nutrition for varicose veins here.
- Heredity.
Hormonal background greatly affects the condition of blood vessels. As you know, it is less stable in women than in men.
Violation symptoms - pay attention!
Even if a person is unaware of the existence of such a problem as varicose veins, he should be warned of the following changes:
- Puffiness.
- Burning and discomfort.
- Rapid fatigue and weakness.
- Stiffness or pain.
- The contrast between the vein and the skin color is clearly visible.
- Raising your arms up 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 observed from birth and is not accompanied by other symptoms, do not worry.
Looking at the photo of varicose veins of the arms and a healthy limb, you will immediately notice the difference and know what to look out for.
Treatment Methods
The tactics of treating varicose veins on 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.
People at risk are advised to get involved in the prevention of varicose veins to avoid dangerous complications.
Conservative treatment includes the use of special compression stockings, the appointment of special medications, diet and physiotherapy. All this is aimed at increasing the tone of the veins, strengthening the blood vessels and reducing their permeability.
The medical jersey is presented with special gloves or sleeves made of special materials. Underwear must be worn at all times to provide mechanical support to the dishes and prevent them from spreading. The degree of compression is chosen by the physician, taking into account the neglect of the pathology.
Treatment of late stages of varicose veins on the arms
When deep veins are affected, limb function may be impaired. The person feels heaviness, pain, discomfort, becomes incapable of performing normal work.
Surgical intervention is used in later stages. Some of the most effective and safest methods are laser correction and sclerotherapy. Their advantages are as follows:
- Painlessness.
- No scars or scars.
- Fast 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 bulging vein to inject a sclerosing agent.
The process is absolutely painless. The veins under the action of the drug stick together and do not require the surgeon to cut the tissue. To prevent recurrence, the patient must wear compression garments.
The advantage of modern methods is that they do not have a negative effect on the surrounding tissues, remove the incision on the skin and almost never cause complications.
Hirudotherapy
Hirudotherapy is popular for many vascular diseases. Despite the fact that this is an unconventional method of treatment, it requires following some rules. It is not recommended to put leeches alone. Only healthy worms that are used only once are suitable for this procedure.
The healing secret secreted by leeches helps strengthen blood vessels and dilute blood. It helps reduce edema, get rid of blood stasis, normalize microcirculation and restore vein structure.
Home treatment
Many patients try to cure varicose veins on the hands with folk remedies. As monotherapy, they are suitable only in the first stage of the disease.
If varicose veins are severe enough, folk recipes can be used only with the basic scheme prescribed by a doctor.
Chestnut-based medications help well against varicose veins. The healing properties of this plant have been recognized by official medicine, because chestnut is part of many venotonic fats.
You can make the cream yourself at home. To do this, the chestnuts are chopped and mixed with melted lard. The drug is used externally, with the help of light rubbing on the affected area.
Cabbage or wormwood leaf compresses give a positive effect in the treatment of varicose veins. They are crushed 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 dilated areas of the veins.
One of the popular methods of dealing with any disease is a bath.
Prevention of varicose veins on the hands
To prevent varicose veins on the hands, doctors recommend:
- Limit physical activity on the upper limbs. Girls should not lift weights, and male athletes must use compression garments during training.
- Change the activity type. People sitting in the office working at the keyboard should take breaks during which they would raise their arms and stretch their wrists.
- Eat right. Antioxidants and vitamins are useful for strengthening blood vessels, especially C and PP. In your daily diet you need to include more fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as at least 1. 5 liters of clean water.
- When taking a contrast shower, don't forget your hands. Cold water trains blood vessels, prevents the formation of nodules and allows you to achieve the desired tone of the veins.
- Control your weight. Being overweight creates a constant load on the vessels, and over time their strength declines.
- 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 health condition.
Blood stasis occurs in areas of enlargement, leading to malnutrition of adjacent tissues.
An area with poor microcirculation eventually becomes the focus of an inflammatory and even infectious process.
In the future, this can lead to thrombophlebitis or thrombus to clogging of the vascular lumen.
The formation of a blood clot facilitates a slowing of blood circulation in the area of dilation, increased coagulation and disrupted structure of the vascular wall. Thrombosis is more common in the lower extremities, however, prolonged clenching of the hand or uncomfortable position can cause the formation of venous arms and thrombi.
Thrombophlebitis may be suspected if the patient complains of pain and swelling of the hand, while cyanosis increases with clenching of the hand. Severe circulatory disturbance in a particular area causes necrosis of adjacent tissues and leads to the need for limb amputation.
Varicose veins in men are less common due to the fact that the stronger sex is more emotionally stable. However, in addition to stress, other triggers can cause dilatation of the veins, even in young men.
Feeling of heaviness in the hand, evening fatigue and the appearance of nodules 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.