Symptoms and treatment of varicose veins in the legs

One of the oldest diseases of the vascular system are varicose veins in the legs. The disease develops more often 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 flow and tissue nutrition are disturbed, provoking the most dangerous complication in the form of trophic ulcers.

Causes of pathology

The disease most often affects the veins of the lower extremities, as it is this part of the body that has the greatest load. 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:

• The hereditary predisposition for the development of varicose veins is due to the transfer from parents to the child of a particular gene that changes and contributes to the formation of a weak vascular wall.
• Hormonal disorders in the female body during pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause negatively affect the condition of blood vessels, lead to the formation of blood clots and other pathological conditions.
• Severe forms of obesity lead to physical inactivity, circulatory disorders, increased intra-abdominal pressure. As a result, venous blood flow 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 in 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 provokes varicose veins.
• A sedentary lifestyle, hard physical work invariably lead to a violation of venous flow.
• Frequent abuse of alcohol, coffee, strong tea leads to dehydration, especially when combined with the use of a minimal amount of water. As a result, the blood thickens, blood clots form, provoking 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 blood vessels, their strength.
• Congenital, chronic blood abnormalities characterized by excessive formation of coagulation factors and the formation of blood clots.
• Wear tight clothing that prevents venous return.
• Periodic or chronic constipation. During exertion, intra-abdominal pressure increases, interrupting blood flow.
• Chronic pathologies of the heart, adversely affecting the entire vascular system.
• Use of drugs that increase blood clotting.

Another factor that provokes the symptoms of lower extremity varicose veins 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 disease development

The 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. In the initial stagepathologies in the area of the feet and legs, appear dark blue or purple spider veins. They do not bother the patient and do not stand out on the surface of the skin.
2. In the second stagesome enlarged veins, strong and painful to the touch, appear. Joints are felt in the affected veins.
3. The third phasecharacterized by the appearance of a large number of deformed veins emerging above the level of the epidermis.
4. In the fourth stageat the site of the affected veins appear epidermal redness or blue spots, which begin to itch. The itching is so unbearable that the patient can not control himself. A weeping and painful surface appears at the scratch sites.
5. In the fifth or sixth stagethe spots coalesce, forming ulcers. In the absence of treatment, the process of tissue necrosis begins, reaching the bone in advanced cases.

In the initial stages, there may be no leg pain with varicose veins. Symptoms appear when the pathological process progresses.Common symptoms of the disease include the following:

• Feeling of heaviness in the legs until the end of the work day, even with minimal exertion.
• Bloating after physical exertion, which disappears after resting in a horizontal position.
• Convulsive muscle contractions at night.
• Excessive dryness of the epidermis on the feet, itching and burning.
• Added fatigue.

Further, the patient begins to suffer from persistent, arched pain in the limbs. As a result, he avoids physical activity, spends a lot of time in a sitting position. In the advanced stages, when the trophic ulcer turns into necrotic form, the patient's movement is very difficult, as the pain becomes unbearable.

Possible complications of varicose veins

Lack of treatment leads to the development of severe consequences of varicose veins. Complications develop in 30% of patients. Common complications are venous bleeding, thrombophlebitis, dermatitis, eczema, which develop as a result of not supplying blood to the tissues.

Most often trophic ulcers appear, which significantly reduce the quality of life of the patient. Improper and premature treatment provokes tissue necrosis. In this case, surgical treatment is indicated by removal of necrotic foci.

Methods for diagnosing a disease

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

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

During phlebography, the patient is injected intravenously with a special contrast agent and a radiograph assesses the permeability of the deep veins. Dopplerography is performed to determine the permeability to a particular vessel.

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

Based on the diagnostic examination data, the doctor designs a treatment regimen, which is individual in each case.

Principles of conservative therapy

The initial 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 medications are:

1. Varicose vein tablets. They have anti-inflammatory, decongestant, analgesic, tonic properties, stimulate blood circulation, strengthen vascular walls, eliminate itching, burning, restore the elasticity of vessels. Some of them are in the form of ointments or gels.
2. External agents act similarly to 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 step in treatment will be taking anticoagulants, for example, acetylsalicylic acid, which will help prevent further blood clotting.
4. Non-steroidal 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 closes them, preventing further progression of the pathology. Most often, the manipulation is performed to eliminate a cosmetic defect, as the affected limb looks unattractive.

Methods of surgical intervention

Advanced cases of the disease do not undergo conservative therapy. 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 methods of therapy and consists of eliminating the joints. During manipulation, a special sclerosing agent is injected into the lumen of the vein, which contributes to its gradual death. Prior to insertion, the vessel is removed from the general circulation by means of binding and cutting.

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

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

Prescriptions of alternative medicine

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

1. A compress with chopped green tomatoes will help relieve pain and swelling, normalize blood circulation, which are applied to the affected area and left overnight, secured with a bandage. Many do not understand why green tomatoes because they have less nutrients. But the secret of this product lies in the high content of lycopene, which eliminates blockages. The use of ripe fruit in the form of a paste is allowed.
2. To enhance the effect of the medication, it is recommended to consume freshly squeezed vegetable juices from carrots and beets every day. Especially valuable is the juice from the leaves of celery, which has an extremely positive effect on blood vessels.
3. An effective remedy for pain relief are grated potatoes, which should be applied to the feet, left for 4 hours, washed. Repeat the procedure every day until the patient's condition calms down.
4. Elongated veins can be treated with a special compress with 1 part minced garlic and 2 parts butter. The compress is applied overnight for 2 weeks.
5. Chestnut-based 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 for 2 weeks to inject. Use for rubbing every evening for 21 days. Take a break for 10 days and repeat the course.
6. An effective remedy is chamomile oil. It is necessary to prepare from 150 g of crushed flowers and 500 ml of olive oil. After 10 days of infusion, the composition is ready for use. Rubbing injured limbs or applying compresses at night is allowed. Perform the treatment until the condition subsides.

Such funds must be used with the permission of the physician. 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 prone to developing varicose veins should take preventative measures. It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing that do not obstruct venous outflow. You need to adhere to the principles of a healthy diet, take 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.