Varicose veins (or varicose veins) in the legs are a fairly common disease. The victims are mostly women aged 30 to 60, especially if they suffer from diabetes mellitus or are overweight and have problems with posture. In addition, these people are sick with varicose veins, due to which their work must be in a standing or sitting position for a long time. Unfortunately, the number of cases is increasing every year. That is why it is important to know not only how to cure varicose veins on the legs, but also how to avoid them.
Reasons
Treatment of varicose veins, above all, should be to remove the immediate cause of its occurrence. Below are the ones that are most common in everyday life:
- Be in an upright or sitting position for a long time;
- Overweight (obesity);
- Increased pressure in the veins of the lower extremities due to heavy loads with constipation, heavy lifting and pregnancy;
- Congenital or posttraumatic absence of venous valves in the vessels of the lower extremities.
Varicose veins on the legs can be cured only after you get rid of all the above factors. Otherwise, recurrences of the disease cannot be avoided.
Symptoms
One of the most important signs of varicose veins is the appearance of bulges and nodular swellings along the veins of the lower extremities. Often this is accompanied by severe pain and heaviness in the legs, an uncomfortable burning sensation may be added. In more severe cases, episodic leg cramps and edema may occur, which usually occur in the late afternoon. A characteristic feature of varicose veins is the gradual thickening and darkening of the skin of the lower leg.
If left untreated, the walls of the affected blood vessels become inflamed and clogged with multiple blood clots. Over time, ulcers can develop on the skin. In the vast majority of cases, such a development leads to quite frightening diseases, for example, thrombophlebitis or thrombosis.
In what situation should you see a doctor?
Varicose veins develop gradually, but sometimes progress quite quickly - in such cases you can not hesitate to visit a doctor. The acute course of the disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- A sharp pain that reaches such an intensity that a person cannot move independently. This is accompanied by a feeling of heat and hardening of the skin on the feet;
- Shortness of breath, feeling weak and shortness of breath;
- Bleeding localized in the immediate vicinity of the affected venous vessels or from themselves.
Diagnostics
When the first signs of varicose veins appear, you should seek help from your doctor. As a rule, after performing standard examinations (examination, anamnesis, CBC, OAM), such patients are referred to a specialist who deals with vascular diseases (phlebologist) or immediately to a vascular surgeon.
In addition to the basic diagnostic measures, they can be assigned:
- Ultrasound of veins (duplex scanning);
- Contrast venography.
Treatment
Today there is no cure for varicose veins, which would give a one hundred percent result. Treatment should be carried out in a comprehensive manner using both surgical and therapeutic techniques.
Conservative treatment
Fighting varicose veins on the legs with the help of conservative methods is possible only in cases when the symptoms are just beginning to appear and there is no need to talk about possible complications. The main components of this treatment are:
- Diet;
- A set of special exercises;
- Compression therapy;
- Drug therapy.
Diet
As mentioned earlier, varicose veins mainly affect those people who are overweight. In this regard, one of the conditions for successful treatment is undoubtedly adherence to a proper diet, aimed at destroying extra pounds. There are many variations on how to put together a daily diet, but none of them should be followed without first consulting a dietitian.
Such diets typically involve avoiding any sweets as well as those foods that contain high amounts of plant fiber.
Physical fitness
Physiotherapy exercises are an excellent remedy for varicose veins on the legs. There are a number of special exercises that can be performed to significantly slow the progression of the disease, and sometimes even get rid of it completely. Also, don’t forget to take a walk in the fresh air (morning and evening) and swim.
Important!In case of varicose veins, you should refrain from going to the sauna, bathroom, do not over-bathe and do not bend your legs. This is due to the fact that these procedures significantly increase blood flow to the extremities, where varicose veins are already noticeable stagnation.
Compression therapy
Treatment of varicose veins at home includes the use of special jerseys in the form of golf, socks and tights, as well as elastic bandages of different lengths. Doctors generally recommend wearing it all day and taking it off just before bed.
Thus, it is possible to significantly increase venous tone and improve blood flow in the legs. And that, in turn, helps to eliminate the symptoms of the disease. Also a very useful foot massage for varicose veins, which must be reported by a specialist.
Drug Therapy
Today, drugs for the treatment of this disease are widely represented in the pharmaceutical market. Moreover, gel, ointment and foot cream for varicose veins are used along with the tablet forms. All of them can significantly reduce the rate of disease progression and even prevent the development of some complications.
However, we must not forget that any medicine should only be used as directed by a doctor. After all, almost every one of them has quite a few contraindications, and improper use can lead to unforeseen situations.
Most often, in varicose veins of the lower extremities, doctors prescribe drugs of the following groups:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Venotonics - drugs that increase venous tone and improve venous outflow;
- Preparations aimed at reducing blood viscosity and preventing blood clots.
Surgical treatment
Surgery is the most radical method used in situations where all alternative methods of combat do not give a positive result.
The most common surgery involves small incisions in the skin and removal of the affected veins through them. After the operation, the legs were tightly bandaged. After a few hours, patients can already move independently.
Nowadays, the technique of laser removal of pathologically altered veins is becoming more widespread. Such an operation is less traumatic, but recurrences of the disease are often observed after it.
Prevention
There is no doubt that, like most modern diseases, varicose veins are easier to prevent than to cure. That is why doctors recommend starting the prevention of this disease from the earliest years. To do this, do the following:
- Actively play sports;
- During standing work you should occasionally take breaks (walk on your toes and then on your heels);
- After exercising, you should take a cold shower;
- Special jerseys should be worn during pregnancy, especially in the later stages.