Causes and treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities

blood flow in the leg with varicose veins

Varicose veins of the lower extremities - the appearance of spider veins (networks) and varicose veins on the legs. The disease, which is widespread in the adult population, is more common in women than in men.

The disease got this name in translation from Latin, literally means: bloating, spreading.

The first feelings with this disease are very different for each patient, but the feeling of heaviness in the legs, rapid fatigue, pain throughout the vein unite everything.

Treatment should be chosen by an experienced physician who can objectively assess the stage and development of the disease.

Pathology, which is often only a cosmetic defect, can in some cases lead to serious complications and permanent disability.

What are varicose veins, the mechanisms of pathology development

nodules on the legs with varicose veins

Some people after the age of 40 may face a rather embarrassing situation - the appearance of varicose veins on their legs. Small purple pots that penetrate the skin, are woven into a cobweb or look like a tree with thick branches, are a serious cosmetic problem for many, especially for women. Vascular network "out of nowhere" (in medicine, the term telangiectasia is used) is the expansion of tiny veins with a diameter of less than 1 millimeter, which are located in the thickness of the skin. This is one of the signs that a person has varicose veins in the legs.

If the nodules begin to protrude above the surface of the skin, soft to the touch, which become more noticeable when the person is standing, then we can talk about another manifestation. This is already a more serious pathology - dilated expansion of large and small saphenous veins, as well as their branches.

The veins in the legs are soft, thin-walled canals that return blood to the heart. To counteract the force of gravity, nature has provided them with valves that prevent the return flow of blood (reflux). There are two venous systems on the lower limbs: superficial and deep. The first are vessels located under the skin, so they can be seen. The others are the deep veins of the legs, located along the bones in the thickness of the muscles. There are communications between these systems - perforated veins.

The inability of the valves to perform their function leads to stagnation of blood in the lower parts, discharge of its "excess" through the perforated veins from deep to superficial. This in turn creates increased pressure in the venous system of the legs, which is located under the skin. What makes her vessels react to this is "buckling and lengthening". And that's why varicose veins appear on the legs.

Reasons for development

There are many conditions that lead to valve damage and loss of elasticity in the vessel wall. There are decisive causes of varicose veins in the legs, which are most often associated with this disease:

  • Age. With age, our veins lose elasticity and begin to dilate. Valves are also "rough", lose elasticity and cease to perform their function normally.
  • Pregnancy is accompanied by an increase in blood volume in the body, and also helps to slow down its movement in the lower extremities (the large uterus presses on the veins of the small pelvis). Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy also play an important role. As a rule, the symptoms of varicose veins without treatment resolve within 12 months after delivery.

The resulting telangiectasias (or, as many doctors mistakenly call them, capillary varicose veins), the causes of which appear on the face and legs, are often associated with exposure to sunlight. Therefore, women who want to avoid this cosmetic problem must choose - or a nice tan or vascular network.

Risk factors

Varicose veins are a multifactorial pathology.

  • Floor. Women are more likely to develop this disease. Hormonal imbalance that occurs during pregnancy, premenstrual period and menopause can be considered a risk factor because it relaxes the vein wall for a long time. Hormone replacement therapy or long-term use of birth control pills also increases the risk of "getting" varicose veins.
  • Heredity.
  • Obesity.
  • Prolonged standing or sitting (office workers, surgeons, drivers).
  • Alcohol abuse. Alcohol and varicose veins also have a certain connection.

Symptoms and diagnosis

Initially, the disease may not cause discomfort, it may be suspected when the following symptoms occur:

  • formation of spider veins, webs on the legs (dilation of intradermal veins pink, blue, purple);
  • the veins become "twisted, " protruding above the surface of the skin, like a rope, interrupted by knots.

The following symptoms may join later:

  • tired legs;
  • tingling, throbbing, muscle cramps and swelling of the lower extremities;
  • worsening of the manifestations of the disease if the person is in a standing or sitting position for a long time;
  • itching around the "swollen" veins;
  • varicose veins;
  • painful, local hardening of the vessel site;
  • skin discoloration or ulceration in the ankle area.

The disease is diagnosed based on data collected during the examination and examination of the patient. Doppler ultrasound is usually sufficient to assess the severity of the pathology (how the valves function, the presence of a blood clot in the veins).

Pathological treatment

If a diagnosis of "varicose veins of the legs" is made, it does not mean that there is a need for a long stay in the hospital. Thanks to modern minimally invasive procedures, the pathology is usually treated on an outpatient basis.

Change your lifestyle or help yourself

There are several self-help methods that reduce the discomfort of varicose veins and help prevent further varicose veins. Here are some of them:

  • Regular exercises. Move as much as possible. Regular walking is a great physical activity that can improve blood circulation in the legs. How much load will be optimal - you can ask your doctor about it.
  • Constant control of your weight, the excess of which has a detrimental effect on the blood vessels of the legs. Do not forget about salt, whose excessive intake in the body causes fluid retention, which increases the load on the veins.
  • Pay attention to what you are wearing. Shoes with low heels, unlike high heels, force the muscular-venous pump on the feet to work - the gastrocnemius muscle. Avoid wearing tight pants around the groin and waist as this can disrupt blood flow.
  • Keep your legs raised as often as possible. To do this, you need to take breaks several times a day and raise your legs above heart level, for example, lie down and put them on pillows.
  • Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time.

Compression therapy

Usually, the initial stages of varicose veins of the lower extremities are treated with a compression stocking. External compression prevents swelling of the veins, which in turn improves blood flow through the blood vessels.

Additional treatments for a more serious situation

If lifestyle changes and the use of compression stockings do not improve symptoms, and if the stages of varicose veins (subcompensation and decompensation) do not allow them to cope with the pathology on their own, the following treatment options come to the rescue:

  • Sclerotherapy.The procedure, which does not require major anesthesia, is performed on an outpatient basis. The doctor injects a special substance (sclerosant) into the varicose veins, which sticks to the walls.
  • Foam sclerotherapy.Unlike the usual technique, in this technique the sclerosant is injected into a vein after mixing with a gas (usually air), which allows the treatment of veins of larger diameter.
  • Laser surgery. . . A new technology that removes small varicose veins and vascular networks is performed without incisions in the skin and perforation of blood vessels.
  • Intravenous radiofrequency or laser ablation. . . A technique that involves inserting a catheter into a lumen of a vein, topped by a radiofrequency or laser energy transmitter.
  • Sapheno-femoral ligation and removal of the great saphenous vein. . . The first procedure involves bandaging and removing the upper part of the vein. During the second, a special probe is inserted into the lumen of the vessel (previously two incisions were made: one in the groin area, the other at the level of the upper third of the lower leg) and extends the entire length. It is then removed along with the varicose vein.
  • Outpatient phlebectomy. . . The doctor removes small varicose veins, making several microincisions on the skin. The scars are usually almost invisible.
  • Endoscopic vein surgery. . . It is usually performed when the patient has an advanced stage of varicose veins of the lower extremities (ulcers appear) or previous methods of treatment have been ineffective.

Varicose veins that appear during pregnancy usually disappear without any treatment within 12 months after delivery.

Alternative medicine

There is a wide arsenal of alternative treatments for chronic venous insufficiency, a condition associated with varicose veins. The following drugs are most commonly used for this pathology:

  • butcher's broom;
  • grapes (leaves, juice, seed extract);
  • horse chestnut;
  • sweet clover.

Before using any herb or dietary supplement, you need to make sure that these complementary medications are compatible with the medications prescribed by your doctor and that they are safe for your specific situation. Therefore, before taking them, you should consult your doctor.

Prophylaxis

There is no universal, guaranteed way that could prevent the development of varicose veins in the legs. Nevertheless, there are preventive measures that help reduce the chances of getting new manifestations of the disease, improve its symptoms. Here are some of them:

  • Physical activity (regular sports, where the legs are "involved", for example, walking or running, improve blood circulation in the lower extremities, strengthen blood vessels).
  • Weight control (excess weight increases the load on the lower limbs).
  • Do not cross your legs while sitting.
  • During rest, raise them above heart level.
  • Try to avoid a stationary standing or sitting position.
  • Diet (less salt and more fiber).

It is also worth rinsing your feet with cold water after showering or bathing. Try to visit baths or saunas less often.

Varicose veins on the legs are a widespread problem, the incidence among men ranges from 10 to 20%, and in women it reaches 33%. Unfortunately, it is impossible to fully recover from this disease. But new minimally invasive techniques used in medicine can improve symptoms. Early treatment in the early stages of the disease can prevent the development of serious complications.