Varicose veins: causes, symptoms, treatment, prevention

Varicose veins or varicose veins is a chronic disease. One of the symptoms of varicose veins – enlargement of veins in the violation of the process of the outflow of blood and its stagnation in the venous system.

varicose veins

Varicose vein has symptoms, that may develop under the influence of a number of reasons. It can be a characteristic of ejecting the thick, curvy and big veins. Very often it occurs just varices of the lower extremities.

In the initial stages of varicose disease can not do without surgery, and use other methods of treatment. This will allow the patient to significantly improve health and stop the development of the disease. Treatment of varicose veins without surgery is true and if that surgery is for some reason contraindicated.

Varicose veins – the pathology of the local expansion of the lumen of the vein. More often it occurs in the blood vessels of the lower extremities. Typically, varicose veins occurs due to a genetic predisposition, a sedentary way of life, anatomical disorders of the valve apparatus veins.

When varicose veins significantly reduces the elasticity of the veins on the legs and the veins start to expand. In the veins themselves are available, so-called flaps, regulatory constant blood flow. If everything works properly, then there is no problem. In violation of the work arises varicose veins. The valves cease to normally close and hold back the movement of blood towards the heart. The pressure increases and pushes the blood from the thick veins in the finer blood vessels. A system of thin veins is not adapted to such pressure – leads to their stretching and destruction.

They are still heavily visible on the feet of the vascular mesh, representing a serious aesthetic problem. Varices progresses, the delicate weakened veins become more pronounced, they acquire the characteristic blue color, thicken, and soon on these nodes.

The reasons for varicose veins

There are many reasons varicose veins, which is the probability that the patient suffers from varicose veins:

  • Genetic inheritance – from the close relatives with varicose veins, a descendant of the may "take" of vienna with a special structure (weakness of connective tissue, the imperfection of the valves, etc.); and then without ongoing compliance with the preventive measures, most likely necessarily, sooner or later to become patient with the diagnosis "varicose veins on the legs".
  • Fluctuations in hormones – often they are subject to women (climax, menstruation, pregnancy, etc.), rather than explains, explicit sexual selectivity of the disease; in addition, the risk of developing varicose veins increases and the treatment of hormonal medication – it is scientifically proven that the contained in them female sex hormones and their alternates significantly reduce the flexibility of the inflammation of the vascular walls.
  • Nervous system disorders, stress, depression – all this leads to a decrease in tone of veins in the lower extremities;
  • Inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs – these processes can lead to a hormonal imbalance, but are still capable of damage the small veins;
  • Low physical activity – with the time of the vienna pinch, blood circulation is disturbed, gradually decreasing the tone of the inflammation of the vascular walls, and finally, the blood begins to stagnate, and there is the varicose veins (now the doctors appeared even a special term – computer varices, so a large number of patients, the cause of the disease, which has become a sedentary job for the flashing monitor);
  • High physical burden – to them can be attributed to lifting weights, being overweight, pregnancy, work, associated with long standing; as a result, significantly increases the pressure in the veins, and that it threatens the emergence of varicose veins;
  • Flat feet;
  • Habit always and everywhere to walk on the wrong high heels;
  • Constipation, increasing pressure in the abdominal cavity;
  • Various injuries and diseases;
  • Floor. The risk of developing varicose veins in women is significantly higher.
  • The structure of the body. From varicose more likely to suffer from just people with above-average growth.
symptoms of varicose veins

Symptoms of varicose veins on the legs

To miss a moment of the emergence of varicose veins on the legs, it is necessary to know the first symptoms and the time to take the right measures.

The main symptoms of varicose veins on the legs:

  • The occurrence of painful sensations in the legs, burning in my veins, a feeling of heat;
  • A pronounced feeling of heaviness in the legs (not to be confused with fatigue);
  • The emergence of edema of the legs. Typically, the swelling will appear in the evening;
  • Leg cramps at night;
  • Noticeable enlargement of the veins;
  • The skin in the area of the lower limbs gains a noticeable dark color. There's a seal and, where appropriate, the formation of venous ulcers.

There are other symptoms of varicose veins:

  • They may be manifestations in the area of the popliteal fossa or the entire rear surface of the legs. If the legs are thick, or is there a excess hairiness, the manifestation of varicose veins less visible;
  • Veins are easily palpable. When the loss of the varicose veins can be a winding;
  • Ok varicose veins may disappear when the patient lay horizontally and lift the legs. In the upright position of the body veins become thicker;
  • He felt an unusual heaviness in the legs, feelings of pain dull character, recurring cramps. The patient may complain of a slight burning sensation in the legs;
  • Feet can swell, mainly in the area of soft tissue.

Above have been listed the main symptoms of varicose veins. Varicose veins will progress, if not to initiate a proper treatment of varicose veins.

If the disease will progress, then you may experience the following symptoms of varicose veins, such as:

  • Indurate (seal);
  • Impaired nutrition of the skin;
  • Pigmentation of the skin on legs;
  • Trophic ulcers.

If available, third-party symptoms of varicose veins, such as high body temperature, weakness – it says that the varicose veins has moved into a phase of complications.

Consequences of varicose veins

Varicose veins is not just an aesthetic problem feet. This disease is able to "hit" the heart. Varicose veins causes serious problems and reduces the quality of life. If you are missing high-quality medical assistance, then the varicose veins can be serious complications, up to lethal outcome.

consequences of varicose veins

Consequences of varicose veins:

  • The formation of blood clots due to stagnation of blood in the veins;
  • Lead a clot and blockage of blood vessels which coincides with its diameter;
  • Thrombophlebitis;
  • Thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery (detached thrombus formation on the flow of blood gets into chylopericardium artery, which is involved in the circulation on a small scale. If the diameter of the precipitate coincides with the diameter of the trunk of this artery, then it can result in sudden death.
  • Trophic ulcers or eczema on the feet due to eating disorders (broken blood circulation leads to lack of oxygen to the tissues, which is the most important meal of the tissues);
  • Swelling of various parts of the body due to stagnation in the veins (they are soft, flexible, cyanotic color, their formation is not dependent on time of day, most often they are formed in the affected area);
  • Dermatitis (inflammation of the skin in the affected area) due to failure of the power supply to this property;
  • Change the color of the skin in the area affected area;
  • Seal the subcutaneous fat of fiber in the area of the affected area due to swelling.

Diagnosis of varicose veins

  1. Functional sample (the definition of the continuity of the veins and their valves): Troyanova – Trendelenburg, Pratt, Shania and more. One of the most common test Troyanova – Trendelenburg in the care that the patient stay in a horizontal position, lifts his leg on the 450, the doctor makes a stroking from the feet up (thus emptied superficial vein), then straps on the upper part of the thigh and asks the patient to stand up, in the standard filling of the veins of the lower extremities should occur more than 15 seconds;
  2. Duplex ultrasound examination of the veins is the most informative method, allows the assessment of blood flow in the vessel, and see for yourself the container;
  3. Doppler – method, which is only assessed blood flow in this vessel;
  4. Venography – the introduction of a contrast substance intravenously, and the study of x-ray images;
  5. Intravenous administration of radiopharmaceuticals and observations on the special equipment.

Treatment of varicose veins

The definitive treatment of varicose veins on the legs may depend on the degree of development of the disease. If this is just the initial phase, then it is possible to use conservative methods of treatment.

treatment of varicose veins

Conservative methods of treatment of varicose veins:

  • Treatment of varicose veins medicines. It pills, creams, ointments;
  • Tiles. Wear special compression clothing (stockings, bandages);
  • Pneumo massage. It is used a special apparatus, which is able to activate blood circulation, improve the trophism of the tissues and significantly remove negative symptoms of varicose veins;
  • Sclerotherapy. It is used when, without removing the damaged veins already do. Into a vein, injected drugs, which are able to weaken the diseased blood vessels, which subsequently disappears;
  • Laser coagulation. Treatment of varicose veins lasers – one of the modern methods, which is performed under local anesthesia. The results of laser treatment are visible roughly a month;
  • Physical therapy, and treatment of varicose veins with leeches. It's an unconventional method, but are quite popular.

Prevention of varicose veins

Prevention of varicose veins will be needed for those who have close relatives (the older generation) with this suffering. In addition, it is recommended to take preventative treatment varicose veins people with overweight, pregnant, as well as certain professions, where long pose standing on your feet.

Lead an active lifestyle and be more engaged in the sport. In particular, they help hiking, the strengthening of the legs, which is more resilient.

There are some guidelines that will help to prevent the occurrence of varicose veins:

  • If long on your feet, it is advisable to regularly exceed and mash your fingers on the legs;
  • Office workers (sedentary work) it is desirable to regularly put your feet up on the table. This makes it possible to improve the outflow of blood from the veins of the lower extremities;
  • If you use the little stand for the legs, it is possible to reduce the pressure on the feet while sitting;
  • Periodically lifting your fingers on the legs. You can relieve the tension of the muscles of the lower limbs and improve the flow of blood upward;
  • Several times a day to do a whole body workout.

In addition, use compression underwear, which greatly helps in the prevention of varicose veins.

prevention of varicose veins

If nevertheless there was a mild degree of varicose veins, then you need to avoid the following:

  • wearing shoes with high heels;
  • intake of contraceptives, which can aggravate the situation;
  • obesity and excess weight;
  • consumption of sharp, salty and fatty foods;
  • carrying heavy suitcases and bags;
  • hair removal with wax;
  • long hot baths;
  • baths and saunas;
  • smoking, drugs, alcohol;
  • to self-medicate.