Varicose veins

Varicose veins- this is a pathology that affects the lower extremities and with an unfavorable course of the disease, various complications are possible. These can be relatively harmless symptoms, such as feeling tired, pain and swelling of the legs, or reach formidable consequences such as thrombosis and trophic ulcers.

According to the WHO, the diagnosis of varicose veins on the lower leg occurs in almost every 4-5 adults. Currently, it is still considered one of the most common pathologies on the planet. In recent years, there has been a significant rejuvenation of the contingent of patients with this pathology - more than 80% of cases correspond to the age of 30-50 years and occur even in teenagers.

Causes of varicose veins

Women are especially at risk of developing varicose veins. This is due to several physiological characteristics of the female body at once:

• First of all, these are hormonal changes that occur at different periods of life and lead to the weakening of the venous network and blood vessels. This happens during pregnancy, childbirth, menopause. For example, during pregnancy, the blood volume increases by up to 30%, and the growing uterus compresses the small pelvic vessels, which makes it difficult for normal venous outflow. After childbirth, the situation only partially returns to normal, because the changes in the structure of deep veins remain. Hence the sad statistics: after the first delivery, every third or fourth woman faces the manifestation of varicose veins. After the second - already every second.
• In addition, varicose veins develop due to genetic predisposition. That is, if relatives on the female line have problems with blood vessels, then under the influence of negative factors, this disease will manifest itself sooner or later. However, even if there is a tendency to this disease, this does not mean that you will actually develop varicose veins. Genetics may or may not work, but you will always be at risk.
• Often varicose veins also occur under the influence of external factors due to the peculiarities of everyday life. Long-term sitting and standing work, constant load with heavy lifting, overweight, unhealthy diet and inactive lifestyle also lead to its development.

Despite the fact that, according to statistics, women suffer from vascular problems to a greater extent, half of men can also get varicose veins. Excess body weight, inactive lifestyle and power overload by lifting weights regularly can lead to pathology.

Stages of varicose veins

There is a classification of the disease, according to which there are several stages of varicose veins: from zero to the most severe. At the zero level, there are still no outward signs of the disease, but the person feels a heavy feeling, a slight swelling appears at the end of the day. Therefore, many refer to varicose veins as an unpleasant cosmetic defect.

In fact, varicose veins are classified as a group of serious cardiovascular pathologies, which in the future will lead to the development of severe complications, limiting important activities.

Conventionally, the symptoms of varicose veins are divided into several stages, which indicate the neglect of pathology:

1. First, discomfort appears - constant pain and "heaviness" of the legs, swelling of the legs and ankles at the end of the day and night cramps in the legs. Often at the end of the day, marks from socks and shoes are visible on the skin. At the same time, the vein pattern on the skin becomes more noticeable, and in some places spider veins appear. Sometimes in appearance the legs remain the same, but unpleasant symptoms develop every day.
2. In the second stage, the veins already take on the characteristic appearance of varicose veins - they begin to protrude above the skin, forming whole clusters and nodules. With development, they "bulge" outward more and more, acquiring a bluish-black color.
3. In the third stage, tissue trophism worsens. Dryness and pallor of the skin of the legs are added to the constant swelling and heaviness in the legs, cramps already appear not only at night, but also during the day. Sometimes a rash and itching appear in the affected area.
4. In the final stage, the inflammatory process of the skin and blood vessels is added to all the symptoms above the varicose veins. In places where a large number of bulging veins accumulate, non-healing trophic ulcers appear. In addition, it is possible to attach thrombophlebitis or secondary infection.

If the patient does not take any measures, then the disease will develop. And if at the initial stage it is still possible to prevent unpleasant symptoms and the development of varicose veins, then at a later stage serious surgical treatment may be required.

What is the treatment for varicose veins?

Doctors have been looking for ways to get rid of varicose veins for a long time. Over time, it was found that if the dilated veins were removed, blood circulation in the limbs would remain normal. This is due to the fact that during the disease, vessels that are not surrounded by muscles and are located on the surface of the body are mainly affected. Therefore, when they are "disconnected" from the circulatory system, the trophic function is performed by a network of vessels located in the inner layer of the legs and thighs.

In addition, in the 20th century, several drugs were developed that prevent the development of the disease. Therefore, two types of treatment are being used - conservative and surgical. In some cases they are combined. Therefore, the final treatment program depends on the individual characteristics of the patient and neglect.

What are conservative treatment methods?

It should be understood that when varicose veins appear, it is not possible to fully recover from this disease.

The pathological process cannot be reversed and structural changes in the vessels will not return to their original state, but there is an opportunity to significantly slow down their development and partially eliminate unpleasant symptoms.

Therefore, conservative techniques are indicated in the early stages of the disease, when there is no need for surgical intervention or there are any contraindications to the operation. For this, the following is provided:

• Take medications, called phleboprotectors. Preparations for oral administration mainly fight the cause of the appearance - they increase the tone of the venous network, increase blood flow in the tissues, restore the function of the valves and stop the inflammatory process. At the same time, together with venotonics, drugs are prescribed that will reduce blood viscosity and serve as a prevention of blood clots.
• In addition to the internal intake of tablets, venotonic ointments and gels are prescribed. They aim to reduce unpleasant symptoms in the legs - heaviness, pain and swelling. As a rule, the drug combines cooling, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.
• The essence of compression therapy is reduced to the continuous wearing of compression stockings (stockings) and elastic bandages. In this case, the substance takes over the function of the muscles. It compresses the vessels, because the blood flow becomes normal in the vertical direction and goes to the heart. With the continuous use of compression products, the patient's well-being improves significantly. Moreover, it is prescribed without fail after surgical intervention, for pregnant women with varicose veins.
• When trophic ulcers appear at the last stage of varicose veins, local measures are used. These include bandages, the use of systemic antibiotics, antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Only an experienced phlebologist can choose a scheme for conservative treatment, including compression underwear. Here it is necessary to take into account not only the course of the disease, but also the presence of individual contraindications, the patient's condition.

Treatment with surgical methods

Since a deformed vessel with a damaged valve cannot be restored, phlebologists use various surgical techniques to remove it. The point is to "turn off" the defective vein from the general circulatory system and remove it. This can be achieved in several ways:

1. The classic method of surgical treatment is phlebectomy. It is surgically removed, bandaged and removed from the body. Such an operation takes place under general anesthesia for 1-2 hours, while a scar of up to 5 mm remains on the leg. Such a procedure should not be performed in coronary heart disease, in old age, in the presence of severe infectious diseases and in the second half of pregnancy due to its trauma.
2. A gentler way to get rid of varicose veins is laser coagulation of dilated veins. In this case, there is an influence from the inside: an electrode with a laser beam is inserted into it. Under such influence, the walls of the vessels heat up and stick together, thereby stopping the blood flow, and over time they shrink and disappear completely.
3. Another less traumatic method is sclerotherapy. A special sclerosing drug that resembles microfoam is injected into the problem vein. Under its influence, it is sealed and gradually overgrown. The procedure is relatively quick and completely atraumatic, as it takes about 20 minutes to complete and no anesthesia is required.
4. According to the type of laser, radio frequency freezing is performed. Just from laser exposure, a different type of energy is used. The advantage is that it is carried out even in advanced cases, when trophic ulcers have appeared and there are other skin lesions.

Preventive measures to control disease

With the help of surgery and drug treatment, good results are achieved, but when you return to your normal lifestyle and lack of prevention, the disease will return to the same state. Therefore, both with the presence of the first symptoms of varicose veins, and in severe cases, one should not forget about preventive measures, because they will stop the development of the disease:

• Watch your weight and try to keep it normal. Because with excess body weight, the load on the legs increases, and therefore on the vessel. Therefore, it is important to balance the diet, eat healthier food, abandon bad habits.
• Do not forget about physical activity: the more movement you do during the day, the more often you "pump" blood through the veins and train the vessels. So when inactive, relax with mini-exercises, don't cross your legs, walk up the stairs and add appropriate exercise to your regimen (yoga, exercise equipment, Nordic walking, exercise therapy, swimming, skiing). At the same time, it is worth excluding those sports jobs where there is a large load on the legs.
• Approach the choice of shoes and clothes critically for every day. Clothing should not restrict movement, and fully comply with the intended activity. Avoid high heels and flats whenever possible, or keep them to a minimum, such as on special occasions.
• Try rinsing your feet at the end of the day - alternate warm and cold water, vary the pressure. In addition, do self-massage to improve muscle tone. At the same time, "hot" procedures should be excluded or minimized - this applies to taking a hot shower, visiting a bath, using hot wax for depilation, etc.
• Get compression stockings from a specialist. You can not buy such a product yourself, because it is the doctor who chooses the appropriate level of compression, taking into account the state of the venous network at the moment, and writes a prescription for them. Use such knitwear more often in combination with other preventive measures. At the same time, it is important to buy quality products from trusted medical brands that have the right effect.
• Before taking any hormonal drugs, especially in women during the period of reorganization of the body, it is also necessary to consult a phlebologist.

If you experience any symptoms of the disease, it is very important to seek qualified help. If you do not want to constantly endure pain and heaviness in your legs, "hide" your legs, deny yourself beautiful clothes, want to overcome varicose veins and maintain your health, it is enough to visit a doctor and undergo a thorough examination.

It includes consultation with a vascular surgeon, visual examination, anamnesis, examination of the condition of veins and arteries using modern diagnostic methods (duplex scanning). Based on the data obtained, a diagnosis is made and a comprehensive treatment program is developed.

The clinic's arsenal includes all progressive methods to eliminate varicose veins - from outpatient sclerotherapy and laser correction to complex surgical interventions. After carrying out any procedure, the vascular surgeon gives recommendations to each patient, taking into account the individual characteristics, if followed, a lasting effect is ensured. If you do not follow the suggested rules, the disease will begin to develop again.

Therefore, if you have the first alarming symptoms and constant discomfort in your legs, you have been unsuccessfully fighting this disease for more than a year, then sign up for a consultation with a specialist. The clinic uses experienced doctors who will choose the appropriate program, taking into account the current situation.