Varicose veins (VV) are one of the most common diseases.The insidious nature of this disease lies in the fact that for many years any pathological changes in the vessels are practically not felt, but then can quickly lead to the development of venous insufficiency, thrombophlebitis or the formation of trophic ulcers.To avoid this, you must take care of your veins without waiting for serious symptoms of the disease to appear.
What are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are an expansion of the lumen of a vein that is larger than expected in a certain area.As a result, it stretches and becomes tortuous.Blood flow in such a vessel becomes turbulent, leading to stagnation, inflammation and the formation of blood clots.
Varicose veins can appear in almost any part of the body where these vessels have valves that prevent the backward flow of blood.
Varicose veins on the legs: stages of the disease
The first stage of varicose veins (compensation).The leg veins are virtually unchanged in appearance;only varicosities may be observed or the characteristic tortuosity of individual vessels may appear.At the end of the day, we sometimes worry about slight swelling in the legs, their fatigue, fatigue and a feeling of discomfort.
The duration of this stage is several years.If you start treatment at this time, you can significantly delay or completely prevent the progression of the disease.This stage is the most favorable for conservative treatment.
The second stage of varicose veins (undercompensation).At this stage, cramps in the calf muscles may appear at night, the veins protrude more noticeably, and the extremities periodically hurt.Swelling of the ankle joints is observed almost constantly, but disappears by morning.The skin around the shin takes on a brownish-purple hue.
This stage also lasts for years.Conservative treatment measures are no longer as effective as in the first stage, which is why doctors are increasingly recommending various surgical interventions.Preventive measures aim to prevent the disease from entering the decompensation phase for as long as possible.
The third stage of varicose veins (decompensation).The veins swell even more, the swelling may not go away in the morning, the skin at the shin becomes thinner and wounds appear that do not heal for a long time.As a rule, it is at this stage that the most dangerous complications develop:
- thrombophlebitis (thrombosis and inflammation of the veins);
- trophic dermatitis, ulcer;
- pulmonary embolism (the most dangerous complication, when a blood clot breaks off in the lower extremities and is carried to the lungs by blood flow, then leads to respiratory arrest and death in 5-8 out of 10 people);
- chronic venous insufficiency (swelling and fatigue of the legs even when the problem of varicose veins has already been resolved).
At this stage, all therapeutic and preventive measures are aimed at preventing the development of complications, and if they have already appeared, at minimizing their consequences.
Which doctor treats varicose veins?
Phlebologist.He is a vascular surgeon specializing in the treatment of venous diseases.It is he who treats varicose veins.
However, if there is no phlebologist in your locality or it is extremely problematic to get a consultation with him, then you can turn to a vascular surgeon for help, or, in his absence, simply to a general surgeon who provides outpatient visits.This is much better than just letting the disease run its course.
How to treat varicose veins?
Treatment of varicose veins largely depends on the stage of the disease, the presence of complications and the specific clinical picture of the disease.
Initially, the emphasis is placed on changing lifestyle, abandoning bad habits that aggravate varicose veins and normalizing body weight.In this case, patients are usually allowed to use folk remedies, undergo treatment with leeches and take herbal remedies.If the disease continues to progress, medications are prescribed to increase the tone of the veins and improve the rheological properties of blood, as well as wearing compression clothing.
Secondly, drug treatment and compression garments become mandatory and surgery is carried out if necessary.In order to prevent complications, it is recommended to undergo planned annual treatment in a hospital setting.
At the third stage, the choice of method is dictated by the presence of complications and the general clinical picture of the disease.In the event of serious complications, the patient must be hospitalized in the surgical department.
Treatment of varicose veins: what should you change in your lifestyle?
Exercise.More than anything else, our veins love it when we walk a lot.Standing or sedentary work contributes to the development of varicose veins.Therefore, if you are forced to stand or sit for a long time, you should perform special exercises every 40-50 minutes.
Habits.As you know, blood flows through the veins from the heels to the heart.Anything that squeezes or pinches the vessels and surrounding tissues hinders the natural circulation of blood and contributes to the progression of varicose veins.Therefore, at the first stage of the disease, you should say goodbye to habits such as:
- sit in the “leg on leg” position (impaired blood flow in the popliteal fossa, so it is better to change it to the American pose “legs on legs” or “legs on the back of a chair”);
- wearing tight belts, stockings, stockings, belts, too tight jeans, tight underwear (partially pinching the veins in the groin, knee, or due to the tight waist they do not allow breathing through the “belly”, which almost excludes the diaphragm from the act of breathing, that is, it facilitates the movement of blood to the heart);
- overeating (overeating is always fraught with extra pounds, and any excess weight in itself can lead to varicose veins);
- Walking for a long time in high heels (in this case, the load on the legs increases and the knee area, which facilitates the upward movement of blood, is almost disabled).