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 limit, that is, the disease can occur even in a child.

Experts recommend treating 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.

Causes

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

Wrong shoes or above-average physical activity can develop the disease.

Varicose veins formed on the legs in women carrying a baby. This is due to the fact that the body is heavily exposed to additional stress. Another reason is hormonal failure, which can occur when taking birth control pills.

Indirect reasons include the following factors:

1. Tobacco smoke. Toxic substances hinder the process of hematopoiesis, as a result of which the work of blood vessels is disrupted.
2. Depression and prolonged stress. The nervous system is directly connected to the blood vessels. With any violation of the central or autonomic nervous system, the walls of the vessels thin and are not elastic.
3. Physical activity is above normal. Varicose veins of the lower limbs often occur in athletes who wish to gain muscle mass. Excessive exercise contributes to the development of varicose veins.
4. Wrong shoes. Walking in heels often causes varicose veins. It is for this reason that the pathology is more characteristic of women. When walking in high heels, the entire load falls on the legs, in which case the veins suffer relentlessly.

Another reason is hereditary predisposition. In the presence of the disease in relatives, the risk of contracting 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 do not pay attention to the first signs of varicose veins, referring to other factors. It is precisely because of the untimely treatment that neglected varicose veins are rather difficult to treat. Symptoms of the disease include the following:

• A vascular network, which early in the disease occurs on the inside of the thigh or on the calves.
• Towards the evening, the patient begins to worry about fatigue in the legs, heaviness, there is a feeling of internal itching. It seems that the leg is constantly itching, even if scratching does not bring results.
• At night, the patient often has cramps in the lower limbs.
• After sleep, swelling is observed.

The above symptoms are typical of the initial stage of development of varicose veins. In the event that the treatment is started in a timely manner, it is possible to completely get rid of the disease without relapses or consequences. If a person did 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 protruding above the skin.
• When palpation of the veins in the legs is observed, pain is observed.
• During any movement or walking, pain similar to muscle pain is observed.
• The legs get tired much faster, there is a feeling of heaviness.

Varicose veins of the lower limbs can lead to serious complications that affect the patient's quality of life. For this reason, experts recommend that you be vigilant about your well-being and, with the slightest symptoms of varicose veins in the legs, immediately consult a doctor.

Diagnostics

This diagnosis can only be refused or confirmed 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 bother the patient, was there any treatment at home.

To finally verify the diagnosis and establish the severity of the disease, the following types of diagnostics are used:

1. Ultrasound procedure.
2. Phlebography with contrast medium.

Today, venography is most often used 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 in the legs in women? Only a phlebologist can prescribe the correct treatment. Depending on the severity of the disease, various 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.
• Intravascular laser coagulation is a method of closing the subcutaneous veins using laser beams.
• Sclerotherapy is the removal of veins by injecting a substance through the thinnest needles.
• Massage - used to thin the blood and improve blood circulation.
• Taking anti-inflammatory pills, using external ointments.

Treatment with folk remedies

How to cure varicose veins? This question is asked by everyone facing a diagnosis. As mentioned above, phlebologists advise to deal with this problem comprehensively. Against the background of drug treatment of varicose veins, some recipes of traditional medicine are effective and effective.

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

• Garden tomatoes will help eliminate itching and relieve tension. For recipes, both ripe and green tomatoes are suitable. Cut the tomato into slices, put them on the affected area. Repair with bandages. Every three hours, the vegetables should be replaced with fresh ones. The biggest advantage is found in home-made tomatoes over store-bought tomatoes. You need to apply tomatoes during the day. The next day you will feel lightness in your legs.
• Lubricate a cabbage leaf with olive oil and apply it to the swollen veins. Secure with bandages and leave for at least 7 hours. It is recommended to treat at night. With severe pain, you can apply the recipe every day, at night.
• We generously grease the cotton fabric with liquid flower honey. We wrap the leg, fix it with an elastic bandage from above. We leave for 3 hours. It is recommended to carry out the procedure every three days.
• Cut the green walnuts in half and place them in a liter jar. Fill with vodka or medicinal alcohol. Close the lid and send to a dark place for a week. When the tincture is ready, rub the legs from the heels to the thighs every night with massage movements.
• Pour 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 affected leg. This recipe helps get rid of itching and pain. You can use the recipe every day.
• Squeeze the 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. We heat in a water bath, up to about 40 degrees. We rub the swollen veins and skin about three times a week.
• We take the lilac flowers and put them in an enameled container. Pour 0, 5 liters of sunflower oil. Put in a water bath and bring to a boil. Cool to room temperature and rub into damaged skin. Cover with a gauze bandage. We leave for the night. The procedure should be done at least three times a week.

Possible complications

Varicose veins of the lower extremities require timely treatment. If no therapeutic action is taken, the following complications can occur:

• Pulmonary embolism.
• Thrombosis.
• Thrombophlebitis.
• Phlebitis.
• Rupture of a vein.
• Dermatitis.

Preventive measures

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

• To live an active lifestyle. Walk more often, move more, exercise several times a day. If the lifestyle and the frenzy of work do not allow you to devote yourself to any kind of sport, in this case there is a rational solution: to leave work, to get out of the means of transport a couple of stops earlier. A daily walk will replace sport.
• If the main working hours call for a sitting position, try moving your legs more often, including your fingers. To diversify the position of the legs, experts recommend starting a standing position, about 30 cm from the ground, periodically lifting the legs.
• Women should stop taking hormone pills and consult a doctor to prescribe another type of contraceptive.
• Don't wear shoes with heels that are too high every day.
• Stop smoking and other bad habits.

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