Varicose veins in the legs

What are varicose veins? The disease is characterized by inflammation of the peripheral veins under the skin. This disease has no age restrictions, that is, the disease can occur even in a child.

Experts advise treating varicose veins comprehensively. The therapy includes medications and traditional medicine. In severe cases, surgery is required. The symptoms and treatment of varicose veins in the legs are different.

Causes

There are factors that provoke the pathology of the veins in the legs. Lifestyle is one of the main factors. If a person is often in the same position, such as standing or sitting, the risk of its occurrence increases by 70%.

The wrong shoes or physical activity above the norm can develop the disease.

Varicose veins formed on the legs in pregnant women. This is due to the fact that the body is strongly exposed to additional stress. Another reason is hormonal failure, which can occur when taking birth control pills.

Indirect reasons include the following factors:

1. Smoke tobacco. Toxic substances impede the process of hematopoiesis, as a result of which the work of blood vessels is disrupted.
2. Depression and prolonged stress. The nervous system is directly connected to the blood vessels. With any violation of the central or autonomic nervous system, the walls of the vessels become thinner and are not elastic.
3. Physical activity is above normal. Varicose veins of the lower extremities often occur in athletes who want to gain muscle mass. Excessive exercise contributes to the development of varicose veins.
4. Wrong shoes. Walking in heels often causes varicose veins. It is for this reason that the pathology is more characteristic of women. When walking in heels, the entire load falls on the legs, in which case the veins inexorably suffer.

Another reason is hereditary predisposition. In the presence of the disease in relatives, the risk of getting varicose veins increases.

disease symptoms

Signs of varicose veins in the legs in women and men develop gradually. Many men and women do not pay attention to the first signs of varicose veins, referring to other factors. It is precisely because of untimely treatment that neglected varicose veins are quite difficult to treat. Symptoms of the disease include the following:

• A vascular network, which at the beginning of the disease is found either on the inside of the thigh or in the calves.
• Towards evening, the patient begins to worry about fatigue in the legs, heaviness, there is a feeling of internal itching. It seems that the leg constantly itches, although scratching does not bring results.
• At night, the patient often has cramps in the lower extremities.
• After sleep, swelling is observed.

The above symptoms are typical for the initial stage of development of varicose veins. In the event that treatment is started in a timely manner, it is possible to completely eliminate the disease without relapse and consequences. If a person did not pay attention to the first signs, varicose veins develop further. In this case, the symptoms of varicose veins in the legs are as follows:

• Venous nodes appear protruding above the skin.
• When the veins of the legs are palpated, pain is noted.
• During any movement or walking, pain resembling muscle pain is observed.
• The legs get tired much faster, there is a feeling of heaviness.

Varicose veins of the lower extremities can lead to serious complications that affect the patient's quality of life. For this reason, experts recommend being attentive to your own well-being and at the slightest symptoms of varicose veins on the legs, immediately consult a doctor.

Diagnosis

This diagnosis can be rejected or confirmed only by a vascular surgeon or phlebologist. A qualified specialist can recognize this pathology even at the initial stage. First, the doctor examines the affected area of the skin, asks general questions: how long ago did the first signs of varicose veins appear, what symptoms bother the patient, was there any home treatment.

To finally verify the diagnosis and establish the severity of the disease, the following types of diagnoses are used:

1. Ultrasound procedure.
2. Phlebography with a contrast agent.

Today, phlebography is most often used diagnostically, this is due to the fact that this method is the most accurate and informative.

Varicose vein treatment

How to treat varicose veins in the legs in women? Only a phlebologist can prescribe the correct treatment. Depending on the severity of the disease, various treatments are used. Surgical intervention is used only in the advanced stages of the disease, when drug therapy does not work. Comprehensive treatment for varicose veins includes the following:

• Tight gauze bandages, compression underwear, elastic bandage.
• A useful substance for varicose veins is hirudin. Naturally, this element can be obtained through the bite of a leech.
• Endovasal laser coagulation is a method of closing subcutaneous veins using laser beams.
• Sclerotherapy is the removal of veins by injecting a substance through the finest needles.
• Massage: used to thin the blood and improve blood circulation.
• Take anti-inflammatory pills, use external ointments.

Treatment with folk remedies.

How to cure varicose veins? This question is asked by everyone who is faced with a diagnosis. As mentioned above, phlebologists advise to approach this problem comprehensively. Against the background of drug treatment of varicose veins, some recipes of traditional medicine are successful and effective.

Consider how to treat varicose veins on the legs in women:

• Garden tomatoes will help eliminate itching and relieve tension. For recipes, both ripe and green tomatoes are suitable. Cut the tomato into slices, put them on the affected area. Fix with bandages. Every three hours, vegetables should be replaced with fresh ones. The greatest benefit is found in homemade tomatoes than in store ones. You need to apply tomatoes throughout the day. The next day you will feel lightness in your legs.
• Lubricate a cabbage leaf with olive oil and apply it to the swollen veins. Fix with bandages and leave to act for at least 7 hours. It is recommended to treat at night. With severe pain, you can apply the recipe daily, in the evening.
• We generously grease the cotton fabric with liquid flower honey. We wrap the leg, fix it with an elastic bandage from above. We went out for 3 hours. It is recommended to carry out the procedure every three days.
• Cut the green walnuts in half and place them in a one-liter jar. Fill with vodka or medical alcohol. Close the lid and send to a dark place for a week. When the tincture is ready, rub your legs from the heels to the thighs every night with massage movements.
• Pour the leaves and flowers of St. John's wort with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid. After 6 hours, the broth is ready. We put the cotton cloth in the decoction, slightly wring it out and fix the cloth on the affected leg. This recipe helps eliminate itching and pain. You can use the recipe daily.
• Squeeze aloe juice into a glass container. In total, you should get at least a tablespoon. Add five drops of almond oil and 3 drops of camphor oil. We heat in a water bath, up to about 40 degrees. We rub the swollen veins and skin about three times a week.
• We take lilac flowers and place them in an enameled container. Pour 0. 5 liters of sunflower oil. Put in a water bath and bring to a boil. Cool to room temperature and rub on damaged skin. Cover with a gauze bandage. We go out at night. The procedure should be performed at least three times a week.

Possible complications

Varicose veins of the lower extremities require timely treatment. If you do not take any therapeutic action, the following complications may occur:

• Pulmonary embolism.
• Thrombosis.
• thrombophlebitis.
• Phlebitis.
• Rupture of a vein.
• Dermatitis.

Preventive measures

Those who are most at risk of developing varicose veins in the legs should follow preventative measures. First of all, this category of people includes those whose close relatives are prone to the disease. You should also pay special attention to your health for expectant mothers and people whose jobs require regular sitting or standing. Keep in mind the general recommendations:

• To live an active lifestyle. Walk more often, move more, exercise several times a day. If the lifestyle and bustle of work do not allow you to engage in any kind of sports, then in this case there is a rational solution: leave work, get off the transport a couple of stops earlier. A daily walk will replace sport.
• If the main work time requires a sitting position, try to move your legs more often, including your fingers. To diversify the position of the legs, experts advise to start standing, about 30 cm from the ground, periodically raising the legs.
• Women should stop taking hormonal pills and see a doctor for another type of birth control.
• Don't wear shoes with heels that are too high every day.
• Quit smoking and other bad habits.

If you notice heaviness, spider veins in the legs or pain in the lower extremities, consult a phlebologist. Prescribed therapy in the early stages will help avoid serious complications and relapse.