Varicose veins in the legs

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

Experts advise to treat varicose veins comprehensively. Therapy includes drugs and traditional medicine. In severe cases, surgery is required. The symptoms and treatment of varicose veins in the legs are different.

reasons

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

Inappropriate shoes or physical activity above the norm can develop the disease.

Varicose veins formed on the legs in women carrying a child. This is due to the fact that the body is suddenly exposed to additional stress. Another reason is a hormonal crash that can occur when taking birth control pills.

Indirect causes include the following factors:

1. Smoking tobacco. Toxic substances hinder the process of hematopoiesis, as a result of which the work of blood vessels is disturbed.
2. Depression and prolonged stress. The nervous system is directly connected to the blood vessels. With any disorders of the central or vegetative nervous system, the walls of the vessels become thin and are not elastic.
3. Physical activity is above the norm. Varicose veins of the lower extremities often occur in athletes who want to gain muscle mass. Excessive physical exertion contributes to the development of varicose veins.
4. Wrong shoes. Walking in heels often provokes varicose veins. For this reason, the pathology is most characteristic of women. When walking in high heels, all the load falls on the legs, in this case the veins suffer inexorably.

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

Symptoms of the disease

The signs of varicose veins in the legs in women and men develop gradually. Many men and women ignore 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:

• Vascular network, which at the beginning of the disease appears either on the inner side of the thigh or on the calves.
• In the evening, the patient begins to worry about fatigue in the legs, heaviness, there is a feeling of internal itching. The leg seems to itch constantly, although scratching does not produce results.
• At night, the patient often has spasms in the lower limbs.
• Swelling is observed after sleep.

The above symptoms are characteristic of the initial stage of development of varicose veins. In the event that treatment is started promptly, it is possible to completely eliminate the disease without any relapses or consequences. If a person does 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 bulging above the skin.
• When palpating the veins of the legs, pain is observed.
• With any movement or walking, there is a pain resembling muscle pain.
• 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 that you be vigilant about 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 in 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 are bothering the patient, is there any treatment at home.

The following types of diagnostics are used to finally check the diagnosis and establish the severity of the disease:

1. Ultrasound procedure.
2. Contrast phlebography.

Today phlebography is used more often as a diagnosis, this is due to the fact that this method is the most accurate and informative.

Treatment of varicose veins

How to treat varicose veins of the legs in women? Only a phlebologist can prescribe the correct treatment. Depending on the severity of the disease, different 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 circulation.
• Taking anti-inflammatory pills, using external ointments.

Treatment with folk remedies

How are varicose veins treated? 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 medical treatment of varicose veins, some recipes from traditional medicine are successful and effective.

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

• Garden tomatoes will help eliminate itching and relieve tension. Both ripe and green tomatoes are suitable for recipes. Cut the tomato into slices, place them on the affected area. Secure with bandages. Every three hours, vegetables should be replaced with fresh ones. Home-grown tomatoes are more beneficial than store-bought. You should apply tomatoes throughout the day. The next day you will feel lightness in your legs.
• Rub a cabbage leaf with olive oil and apply to the swollen veins. Fix with bandages and leave for at least 7 hours. It is recommended to treat at night. In case of severe pain, you can apply the recipe daily, at night.
• We coat the cotton fabric abundantly with liquid colored honey. We wrap the leg, fix it with an elastic bandage on top. We leave for 3 hours. The procedure is recommended to be performed every three days.
• Green walnuts are cut in half and placed in a liter jar. Pour in 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 heels to thighs every night with massaging movements.
• Cover 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 fabric in the decoction, squeeze it slightly and fix the fabric on the sick leg. This recipe helps to get rid of itching and pain. You can use the recipe daily.
• Squeeze aloe juice into a glass bowl. In total, you should get at least one tablespoon. Add five drops of almond oil and 3 drops of camphor oil. Heat in a water bath 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 let it boil. Cool to room temperature and rub onto damaged skin. Top with gauze. We leave for the night. The procedure should be performed at least three times a week.

Possible complications

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

• Pulmonary embolism.
• Thrombosis.
• thrombophlebitis.
• phlebitis.
• Rupture of a vein.
• dermatitis.

Precautions

Those who are most at risk of developing varicose veins in the legs should follow preventive measures. First of all, this category of persons includes those whose close relatives are prone to the disease. You should also be especially careful about your health for women who are expecting a baby and people whose work requires regular sitting or standing. Consider general recommendations:

• To lead an active lifestyle. Walk more often, move more, do exercises several times a day. If the way of life and the hustle and bustle of work do not allow you to engage in any kind of sports, in this case there is a rational solution: move from work, get off the transport a few stops earlier. A daily walk will replace sports.
• If the main working hours require a sitting position, try to move your legs more often, including your toes. To diversify the position of the legs, experts advise starting a stance about 30 cm from the floor, periodically lifting the legs.
• Women should stop taking hormonal pills and consult a doctor to prescribe another type of contraceptive.
• Do not wear shoes with too high heels every day.
• Give up smoking and other bad habits.

If you notice heaviness, leg veins or pain in the lower limbs, contact a phlebologist. Prescribed therapy in the early stages will help to avoid serious complications and relapses.