What is varicose veins and how to deal with it

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Varicose veins are the more common name for pathological varicose veins in the lower extremities. It manifests itself on the superficial veins, accompanied by a violation of the blood flow. The walls of the veins become saccular, the lumen of the veins expands, while the length of the veins increases, and serpentine tortuosity appears through the skin. This is how varicose veins on the legs appear.

For the treatment of varicose veins, we recommend contacting specialized clinics, for example, Symptoms and treatments are well known to practicing physicians today, as the disease is quite common. Statistics register 17-25% of cases of the disease.

These are only recorded cases of the disease, but after all, many people do not seek help from doctors, are treated by traditional healers, relying on the help of alternative medicine.

Pathology is young today: it affects even young adolescents in puberty, with the same frequency in both sexes. However, in adulthood, venous disease in women is observed 2 times more often than in men. This is due to the significant difference in hormonal levels, hormonal and physical stress on the female body due to menstruation, pregnancies. The load leads to a weakening of the tone of the veins, a weakening of the walls of blood vessels occurs, varicose veins on the legs are formed, and venous circulation is disturbed.

Symptoms and manifestations of varicose veins on the legs

The first visible symptoms of pathology are thin veins that appear through the skin surface. Most of the visible mesh or cobweb appears in the thighs. Best of all, such nets are visible against the background of developed cellulite. And in some cases, the formation of cellulite is a harbinger of varicose veins. Fat deposits compress the veins, as a result, the blood flow becomes difficult, varicose veins in the legs occur.

Capillary networks are the initial symptoms of varicose veins, they are called telangiectasias. However, despite the fact that such cobwebs are considered as a sign of varicose veins, the doctor at the reception carefully asks the patient fully about the state, health.

The fact is that such external manifestations are an indicator of the inflammatory process. After his treatment, the vascular pattern gradually disappears, which confirms the absence of varicose veins.

Sometimes varicose veins in the legs begin with edema. But in this case, many diseases with such a symptom should be excluded, this is heart failure and kidney disease. The doctor prescribes an extensive examination in order to as accurately as possible find out the picture of the onset of the disease.

A clear symptom of varicose veins is the appearance of pain in the legs. The pains can be of a different nature - sharp, pulling, aching. Their most frequent localization is in the calves, the time of manifestation is the second half of the day, after physical exertion.

One way or another, but the obvious reason for going to the doctor is:

• the appearance of a capillary network;
• manifestation of pain;
• heaviness in the legs;
• night cramps;
• cutaneous trophic lesion;
• itchy skin;
• the formation of edema.

Varicose veins for women is also a cosmetic discomfort. For this reason, women of Balzac age are more responsible and executive patients, they seek treatment in a timely manner, more willingly agree to surgical treatment in order to preserve the beauty of their legs.

As the disease progresses to more complex stages, the symptoms become brighter and more expressive:

• venous vessels in the affected areas thicken and wriggle, protrude above the surface of the skin with blue knotty bumps;
• in places of lesion, the skin thickens, darkens, loses elasticity;
• on the affected areas, there is a strong burning sensation and itching, hair falls out;
• pain in the legs increases;
• against the background of stagnation of blood on the damaged areas of the skin, skin ulcerations of the type of eczema, bubbles and cracks are formed, giving bleeding even from a slight injury.

Varicose veins also affect the general condition of a person. There are irregularities in the heart rate, jumps in blood pressure occur.

The obvious symptoms of varicose veins are:

• shortness of breath, shortness of breath;
• general weakness;
• a local increase in temperature on a sore leg - this is noticeable when the skin of the leg becomes hotter to the touch than the rest of the body;
• pain and redness of the leg along the affected vessels.

But, as with any other disease, doctors warn: do not delay the disease to its difficult stage. Timely seeking medical help is always the key to successful treatment, without complications and serious consequences.

Stages of varicose veins in the legs

Varicose veins develop in several stages. The first stage is almost asymptomatic. Rarely does any patient seeks to see a therapist when he notices the first vascular "stars", feels heaviness in the legs and sees puffiness. With the development of varicose veins, it is indicative that the edema disappears after day and night rest, and increases with physical activity during the day.

At the beginning of the 2nd stage, the symptoms intensify, the symptoms appear in a more noticeable form. On the legs, nodules, tortuosity of veins are already more clearly visible, numbness and itching often appear in the affected area of the leg. Examination by a doctor shows swelling, pasty color of the skin.

At the 3rd stage of varicose veins, the condition of the sick person worsens, general weakness appears, pain in the legs intensifies up to the appearance of a limp. The affected veins become much thicker, more convoluted, deformed. On palpation, they give a sensitive soreness. The pains take on a constant course, trophic ulcerations appear on the skin.

The risk of thrombosis and thromboembolism increases. At this stage, the slightest damage to the diseased veins is dangerous, since this is fraught with profuse bleeding, which can only be stopped with the help of doctors.

Two forms of varicose veins of the legs are considered:

• primary;
• secondary.

The primary form involves the independent development of vascular changes. They occur under the influence of provoking factors, against the background of hereditary disposition. Usually, primary varicose veins occur in women during pregnancy, in people with standing work, with obesity. Tight underwear, which constricts blood vessels to the level of disturbance of normal blood circulation, can become a provocative factor.

The secondary form involves the occurrence of varicose veins as a complication or consequence of another disease. With this form of the disease, the structure of the venous valve is disturbed, the tone of the muscle layers of the vessel walls decreases. Usually varicose veins of the secondary type are the result of infectious diseases, injuries affecting the vessels.

Treatment of varicose veins on the legs

As with many other diseases, the treatment of varicose veins can be:

• conservative;
• compression;
• surgical;
• unconventional;
• folk;
• complex.

Each of their methods of treatment is applicable at its own stage of the disease.

Conservative therapy is prescribed to people:

• in the initial stages of the disease;
• with contraindications to surgical intervention.

Slight expansion and tortuosity of veins, which at the initial stages can be considered a cosmetic defect, lends itself well to conservative therapy. Timely treatment, at the same time, is the prevention of the progression of the disease. Treatment of varicose veins in the legs is prescribed in accordance with the symptoms that appear.

Along with taking medications, it is recommended to bandage the legs with elastic bandages of the lightest degree of stretching.

The level of elongation of bandages when buying them should be sure to consult with pharmacists at the pharmacy. Shown is the wearing of compression underwear, which can be purchased at orthopedic salons.

Elastic compression:

• activates blood flow through deep veins;
• prevents swelling;
• reduces the volume of blood in the saphenous veins;
• improves metabolic processes and blood microcirculation.

It is important to organize the daily regimen in such a way that it is possible to rest for a few minutes while lying down, raising your legs to an elevation.

At home, or in the sports office of the polyclinic, it is necessary to perform exercises aimed at activating the muscle-venous pump. The exercises are not difficult, they are easy to remember to perform on your own. In addition, you should wear comfortable shoes with low heels and hard soles. For women, forget about high heels, stilettos, shapeless sneakers. In nutrition, limit the volume of fluid, undersalted food, lose weight.

Medical treatment of varicose veins is based on the use of drugs that improve the tone of the veins, stimulating the microcirculation of blood in the tissues surrounding the veins. These are mainly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, diuretics. Complex treatment includes the use of topical products - gels, ointments, creams. Their composition contains Heparin or other vein-activating components. Creams and ointments normalize the tone of the walls of the veins, correct the outflow of lymph, blood circulation in the thinnest vessels.

Topical preparations always contain several active ingredients. Usually it is Heparin, Rutin, D-Panthenol, in different proportions, with other ingredients, depending on the manufacturer.

Medicines for varicose veins:

• improve blood flow through the veins;
• strengthen the walls of blood vessels;
• thin the blood.

Modern pharmacology offers for the treatment of varicose veins of the legs:

• phlebotonics, venotonics: Antistax, Veniton - herbal preparations, Phlebodia 600, Detralex;
• antiplatelet agents capable of dissolving the formed blood clots: Curantil, Trental;
• anticoagulants - drugs that prevent excessive coagulation - Heparin, its derivatives;
• topical ointments, gels and creams that provide anesthetic and therapeutic effects - Lioton-gel, Curiosin;
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Reopirin, Diclofenac, Nimesulide.

And yet, often, even after drug therapy, doctors resort to radical methods, surgical intervention. Only with its help can veno-venous reflux be eliminated.

Endovasal laser coagulation is a modern minimally invasive method, performed using local anesthesia. Laser treatment is always well tolerated, although there is some discomfort in sensations and movements.

The appearance of hematoma and soreness along the coagulated vessels, an increase in body temperature to subfebrile indicators are allowed. These phenomena pass, for this the doctor prescribes the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Diclofenac, Nimesulide. The patient can get up on his feet immediately after the operation, provided that he is wearing compression hosiery.