Modern people are affected by diseases of the lower extremities at almost every step.
What are varicose veins?
Let's take a closer look at what varicose veins on the legs are. Varicose veins in the legs are quite a serious condition, the main sign of which is that the veins lose their elasticity, bend and stretch. In addition, many other adverse factors also negatively affect the blood vessels, causing them to weaken and blood to the lower extremities to start to stagnate.
The venous system of the lower extremities is under increasing pressure, and the venous valves begin to work poorly. This can cause rapid fatigue, pain, and swelling in the legs. Subsequently, the symptoms of venous disease of the lower extremities begin to show visible effects, for example, a "spider". If you don't respond, the disease can lead to quite a serious complication of varicose veins in the lower extremities.
The danger of varicose veins of the lower extremities is also that it is very difficult to recognize it early. There are no easily identifiable symptoms in the early stage of the disease, but if symptoms such as leg pain, fatigue, and cramps begin to appear, measures should be taken to prevent lower extremity venous disease.
In cases where a "mesh" of blood vessels is already visible in the legs, which becomes more apparent over time, it is necessary to take urgent measures to treat cardiovascular disease. In very advanced cases, the patient's first treatment occurs when the entire "clump" of prominent saphenous veins is already clearly visible in both legs. They then turn into blood clots and ulcers, the treatment of which can last for decades.
There is no absolute proof that varicose veins are transmitted at the genetic level, but the development of the disease is usually observed in relatives of different generations.
The most serious complication of lower extremity varicose veins is thrombophlebitis, in which a blood clot forms in a vein.
The disease is characterized by inflammation, which can cause blood clots to separate from the walls of blood vessels. This is the cause of pulmonary thromboembolism, a sloughed blood clot that, when it enters the blood vessels in the lungs, blocks them and destroys the respiratory system. Because of such unfavorable developments, the risk of death is high.
Varicose Veins Causes and Symptoms
According to various eminent figures of medicine, varicose veins in the legs occur under the influence of many factors, but several main aspects can be identified with certainty:
- Chief among them can certainly be called genetics. If a loved one (such as a parent or grandparent) has varicose veins in the legs, the risk that the disease will not bypass you is very high. It's important to note that it doesn't matter where your relative was diagnosed with the disease;
- In addition to genetic factors, generally unfavorable working and living conditions and the presence of bad habits also play a huge role. More specifically, they include sedentary work, or conversely, work related to weightlifting, fashionable but uncomfortable clothing and shoes, self-doubt and laziness to see a phlebologist;
- For women, the risky period is pregnancy. It is during pregnancy that changes in a woman's body can cause varicose veins. Not only the mother-to-be's weight gain and changes in the body, but the delivery process itself, when the venous load is at its peak, can have a huge negative impact on the blood vessels. Remarkably, in half of the women, it was at this moment that varicose veins developed, which would not have caused discomfort before.
On dedicated sites on the Internet, you can see photos of how varicose veins in the legs can negatively affect people in both men and women, and what it looks like to ignore this problem. Many people will ask: "What about varicose veins? " Let's talk about the main methods of treatment and prevention of the disease.
The first and earliest symptoms that indicate varicose veins of the lower extremities are as follows:
- A heavy feeling in the legs, especially after a long walk or wearing uncomfortable shoes;
- Moderate pain after working day;
- Increase human fatigue.
These signs are somewhat similar to other conditions - flat feet, arterial problems, and lumbar osteochondrosis. That's why it's important to seek timely help from a vascular specialist, as self-treatment without a proper diagnosis can often have unpleasant consequences.
Diagnosis and treatment of lower extremity varicose veins
To diagnose lower extremity varicose veins, you need to consult a specialist who will prescribe some necessary tests and procedures for you.
We stress that varicose veins of the lower extremities are more than a cosmetic defect and that even mild discomfort should prompt immediate medical attention.
The effectiveness of the entire course of treatment depends on the early diagnosis of the disease. To detect varicose veins, phlebologists can refer patients to Doppler ultrasonography, which is designed to identify the quality of blood flow in the blood vessel and whether there are obstacles in its path. The second method of diagnostic measures is transillumination, which involves highlighting the veins on both legs with special lights, which allow doctors to easily identify the injury. Timely detection of disease is the key to faster and simpler treatment.
In modern reality, medicine offers various treatment options for varicose veins in the legs. Damaged portions of leg veins can be surgically removed, and in the early stages of varicose veins, surgical intervention is generally not required. We'll look at the most commonly used ones:
- Ointments, gels, and various preparations called venotonics. In the initial stages of the disease, they have a positive sedative effect, reducing heaviness in the legs, but it should be understood that the results obtained require prolonged exposure. The active substance penetrates the body through the skin and affects only the superficial veins. To increase efficiency, experts prescribe drugs designed to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, improve blood flow, and relieve pain;
- Another method is sclerotherapy. This medical intervention is designed to "glue" small blood vessels and eliminate "spiders". The doctor injects the drug into the blood vessel, so to speak, "welding" the vessel wall, which subsequently causes strands to form, and the glued veins subside over time. The operation does not require anesthesia, and the whole process does not take more than 15 minutes;
- For the sealing of large vessels, the method of laser coagulation is used. For implementation, local anesthesia is used. It does this by introducing LEDs into veins in the legs, which emit laser radiation that heats blood cells that brew blood vessels. The healed area also subsides over time;
- In some cases, surgery - phlebectomy - may be prescribed. Now this is one of the most effective ways to get rid of varicose veins in the lower extremities. The patient can go home the day after surgery, but he needs to take certain steps. These include wearing special underwear or bandaging the legs for a month.
- Ozone therapy is one of the newest treatments for varicose veins in the lower extremities. Its main target is to combat the vascular "asterisk". Using a small needle, ozone is injected into the damaged areas of both legs to make the blood vessels stick together. To pay attention to positive dynamics, just a few programs are enough.
prevent varicose veins
The main and constant rule for preventing varicose veins in the legs is exercise. For a sedentary lifestyle and work, it is necessary to get up at least every hour and warm up and ideally - take a walk. In the absence of such an opportunity, at least stand up and roll from heel to toe.
If prescribed by a doctor, don't neglect wearing a special pressure suit. If weather conditions are not conducive to wearing knitwear, then an evening hardware program of electrical muscle stimulation is recommended. For this, you can buy special equipment at almost any pharmacy.
If you need to fly, a simple leg self-massage can help keep your veins alive. Gently tap, pinch, and rub them to "scatter" the blood and reduce congestion.
We can advise fashionistas not to overuse "hairpins". If you can't live without them, try to prioritize, if possible, more comfortable shoes in the office or on the street. For a female figure, 4 cm high heels are ideal, as they can cause the feet to arch unnaturally, cause malnutrition in the toes, and can also cause varicose veins in the fingers.
Don't ignore the old hardening method either, if you're having trouble standing fully under an ice bath, then you can limit yourself to soaking your legs, which will have a positive effect on vascular tone.
Listening to the signals from your legs and taking timely, systemic steps to prevent varicose veins will increase the likelihood that you will never have to resort to surgery. From the veins, you will only feel reliability and health.