Varicose veins on the legs are one of the most common diseases that occurs in a large number of women of any age. Men also suffer from this, but much less frequently. With such symptoms, it is rare for people to see a doctor right away. Everyone is trying to heal themselves, considering it all temporary manifestations. Varicose veins of the feet are often mixed simply with an overloaded body that is tired from daily work and a heavy schedule.
The peculiarity of varicose veins on the legs is such that the treatment helps especially well only in the early stages of the disease, but not in the last, when there are more and more manifestations every day. If everything is left to chance, then surgery is needed in the extreme stages. The disease gradually progresses. Especially if it goes along with venous insufficiency.
With varicose veins of the lower extremities, the symptoms disappear with pathological expansion and hemodynamic disturbances. Venous valves do not work well. Over time, all of this worsens with thrombophlebitis, phlebothrombosis, and pulmonary thromboembolism.
The onset of the disease
The first symptoms of varicose veins in the legs are associated with improper functioning of the venous valves, leading to blood reflux. Endothelial cells receive a signal of slowed blood flow. Leukocytes are implanted on them. Thus, the inflammatory process begins in the vascular walls, which run along the vena cava. The inflammatory process catalyzes venous wall disorders.
All the pressure on the venous valve system is stronger. To begin with, the lesion is noticeable in the areas with the greatest load - perforated veins and large and small saphenous veins. After that, the channel starts to fill above the norm. From there comes the redistribution of venous blood in the walls. And downstairs, more often than not, there are many more. All that volume smoothly reaches the deep veins, where it stretches everything in its immediate environment. Dilation and venous insufficiency of valvular sections occur.
Causes
Phlebologists identify a number of reasons that cause pathologies in the work of the venous system. This may be due to a genetic predisposition and a totality of unpleasant effects on the human body. Hereditary characteristics are manifested not only in women but also in men. The disease can go on for a long time inside, but it does not manifest on the outside in any way. After that, due to some external catalyst, a malfunction in the venous valves leads to the first manifestations on the skin.
The following important reasons cause the disease:
- age parameters;
- hormone failure;
- diabetes;
- permanent imprisonment;
- periods after surgery or injury;
- alcohol and tobacco addiction;
- hypercoagulability and overweight;
- period of childbirth and pregnancy;
- underwear that compresses certain parts of the body;
- long downtime and heavy workloads;
- congenital defects of the circulatory system;
- living in conditions unsuitable for the climate.
Symptoms
Diseases of the veins in the legs are not simply blue discoloration with long tree-shaped streaks. They are also often called vascular stars. It is far from the first phase, and even the name of such a phenomenon is - intradermal varicose veins. As we wrote earlier, this situation can occur due to a number of factors, including pregnant women. The human body is gradually regenerating due to the influence of hormones. It is not dangerous, except for discomfort due to external manifestations. Young ladies don’t like to see them have an outer blue color. Such manifestations of inferior varicose veins can be removed with cosmetic devices, by adjusting the diet, by switching to recommended dietary products.
The bluish network usually indicates to the patient that he has a harmless type of varicose veins of the lower extremities.
Human health does not suffer from this in any way, but it is still embarrassing to live with such a problem for long. Experts advise you to contact specialized cosmetology clinics, where they can prescribe a course of medicines with herbs, lotions, gels and ointments. This is a combination of traditional medicine and classical clinical research.
If bumps or bumps already exist, you should see a doctor immediately. There can be no self-medication here. If there is pain in the legs with varicose veins, symptoms that are difficult to determine, consult a therapist. In general, it is very difficult to completely remove varicose veins of the lower extremities, the symptoms of photography and treatment testify to this. In advanced situations, you even need to seek help from the surgical department where you will undergo surgery. The initial varicose veins on the legs are characterized by heaviness in the limbs, edema, and some cramps. All of these symptoms of varicose veins directly tell us that you have exactly the case that is being treated only under the supervision of a doctor.
If you notice redness on the skin, feel discomfort when walking, see tight vascular walls, feel an increase in temperature, then this is already a serious disease called thrombophlebitis.
There is already a significant risk of losing health. If you do not pay attention to all these signs of enlargement for a long time, then even a few deaths a year occur. Usually, with a disease with current symptoms, the patient is immediately admitted to the hospital for long-term treatment. Even if you have noticed only one symptom, there is no need to wait for the time by the sea. Urgently to the clinic, and it will already be more visible there.
Classification
In 2000, a classification with 4 degrees of varicose veins on the legs was proposed:
- Varicose veins within the skin of the segmental type. Venous discharge is not noticeable.
- Varicose veins of segmental nature with reflux.
- Varicose veins with reflux throughout the lower extremities.
- Varicose veins with varicose reflux with penetration into deep veins.
Moreover, medical professionals identify not only ascending pathological changes starting from the foot, but also descending - varicose veins starting from the mouth of the saphenous vein.
When determining the type of disease, they also look at the level of venous insufficiency.
Zero - the disease is absent in humans, the first is heaviness in the legs, the second is a manifestation of edema, the third is persistent edema, eczema, increased pigmentation, lipodermatosclerosis, the fourth is the formation of trophic ulcers.
Diagnosis
Initially, the method of examination by a phlebologist is simply external, ie the doctor examines external changes in the legs. With a high degree of probability, already at this stage an approximate diagnosis is determined, but it never ends there. They then carry out a number of research and diagnostic procedures of a general nature:
- blood test;
- X-ray;
- rheovasography and duplex scanning;
- Doppler ultrasound and plethysmography.
Treatment
Varicose veins of the lower extremities are easily treated in the early stages. The whole procedure works to normalize blood circulation, blood flow and prevent any complications. All this helps to improve the general condition of the organism. Therapeutic techniques are divided into two types.
Conservative therapy is most often used when the first signs of varicose veins appear on the legs. The skin is affected, but these are not some pronounced segments. The person continues to live a normal life. The disease does not significantly affect anything except the psychological state.
The surgical method is recommended when the disease is manifested on large areas with clear lines, small bumps and ulcers. The method of recovery often begins with minimally invasive procedures, but full-fledged surgery sometimes comes to the rescue when the case is extremely neglected.
Conservative technique
The patient is prescribed a complex course:
- Experts are trying to address all possible risks of disease progression. Varicose veins on the legs are examined by a phlebologist, who can put the patient for a clinical examination.
- They begin to fight adynamism. If there is no thrombosis, then you need to actively engage in sports, evenly loading the body, vigorously training the lower limbs. The intensity is already being discussed with the physiotherapist. They are most often forced to swim, run, ride a bicycle. It is recommended to wear sports underwear with additional compression. You need to keep your legs elevated for a few minutes before exercising. Patients are not advised to engage in contact sports: martial arts, football, hockey. Elastic bandages are used for improved leg fixation.
- Compression stockings and elastic bandages are needed not only on sports fields. They are trying to treat the symptoms of varicose veins of the lower extremities. If used properly, venous circulation should improve. This type of treatment is often prescribed for a limited time.
- Taking medication. The course of medication is prescribed for all stages of varicose vein development. Reckless use of disease pills can only make the situation worse. The patient can get rid of all the bright manifestations on the legs in a month, if you follow the doctor's instructions. All prescribed drugs belong to different groups of drugs that have anti-inflammatory effect and are associated with angioprotectants, phlebotonics, desogregants or anticoagulants.
- Physiotherapy is always included in the complex to suppress the symptoms of varicose veins of the legs. All of them affect, above all, the restoration of venous wall tone, lymphatic drainage and improved blood circulation. Numerous drugs are prescribed, from magnetic and laser therapy to pneumocompression and hyperbaric oxygenation. Often these are baths with oxygen and minerals. If there are no contraindications and side effects, then the patient is prescribed massage activities. Moreover, sometimes they can even perform on their own at home. They are also treated with chiropractic and apitherapy.
Surgical technique
Venous-type diseases sometimes have to be treated by surgeons, when all the symptoms of the disease accumulate and negatively affect each other, and the stage has long passed to the last quarter. They try to fight with a minimally invasive method. This is sclerotherapy with the introduction of certain substances that affect the walls of blood vessels. This is a microsclerotherapy that acts directly on the spider veins. This is microthermocoagulation, which works on a thin electrode, removing all bright external manifestations. These are laser endovasal coagulation and radiofrequency ablation of varicose veins - all of which act on the affected areas of the veins, providing a thermal effect. All this is necessary in order not to prescribe drastic measures and perform real operations. There are already separate methods of the new type, which began to be applied only in the late 90s.
Transluminal phlebectomy: a thin probe is inserted into the lumen of the diseased vein. Thanks to that, the doctor controls the entire operation. An anesthetic drug is given. All affected areas are removed by aspiration.
Endoscopic dissection: Perforated veins are ligated using endoscopic devices.
There are also separate operations to preserve the veins. They aim to restore the work of venous valves. There is a fixation of specialized structures that hinder the progression of a pathological nature. Sometimes hemodynamic surgeries are used to alleviate the affected veins by directing venous flows in other directions. Relapses in these situations are common. Do not visit baths, saunas in the postoperative period, walk less often and do not lift heavy things.
Phlebologist's opinion:
The use of compression stockings with elastic bandages is necessary not only for sports. With their help, the initial signs of varicose veins are treated. If done correctly, venous blood circulation improves. Often these treatments are prescribed indefinitely. Medications can be prescribed at any stage of varicose vein development. If the pills are used insanely to cure the disease, the situation can only get worse. After a month, patients can remove various manifestations on the surface of the feet, when he begins to follow the doctor's recommendations. Medications achieve an effect in which the inflammation disappears. These are angioprotectors, phlebotonics, disinfectants or anticoagulants.
Reviews
- The first answer, a woman, 39 years old: "The signs of varicose veins on the legs got meaning about a year ago. This is my hereditary disease through my mother's line. Often, at the same time, atherosclerosis of blood vessels In this case, in my case, folkmethods did not help in relieving the pain, although I had internal initial varicose veins. I started doing prophylaxis too late. The disease reached the small pelvis. I went to a specialist who examined all the affected areas. They will prescribe a specialized course of treatment that took me for approximatelya month relieved of all unpleasant external manifestations. we can say with certainty that all women should go to the doctor immediately. Do not use all these grandmother's methods. Only phlebologists will help you find a cure. They know all about varicose veins. "
- Second opinion, woman, 52 years old: "Despite the fact that she constantly monitored her health, varicose veins still appeared. I always consult doctors only for the initial examination and diagnosis. The whole course lasted 3-4 weeks. At that time I was already dealing withexclusively by preventive and restorative procedures. Now a little sport, proper nutrition, yes, in general, that's all. The disease has receded and, I hope, will never return. "