Symptoms and treatment of varicose veins in the legs

Varicose veins of the legs are one of the oldest diseases of the vascular system. The disease most often develops in women. The pathological process is based on the expansion of internal or deep veins, which leads to an inflammatory process of the superficial venous network. As a result, blood circulation and tissue nutrition are disturbed, causing the most dangerous complication in the form of trophic ulcers.

Causes of pathology

The disease most often affects the veins of the lower extremities, since it is this part of the body that is most stressed. Signs of varicose veins in women often appear during pregnancy.There are many reasons that contribute to the development of symptoms of varicose veins in the legs:

• Hereditary predisposition to the development of varicose veins is due to the transfer from parents to the child of a special gene that mutates and contributes to the formation of a weak vascular wall.
• Hormonal disorders in the female body during pregnancy, lactation, menopause adversely affect the condition of blood vessels, lead to the formation of blood clots and other pathological conditions.
• Severe forms of obesity lead to sedentary lifestyle, circulatory disorders, increased intra-abdominal pressure. As a result, the outflow of venous blood is disturbed, which leads to the development of varicose veins. An additional factor is the violation of lipid metabolism and the deposition of harmful cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels.
• Type 1 diabetes mellitus negatively affects the state of the vascular system and eventually leads to complications. The second type is not so dangerous for blood vessels, so it rarely causes varicose veins.
• A sedentary lifestyle, heavy physical labor invariably leads to a violation of venous outflow.
• Frequent abuse of alcohol, coffee, strong tea leads to dehydration, especially when combined with the use of a minimum amount of water. As a result, the blood thickens, blood clots form, causing blockage of blood vessels and circulatory disorders.
• An unbalanced diet with an insufficient amount of vitamin C in the diet, which is responsible for the condition of the vessels, their strength.
• Chronic congenital blood abnormalities characterized by excessive formation of clotting factors and formation of blood clots.
• Wear tight clothing that obstructs venous return.
• Intermittent or chronic constipation. During exercise, intra-abdominal pressure increases, disrupting blood flow.
• Chronic pathologies of the heart, negatively affecting the entire vascular system.
• The use of drugs that increase blood clotting.

Another factor that provokes the symptoms of varicose veins of the lower extremities in women is the frequent wearing of high-heeled shoes. It has been proven that men get sick 2 times less often.

Symptoms and stages of development of the disease

Symptoms and treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities depend on the stage of the pathological process. There are several stages in the development of the disease:

1. At the initial stagepathologies in the area of the legs and feet, spider veins of dark blue or purple color appear. They do not disturb the patient and do not protrude above the surface of the skin.
2. At the second stageseveral enlarged veins appear, hard and painful to the touch. Nodules are felt in the affected veins.
3. Third stepcharacterized by the appearance of a large number of deformed veins protruding from the level of the epidermis.
4. At the fourth stepin place of the affected veins, redness of the epidermis or blue spots appear, which begin to itch. The itching is so unbearable that the patient cannot control himself. In places of scratching, a sore, weeping surface appears.
5. In the fifth or sixth stagethe spots merge, forming ulcers. In the absence of treatment, the process of tissue necrosis begins, reaching the bone in advanced cases.

In the early stages, there may be no pain in the legs with varicose veins. Symptoms appear as the disease process progresses.Common symptoms of the disease include the following:

• Feeling of heaviness in the legs at the end of the working day, even with minimal effort.
• Swelling after physical exertion, disappearing after rest in a horizontal position.
• Convulsive contraction of muscles at night.
• Excessive dryness of the epidermis on the shins, itching and burning.
• Increased fatigue.

In addition, the patient begins to be disturbed by constant, arching pains in the limbs. As a result, he avoids physical activity, spends a lot of time in a sitting position. In advanced stages, when trophic ulcers turn into a necrotic form, the patient's movements are very difficult, as the pain becomes unbearable.

Possible complications of varicose veins

Lack of treatment leads to the development of serious consequences of varicose veins. Complications develop in 30% of patients. Common complications are venous bleeding, thrombophlebitis, dermatitis, eczema, which develop as a result of insufficient blood supply to tissues.

Most often, trophic ulcers appear, which significantly reduce the patient's quality of life. Incorrect and untimely treatment causes tissue necrosis. In this case, surgical treatment is indicated by the excision of necrotic foci.

Methods of diagnosing a disease

When diagnosing the disease, it is very important to determine the cause that caused it. This will make processing easier.

The first stage of the examination will be a test: the patient is placed on the couch, he raises his leg perpendicular to the body and holds it for 30 seconds to ensure the outflow of blood from the veins of the lower extremities. After that, with a special tourniquet, the limb is pulled into the thigh area, and the patient is asked to stand up. Normally, blood flow to the limb should last at least 15 seconds. If this period is shorter, the presence of the initial stage of varicose veins is suspected.

During venography, a special contrast agent is injected intravenously into the patient, and the patency of the deep veins is assessed on an X-ray. To determine patency in a particular vessel, Dopplerography is performed.

The most informative method is ultrasonic angiography, which allows you not only to assess the patency of the dilated vessel, but also to see the degree of its damage.

Based on the data of the diagnostic examination, the doctor draws up a treatment regimen, individual in each case.

Principles of conservative therapy

The first stages of the pathological process are successfully treated conservatively. To eliminate the symptoms of pathology, tablet preparations and agents for external application in the form of gels and ointments are used.The most commonly prescribed drugs are:

1. Tablets against varicose veins. They have anti-inflammatory, decongestant, analgesic, tonic properties, stimulate blood circulation, strengthen the vascular wall, eliminate itching, burning, restore elasticity to the vessels. Some of them come in the form of ointments or gels.
2. External agents act in the same way as tablet preparations. Effective at an early stage of the pathological process. The use of such funds is allowed in the absence of trophic ulcers.
3. A mandatory stage of treatment will be taking blood thinners, for example, acetylsalicylic acid, which will help prevent further blood clots.
4. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve pain in the later stages of the disease.

The early stages of varicose veins are successfully treated with laser photocoagulation. During the procedure, the affected vessels are exposed to a laser that seals them, thus preventing the progression of the pathology. Most often, manipulation is performed in order to eliminate a cosmetic defect, since the affected limb looks unattractive.

Methods of surgical intervention

Advanced cases of the disease lend themselves poorly to conservative treatment. When the pathological process has passed to the stage of trophic ulcers, the patient is offered an operation that will radically solve the problem.

Sclerotherapy refers to minimally invasive treatment methods and consists of the removal of nodes. During manipulation, a special sclerosing agent is injected into the lumen of the vein, which contributes to its gradual death. Prior to introduction, the vessel is removed from general circulation by ligation and cutting.

Phlebectomy is the complete removal of diseased vessels through small incisions or punctures. It is performed to eliminate extensive lesions.

Typically, the recovery period is painless. For 2-4 weeks, the patient should wear compression underwear or bandage the diseased limb with an elastic bandage.

Alternative Medicine Recipes

In the early stages of varicose veins, folk remedies are quite effective. Most doctors approve of the combination of conservative treatment and non-traditional prescriptions.The following are considered the most effective:

1. A compress from chopped green tomatoes will help relieve pain and swelling, normalize blood circulation, which are applied to the affected area and left overnight, fixed with a bandage. Many do not understand why green tomatoes, because they contain less nutrients. But the secret of this product lies in the high content of lycopene, which eliminates congestion. It is allowed to use ripe fruits in the form of paste.
2. To enhance the effect of drugs, it is recommended to consume freshly squeezed vegetable juices from carrots and beets daily. Celery leaf juice is especially valuable, as it has an extremely positive effect on blood vessels.
3. An effective remedy for pain relief is grated potatoes, which should be applied to the legs, left for 4 hours, washed off. Repeat the procedure daily until the patient's condition is relieved.
4. Protruding veins can be treated with a special compress consisting of 1 part minced garlic and 2 parts butter. The compress is applied in the evening for 2 weeks.
5. Chestnut tincture will help relieve heaviness and pain in the legs. To prepare it, you need to take 200 g of peeled fruit, grind and pour a liter of alcohol, leave to infuse for 2 weeks. To be used in friction every evening for 21 days. Take a break for 10 days and repeat the course.
6. An effective remedy is chamomile oil. It should be prepared from 150 g of crushed flowers and 500 ml of olive oil. After 10 days of infusion, the composition is ready for use. It is permissible to rub sore limbs or apply compresses at night. Perform the treatment until the condition is relieved.

These funds must be used with the permission of a doctor. You can avoid allergic manifestations with the help of a preliminary test for individual intolerance to a particular drug.

Disease prevention measures

People who are at risk of developing varicose veins should take preventive measures. It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing that does not obstruct venous outflow. You need to adhere to the principles of healthy eating, go for walks, give up bad habits.

As a preventive measure, it is necessary to periodically take multivitamin preparations that strengthen the vascular wall.

At the first sign of varicose veins, you should immediately contact a specialist to prescribe the necessary treatment. This will help avoid serious complications.