varicosity veins in the legs – not just a cosmetic problem of concern people have about their attractiveness, but also a dangerous disease that requires adequate treatment and compliance with prevention measures.
Causes of varicose veins are quite a lot: from a sedentary life style, physical overload and ending with hormonal failure, congenital weakness of the vascular wall, pregnancy. What happens during a varicosity? When varicose veins of the lower limbs, they lose their normal elasticity and under the pressure of the blood stretch.
The valves in the veins in the normal state are defined by locks, and when the blood passes through them, they close and provide the possibility of reverse flow of blood. If there was a failure of the valves, the blood can freely be delivered down, which leads to stagnation of blood.
In this regard, the veins can not cope with the pressure, dilate, the valves are no longer able to block the big clearance - all this provokes the initial stage of varicosity.
The causes of varicosity
Why there is varicosity, and what is it? The main risk factors for the development of the disease is considered genetic predisposition and gender. Love to high calcibus, hormonal changes during pregnancy and oral contraceptives, women are victims of varicosity twice as often as men.
The development of the disease contribute to:
- Heredity. Among the inheritance itself is not a disease but a genetically determined structure of the veins: weak connective tissue, venous wall, congenital defective valves veins. That is why varicosity can occur in young, healthy and active (regardless of gender) people and even in children. According to scientists, genetic predisposition is the main factor that leads to varicose veins of the legs.
- Hormonal changes. Because of the peculiarities of the body in women, the periods of hormonal failures the causes of stagnation of blood. For them, the most dangerous periods – puberty, pregnancy, the time after childbirth. Also dangerous time, when menopause occurs. This sexual category of patients appealed to the doctors 2-3 times more often. In the women's bodies do not have enough of the hormones called estrogens. Instead, what prevails is the so-called hormone of the corpus luteum. It is believed that it has a relaxing effect on the muscles. This contributes to varicose veins.
- Sedentary, sedentary lifestyleor job that requires long stay standing, contributes to the development of varicose veins.
- Age. Over time, the valves and the walls of the veins become thin, this leads to the disruption of their work.
- Obesity. Excess weight causes increased load on the leg veins.
Secondary varicosity occurs when leg injuries, heart defects, liver and spleen. In this case, the first receiving appropriate treatment of the primary disease.
The stage of varicosity
It is possible to allocate 3 stages of progression of symptoms in the development of varicosity.
- The compensation stage. There are no complaints. On examination, there are varicose veins on one or two legs.
- Stage sub-compensations. When viewed in visible legs pronounced varicose veins. Patients complain of feeling of fullness, paresthesia ("tingling") in the legs, night cramps. A slight swelling of the feet, ankles and shins in the evening. In the morning the swelling disappear.
- Stage of decompensation. To join the listed signs of dermatitis, eczema. Patients worried about itching skin. The skin becomes dry, shiny, tightly knit with subcutaneous fat. Small hemorrhages and subsequent deposition of hemosiderin cause hyperpigmentation.
Itself varicosity is not considered a very serious disease, but if it is already developed, on their own will never pass and even more, will progress, leading to all sorts of complications, which are the most dangerous.
Signs of varicosity
The first signs indicating the onset of varicosity:
- fatigue of legs;
- swelling of the lower extremities;
- a feeling of heaviness in the legs.
In the later stages it is possible to note the appearance of spider veins on the skin, protruding veins and various seals, indicating stagnation in the vessels.
Symptoms of varicose veins in the legs
In different stages of varicosity of the veins the symptoms may vary from small asymptomatic vascular "stars" to severe and painful symptoms.
To suspect the development of the initial stage by the following symptoms:
- the pain in the legs, feeling of warmth, and sometimes burning sensation through the veins of the legs;
- heaviness in the legs;
- in the evening there swelling in the legs;
- at night cramps of the feet;
- dilated veins;
- calf leather is a dark colour, there are seals, possible sores.
Having had any primary symptoms, you should immediately proceed to the treatment of varicose veins – symptoms will not disappear by themselves.
Diagnosis
To diagnose varicosity of the lower extremities and to plan the treatment, the specialist will suggest patient to pass a comprehensive examination, which includes a variety of methods.
- Duplex scanning (ultrasound of the veins), the most informative method of diagnosis of varicose veins of the legs, enabling to get an idea of the extent of varicose veins, direction of blood flow through the veins and their patency and to detect the presence of blood clots (thrombus).
- Contrast venography, which is a survey method that allows to detect the enlarged veins, and to know the degree of their permeability for blood.
To diagnose deep venous varicosity may only qualified doctor.
The consequences
Complicated course varicosity accompanied by formation of thrombosis and inflammation of veins, trophic ulcers and skin disorders. These complications are manifested in the discoloration of the skin on the feet, rubore, dimout, venetus of the skin.
Also characterized by persistent swelling of the ankle, especially severe when walking or standing. In calf have pain when walking, pain along the twisted veins, induration on the skin and the formation on it of ulcers of different sizes.
Prevention
If you have a tendency to this disease, the following guidelines will help to slow its progression:
- Wear comfortable shoes without heels or low heels.
- With loads of you can make a bandage for legs or wear a medical knitted things, but only after consulting a doctor.
- Do not stand or sit long in one place, move, exercise, change your body position.
- Do not take hot baths, especially in the morning – better to replace them with a warm shower with a final cold douche.
- Give up Smoking, which worsens the condition of blood vessels.
Primary prevention is a moderate physical activity: swimming, walking, Cycling, charging.
During pregnancy
Pregnancy greatly increases the risk of varicosity of the veins of the lower extremities, this is facilitated by the following reasons:
- Hormones circulating in the blood during pregnancy, increases the distensibility of the venous wall and contributes to stagnation of venous blood in the legs.
- Increased intra-abdominal pressure in late pregnancy hinders the blood flow through the veins of the legs.
- varicosity of the veins that occur during pregnancy may pass after delivery, or to progress further, depending upon the individual factors (heredity, the presence of other contributing factors).
Treatment of varicosity of leg veins
If varicose veins on the legs treatment may not be medically necessary if the symptoms are not problematic.
However, some people may want treatment for varicose veins for cosmetic reasons, because they are dissatisfied with their appearance.
Let us examine basic methods that will help you to get rid of this problem.
- Sclerotherapy. This method of treatment is used both alone and in combination with conservative treatments. Its essence lies in the fact that in a vein with a thin needle or syringe to be introduced, signantes its drug, subsequently Vienna completely disappears. Sessions are held once a week, it takes 3 to 6 sessions. The method allows to avoid scars.
- Non-surgical treatment. If varicose veins in the initial stage, and if it does not cause very great inconvenience, it can be recommended elastic compressive stockings. Wear them during everyday activities. They help to compress the veins, keeping them from stretching and limits any discomfort or pain.
- Medication relieves the symptoms of varicosity, reduces swelling and pain and slows the development process, but can not stop the disease entirely and restore the damaged veins.
- Laser treatment of varicose veins in the legs can be used on the surface of the skin. With a small flash of laser light into the vein wall develops process and sclerosing varicose veins disappear, as if she had removed.
A major role in the treatment and prevention play a physical activity — brisk walking, gymnastics, swimming and exercises in water (excluding sports exercises with a heavy load on foot — tennis, weightlifting, jumping).
Drugs venotonics
The action of these drugs is aimed at increasing the tone of smooth muscles in the vessel walls, thereby preserving its elasticity and normalize blood circulation in the affected areas.
Many of venotonics are drugs with complex action. The effect that is achieved when their use is not only Vienna, but all the blood vessels in our body.
How to treat varicosity of veins folk remedies
There are many methods of varicose vein treatment on legs folk remedies, for both outdoor and indoor use. Below are the most common:
- The flowers of horse chestnut (50 grams), you need to pour 500 gr. alcohol, then let stand for 14 days, daily shaking the bottle. Pass the infusion through the mesh and eat a spoonful with water three times a day before meals. So you need to be treated for a week, then take a break for two weeks. Then treatment can begin anew.
- The infusion of dried nettle used for varicose veins. Dry powdered leaves of the plant is poured into the thermos bottle 1/2 liter of boiling water, to insist 30-40 minutes, strain and take 1/3 Cup 3 times a day 1 hour after meals.
- Pack tomatoes. Finely chopped tomato, to lie on bandages, gauze, and applied to the affected area. For convenience, you can tie an elastic bandage or others. Holding this compress the vein for 2 hours, then changed for a new one, and a total of 3 times. The convenience of this pack is that it can be repeated daily.
- Tincture of oil of walnuts immature walnuts crushed, pour in a glass bowl, pour olive oil and leave for 40 days in a Sunny spot. Ready tincture to lubricate sore spots. The treatment course is long, as with kalanchoe.
In addition to folk remedies, many patients varicosity complementary therapy with special exercises to feel a significant improvement in allow exercise Mikulina.