Varicose veins: symptoms and treatment

varicosity of the veins of the legs – not just a cosmetic problem applies to people, it is their attractiveness, but also a dangerous disease that requires proper treatment and compliance with preventive measures.

Causes of varicose veins are quite a lot: sedentary lifestyle, physical overload and ending with hormonal insufficiency, congenital weakness of the vascular wall, pregnancy. What happens during the varicosity? At varicose expansion of veins of the lower extremities, they lose their normal elasticity and under the pressure of the blood to stretch.

The valves in the veins to the normal state is defined as a lock, and when the blood passes through them, they close and provide the opportunity to turn to blood circulation. If there was a failure of the valves, the blood can freely communicate down, which leads to stagnation of blood.

In this regard, the veins can not cope with the pressure, dilate, the valves can no longer prevent the big space - all this provokes the emergence of the early stages of varicosity.

Varicose veins

The causes of varicosity

Why is varicosity, and what is it? The most important risk factors for the development of the disease is considered a genetic predisposition and gender. Love high calcibus, hormonal changes during pregnancy and taking oral contraceptives, women are the victims of varicosity twice as often as men.

The development of the disease contribute to:

  1. Heredity. Among the heritage itself is not a disease but a genetically determined structure of the veins: weak connective tissue, venous wall, congenital defective valves in the veins. Therefore, the varicosity can occur in young, healthy and active (regardless of gender) people and even children. According to scientists, genetic predisposition is the main factor that leads to varicose expansion of the veins of the legs.
  2. Hormonal changes. Due to the peculiarities of the body of a woman, periods of hormonal failures caused by stagnation of blood. To them, the most dangerous periods – puberty, pregnancy, the time after childbirth. Also a dangerous time, when menopause occurs. This sexual category of the patients appealed to the doctors 2-3 times more often. Women's bodies do not have enough of the hormone called estrogen. Instead, there is the so-called hormones of the corpus luteum. It is believed that he has a muscle relaxing effect. This contributes to varicose veins.
  3. Sedentary, lack of exerciseor work that requires a long-term stay in a standing position, to promote the development of varicose veins.
  4. Age. Over time, the valves and walls of blood vessels become thin, this leads to the disruption of its work.
  5. Obesity. Excess weight causes increased load on the leg veins.

Secondary varicosity occurs when the foot injuries, heart defects, liver and spleen. In this case, the first receiving appropriate treatment of the primary disease.

Step varicosity

It is possible to allocate 3 stages of the disease symptoms in the development of varicosity.

  1. The compensation stage. There are no complaints. Review, is varicose veins on one or on two legs.
  2. Stage of sub-compensation. When viewing the visible legs pronounced varicose veins. Patients complain of a feeling of satiety, paresthesia ("tingling") in the legs, night cramps. Mild swelling in the feet, ankles and shins in the evening. In the morning the swelling will disappear.
  3. In the stage of decompensation. Join the listed signs of rash, eczema. Patients worried about itching. The skin becomes dry, shiny, tightly knit in the subcutaneous fat. Small hemorrhages and subsequent deposition of hemosiderin cause hyperpigmentation.

Self varicosity is not considered a very serious disease, but if it is already developed, on its own will never pass and even more, is progress, which leads to all sorts of complications, which are the most dangerous.

stage of varicose veins

Signs of varicosity

The first signs indicating the onset of varicosity:

  • fatigue in the legs;
  • swelling of the lower extremities;
  • a feeling of heaviness in the legs.

At a later stage it is possible to note the appearance of spider veins on the skin, protruding veins, and a variety of seals, indicating stagnation in the vessels.

Symptoms of varicose veins in the legs

The different stages of varicosity of the veins of the symptoms can range from almost asymptomatic, small vascular "stars" severe and painful symptoms.

Suspecting an early stage of development can be a symptom of:

  • pain in the legs, feeling the heat, and sometimes burning sensation in the veins of the legs;
  • heaviness in the legs;
  • in the evening, swelling in the legs;
  • night cramps in the legs;
  • dilated veins;
  • the calf leather is a dark color, there are seals, possible ulcers.

Having had primary symptoms, you should immediately proceed to the treatment of varicose veins – symptoms, which the self does not disappear.

Diagnosis

To diagnose the varicosity of the lower extremities and to plan treatment expert to suggest the patient to pass a comprehensive examination, which includes a variety of methods.

  1. Two-sided scanning (ultrasound of the veins), the most informative method of diagnosis of varicose veins in the legs, which allows you to get an idea of the extent of varicose veins, direction of blood flow in the veins and their patency and to detect the presence of blood clots (thrombus).
  2. Contrast venography, which is a survey-method, which can be used to detect the enlarged veins, and to know the degree of their permeability for blood.

To diagnose deep venous varicosity may only qualified doctor.

As a result

Complicated, of course, varicosity involved in the formation of thrombosis and inflammation of veins, trophic ulcers and skin disorders. These complications manifest themselves in discoloration of the skin of the foot, rubor, dimou, venetus skin.

Also characterized by persistent swelling of the ankle, especially severe when walking or standing. The calf is pain when walking, pain along the twisted veins, induration of the skin and the formation of the ulcers of different sizes.

Prevention

If you have a predisposition to the disease, the following guidelines will help slow down its progression:

  1. Wear comfortable shoes without heels or low heels.
  2. Loads of you can make a bandage the foot or use the doctor's knitted things, but only after consulting a doctor.
  3. Do not stand or sit in one place for too long – movement, exercise, change your body position.
  4. Do not take hot baths, especially in the morning – it is better to replace them with a warm shower, the final cold shower.
  5. Give up Smoking, which exacerbates the condition of the blood vessels.

Primary prevention is moderate exercise: swimming, walking, Cycling, charging.

During pregnancy

Pregnancy multiplies the risk of varicosity of veins of the lower extremities, this makes it easier for the following reasons:

  1. Hormones in the blood during pregnancy, increases the distensibility of the venous wall and contributes to the stagnation of venous blood in the legs.
  2. Increased intra-abdominal pressure in late pregnancy to prevent blood flow through the veins of the legs.
  3. varicosity of the veins that occur during pregnancy can transfer after delivery, or proceed further, depending on individual factors (heredity, the presence of other contributing factors).
treatment of varicose veins in the legs

Treatment of varicosity of leg veins

If varicose veins on the legs treatment may be medically necessary if symptoms are not problematic.

However, some people may want to treatment of varicose veins for cosmetic reasons, because they are dissatisfied with their appearance.

Let's consider the basic methods that help to get rid of this problem.

  1. Sclerotherapy. This method of treatment is used both alone and in conjunction with conservative treatments. It consists in the fact that I took a fine needle or syringe is introduced, signantes the drug, after the Vienna completely disappears. Sessions are held once a week, it takes 3-6 sessions. The method can be used to avoid scarring.
  2. Non-surgical treatment. If the varicose veins in the early stages, and if it doesn't cause too much trouble, it may be advisable to elastic compression stockings. Use them during everyday activities. They help to compress the veins, keeping them from stretching and to limit any discomfort or pain.
  3. Medication to relieve the symptoms of varicosity, reduces swelling and pain and slows down the development, but can not stop the disease entirely and restore the damaged veins.
  4. Laser treatment of varicose veins in the legs can be used on the surface of the skin. A small flash of laser light to the vein wall develops process and sclerosing of varicose veins disappear, as if he had removed.

A significant role in the treatment and prevention play exercise — brisk walking, gymnastics, swimming and exercises in the water (with the exception of sports exercises, with the heavy load on the foot — tennis, weight lifting, jumping).

Drugs venotonics

The action of these drugs, the purpose is to increase the tone of smooth muscles of blood vessel walls, which preserve its elasticity and normalize blood circulation in the affected areas.

Many venotonics are drugs with complex actions. Effect, which is achieved when their use is not only Vienna, but all the blood vessels in our body.

How to treat varicosity of veins folk remedies

There are many methods of varicose vein treatment of the legs folk remedies, as well as for outdoor and indoor use. Below are the most common:

  1. The flowers of horse chestnut (50 g) necessary to meet the 500 grams of alcohol, then allowed to stand for 14 days, daily shaking the bottle. Pass the infusion through the mesh and eat a spoonful of water three times a day before meals. So you need to treat a week, then take a break for two weeks. Then treatment can be started again.
  2. The infusion of dried nettle is used for varicose veins. Dry powdered leaves of the plant is poured into a thermos bottle 1/2 liter of boiling water, to insist 30-40 minutes, strain and take 1/3 Cup 3 times a day, 1 hour after a meal.
  3. Packing tomatoes. Chopped tomato, to lie on bandages, gauze and apply to the affected area. For convenience, you can tie a rubber band or other connective. Holding this compress the vein for 2 hours, then change to the new, and so a total of 3 times. The convenience of this package is that it can be repeated every day.
  4. Tincture of oil of walnuts immature walnuts crushed, pour into a glass bowl, pour the olive oil and the 40 days required to be in a sunny spot. Ready tincture to lubricate the sore spots. The course of treatment is long, such as the kalanchoe.

In addition to folk remedies, many patients with varicosity of complementary therapies, with special exercises to feel a significant improvement allow the exercise Mikulin.