Causes and treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities

blood flow in the leg with varicose veins

Varicose veins of the lower extremities - the appearance of spider veins (nets) and dilated saphenous veins in the legs. The disease is more common in women than in men.

The disease got its name from the Latin translation, literally: swelling, enlargement.

The first feelings of this disease are very different for each patient, but the feeling of heaviness in the legs, rapid fatigue, pain along the veins unites everyone.

Treatment should be selected by an experienced physician who can objectively assess the stage and development of the disease.

Often a pathology that is just a cosmetic defect, however, in some cases can lead to serious complications and permanent disability.

What are varicose veins, the mechanisms of pathology

nodules in the legs with varicose veins

After the age of 40, some people may face a very unpleasant situation - the appearance of varicose veins in the legs. Small purple pots that penetrate the skin like spider webs or densely branched trees are a serious cosmetic problem for many, especially for women. "Out of nowhere" vascular networks (the term telangiectasia is used in medicine) are dilations of small vessels less than 1 millimeter in diameter located in the thickness of the skin. This is one of the signs that a person has varicose veins in their legs.

If the knots begin to protrude from the surface of the skin, they are soft to the touch, and this is more noticeable when a person stands, then we can talk about another manifestation. This is already a more serious pathology - varicose expansion of large and small saphenous vessels, as well as their branches.

The arteries in the legs are soft, thin-walled canals that return blood to the heart. To combat gravity, nature has given them valves that prevent blood from flowing back (backflow). There are two venous systems in the lower extremities: superficial and deep. The first is represented by the veins under the skin, so they can be seen. The second is the deep veins of the legs, located next to the bones in the thickness of the muscles. There is communication between these systems - perforation of blood vessels.

The inability of the valves to perform their functions causes the blood to stagnate in the lower extremities, and its "excess" to flow from the depths to the surface through the perforated veins. This, in turn, creates increased pressure on the venous system of the legs under the skin. It is the "twisting and stretching" that causes their ships to react. This is the reason for the formation of varicose veins in the legs.

Reasons for development

There are many conditions in the vessel wall that can damage the valve and cause it to lose its elasticity. Varicose veins in the legs are the most common causes of this disease:

  • Age. Over the years, our arteries lose their elasticity and begin to dilate. Valves also become "coarse", lose their elasticity and stop performing their function normally.
  • Pregnancy is accompanied by an increase in blood volume in the body and at the same time helps to slow down the movement in the lower extremities (the large uterus presses on the vessels of the small pelvis). Changes in hormonal levels during pregnancy also play a role. As a rule, the symptoms of varicose veins without treatment resolve within 12 months after birth.

The resulting telangiectasia (or capillary varicose veins as many doctors mistakenly call them), the cause of the appearance on the face and legs, is often due to exposure to sunlight. Therefore, women who want to avoid this cosmetic problem should choose either a beautiful tan or a vascular network.

Risk factors

Varicose veins are a multifactorial pathology.

  • The floor. Women are more prone to this disease. Hormonal imbalances that occur during pregnancy, premenstrual period and menopause can be considered a risk factor because they relax the vascular wall for a long time. Long-term use of hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills also increases the risk of "getting" varicose veins.
  • Heredity.
  • Obesity.
  • Standing or sitting for a long time (office workers, surgeons, drivers).
  • Alcohol abuse. Alcohol and varicose veins also have a certain connection.

Symptoms and diagnosis

At first, the disease can not cause any discomfort, it can be suspected when the following symptoms appear:

  • formation of spider veins, nets in the legs (dilation of pink, blue, purple intradermal vessels);
  • The veins "bend" above the surface of the skin like cords cut with knots.

The following symptoms may then be combined:

  • tired legs;
  • burning, throbbing, muscle cramps and swelling in the lower extremities;
  • worsening of the disease if a person is standing or sitting for a long time;
  • itching around "swollen" veins;
  • bleeding from varicose veins;
  • painful, local hardening of the vascular area;
  • skin discoloration or ulceration of the ankle.

The diagnosis is made based on the information obtained during the examination and survey of the patient. Doppler ultrasound is usually sufficient to assess the severity of the pathology (how the valves work, the presence of blood clots in the vessels).

Pathological treatment

Being diagnosed with "varicose veins of the legs" does not mean that you need to stay in the hospital for a long time. Thanks to modern minimally invasive procedures, the pathology is generally treated in an outpatient setting.

Change your lifestyle or help yourself

There are several self-help methods that can reduce the discomfort of varicose veins and help prevent further varicose veins. Here are some of them:

  • Regular training. Move as much as possible. Regular walking is a great physical activity that can improve blood circulation in your legs. You can ask your doctor how much load will be optimal.
  • Constant monitoring of your weight, the excess of which has a detrimental effect on the arteries of the legs. Remember that salt causes excessive fluid retention in the body and increases the load on the arteries.
  • Pay attention to what you are wearing. Low-heeled shoes, unlike high-heeled shoes, cause the gastrocnemius muscle to work. Do not wear tight pants around the groin and waist, as this can disrupt blood flow.
  • Raise your legs as often as possible. To do this, take a break several times a day and raise your legs above the level of the heart, for example, lie down and put on pillows.
  • Avoid sitting and standing for long periods of time.

Compression therapy

Generally, the initial stages of varicose veins of the lower extremities are treated with compression stockings. External compression prevents swelling of the arteries, which improves blood flow through the arteries.

Additional treatment for a more serious condition

If lifestyle changes and the use of compression stockings do not improve symptoms, and also the stages of varicose veins (subcompensation and decompensation) do not allow to cope with the pathology alone, the following treatment options come to the rescue:

  • Sclerotherapy.The procedure, which does not require major anesthesia, is performed in an outpatient setting. The doctor injects a special substance (sclerosant) into the varicose veins that stick to the walls.
  • Foam sclerotherapy.Unlike conventional techniques, in this technique, the sclerosant is injected into a vein after mixing with a gas (usually air) that allows the treatment of larger diameter vessels.
  • Laser surgery. . . The new technology, which removes small varicose veins and vascular networks, is performed without skin incisions and vascular piercings.
  • Intravenous radiofrequency or laser ablation. . . A technique that involves inserting a catheter into a vein cavity, with a radio frequency or laser energy transmitter at the end.
  • Safeno-femoral ligation and removal of the great saphenous vein. . . The first procedure involves wrapping and removing the upper part of the vessel. In the second, a special probe is inserted into the lumen of the vessel (two incisions are made in advance: one in the groin area, the second at the level of the upper third of the lower leg) and stretched along its entire length. It is then removed along with the dilated vein.
  • Outpatient phlebectomy. . . When the doctor makes a few micro incisions in the skin, he removes the small dilated veins. Wounds are generally almost invisible.
  • Endoscopic Vascular Surgery. . . It is usually performed when the patient has an advanced stage of varicose veins of the lower extremities (ulcers appear) or when previous treatments are ineffective.

Varicose veins that occur during pregnancy usually disappear without any treatment within 12 months after birth.

Alternative medicine

There is a wide arsenal of alternative treatments for chronic venous insufficiency, a condition associated with varicose veins. The most commonly used remedies for this pathology:

  • butcher's broom;
  • grapes (leaves, juice, seed extract);
  • the horse was chestnut;
  • sweet clover.

Before using any herbal or dietary supplement, you should make sure that these complementary medications are compatible with the medications prescribed by your doctor and are safe for your specific condition. Therefore, you should consult your doctor before taking them.

Prophylaxis

There is no universal, guaranteed way to prevent the development of varicose veins in the legs. However, there are preventive measures that can help reduce the chances of new manifestations of the disease and improve symptoms. Here are some of them:

  • Physical activity (regular exercise in which the legs are "involved", such as walking or running, improves blood circulation in the lower extremities, strengthens blood vessels).
  • Weight control (extra weight increases the load on the lower extremities (pressure in the arteries).
  • Do not cross your legs while sitting.
  • At rest, raise them above the level of the heart.
  • Try not to stand still or sit still.
  • Diet (less salt and more fiber).

It is also worth rinsing your feet with cold water after a shower or bath. Try to visit baths and saunas less.

Varicose veins are a common problem in the legs, reaching 10-20% in men and 33% in women. Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely recover from this disease. However, new minimally invasive methods used in medicine can improve symptoms. Early treatment in the early stages of the disease can prevent the development of serious complications.