Thanks to the veins, blood in the human body flows to the heart. Varicose veins of the lower extremities cause dilation and elongation of the veins. This disease is very widespread nowadays. Those who suffer from it are especially women between thirty and forty years of age. Let's take a closer look at why varicose veins develop on the legs, how they are diagnosed and treated.
Why does the disease develop?
Varicose veins of the lower extremities develop gradually. This is facilitated by several factors unfavorable for the veins, which over time manifest themselves in the form of the formation of nodules and meshes.
Reasons why varicose veins develop on the legs:
- Overweight;
- The intestines cannot cope with their work, which is why constipation often occurs;
- Flat feet;
- Hypertension;
- Passive lifestyle;
- Great physical activity;
- Prolonged tension in the legs.
Due to excess weight, the legs experience severe stress, which leads to stagnation of blood in the veins. In addition, if the intestine functions poorly, the functioning of all organs and systems of the human body is disrupted. Since the blood travels a long way before returning to the heart from the lower limbs. And if the intestine works intermittently, the venous blood will not be able to return upwards, which leads to its stagnation in the legs.
In addition to the factors described above, the development of the disease is also facilitated by diseases of the pelvic organs and hormonal imbalances due to pregnancy, stress, antibiotics, alcoholic beverages and smoking.
Varicose veins of the lower extremities are inherited at a genetic level. Because it is passed down from parents, children can start suffering from varicose veins from an early age. Therefore, it is important to carry out disease prevention, which will help prevent the disease and prevent the development of serious complications.
Symptoms and diagnosis of the disease
The main symptoms of varicose veins of the legs are as follows:
- Swelling of the legs at the end of the working day;
- A feeling of fullness and heaviness in the calf area after sitting or standing in the same place for a long time;
- Tingling in the legs;
- The appearance of cyanosis of the legs;
- Formation of nets and stars on the legs.
If these symptoms appear, it is important to urgently visit a phlebologist or vascular surgeon. If you start treatment in a timely manner, you can prevent the development of complications.
The specialist will carefully examine the patient and listen to complaints. He will also prescribe all tests and undergo the necessary examination. To accurately diagnose and prescribe correct and effective treatment, the doctor prescribes the following studies:
- Ultrasound examination of the veins, called a duplex vein scan. Thanks to ultrasound, an experienced specialist will see the state of patency of the veins and how much they have dilated. Also, such a study will tell you whether there are blood clots in the veins and in which direction the blood flows;
- Using contrast venography, varicose veins of the lower extremities can be accurately diagnosed. Thanks to venography, the condition of the veins is assessed, the presence of blood clots and tumors is determined. During this study, a substance that colors the blood blue is injected into the leg area, which makes it possible to make an impression of the patient's veins on an X-ray.
Most often, the examination of veins is performed using duplex scanning.
When to urgently consult a doctor
Since varicose veins are dangerous for the human body, it is important to urgently consult a doctor when the following situations occur:
- If you experience severe, sharp pain in your legs with any movement;
- If in the morning, when you want to get out of bed, you feel a strong pain in your leg. In this case the leg looks swollen and dense and the skin burns;
- If, in addition to pain, there is weakness throughout the body, shortness of breath and a constant feeling of oxygen starvation;
- If the leg affected by varicose veins begins to ooze blood.
The above symptoms force a person to immediately consult a doctor to prevent unwanted negative consequences.
Treat varicose veins correctly
Taking into account the advanced state of the disease, emerging complications associated with varicose veins and the age of the patient, the doctor prescribes conservative or surgical treatment.
Varicose veins are treated using the following methods:
- Treatment of the disease without surgery. This treatment method is effective only at the first symptoms of varicose veins. Conservative treatment methods include wearing special compression garments, adhering to a special diet and regularly performing a variety of physical activities.
On the advice of your doctor, you can choose knee-highs or special socks for your feet, with a certain compression. You can also wrap your legs with elastic compression bandages. Such underwear should be worn during the day and removed only before going to bed.
Also useful is a special massage, which is carried out with special cuffs filled with air. Thanks to pneumomassage, blood circulation improves, tissues breathe better, pain and discomfort related to varicose veins disappear;
- Treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities also occurs with the help of drugs, which in turn are divided into venotonics, anticoagulants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Anticoagulants prevent blood clots from forming in the veins.
Thanks to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, inflammation and pain are eliminated.
- Varicose veins are also treated with leeches. Leeches bite the skin, penetrate it and release hirudin, which thins the blood and prevents clots from forming;
- Treatment with sclerotherapy, in which the affected veins are completely removed. The procedure is this. The doctor injects a special medicine into the vein that glues the veins together and prevents blood from flowing. For this reason, degradation of the veins occurs. The vein resolves completely within a year. This procedure does not interfere with blood circulation. To completely cure varicose veins using sclerotherapy, it is necessary to undergo three to six sessions of this type;
- Varicose veins are also treated with laser. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. The first results will be visible within three weeks of this treatment;
- If the conservative methods described above do not give results, the doctor resorts to surgical treatment. On the second day after the operation the patient can already walk independently.
Which method of treating varicose veins in your case should be determined by the doctor individually. There is no need to self-medicate such a serious disease.
Expert advice
Doctors advise all patients who come to them with varicose veins the following:
- Try drinking more than two liters of purified water every day. Water will help you lose excess weight and also prevent the development of varicose veins;
- It is important to do a fasting day once a week. On this day you must fast. A one-day fast will help cleanse the body of waste and toxins;
- Try to quit smoking. After all, nicotine has a negative effect on blood vessels and causes the development of varicose veins;
- Try not to overheat and strengthen your immune system so you don't get sick. Don't sit in a hot bath or sauna for too long;
- It is not recommended to suddenly change the climate. Therefore, it is better to relax in your own climate zone.
The listed simple tips will help prevent varicose veins, and will also make it easier to bear the disease if it has already affected the legs.
Varicose veins and traditional medicine
It is necessary to start treatment of varicose veins with folk recipes only after consulting a doctor and in parallel with a conservative treatment method. Recipes of traditional medicine that will help get rid of the disease:
- Mix one part minced white garlic with two parts creamy butter. Apply the resulting product to the damaged veins, wrap the leg with parchment paper and a bandage or warm scarf. This compress is performed at night. In the morning, wash and wear warm trousers;
- For a year, before going to bed, tie slices of green tomato to the affected veins. Thanks to the vegetable, varicose veins will become soft and decrease in size. And after a while they will disappear altogether;
- Mix sour milk with wormwood. Put the resulting mixture on a bandage and wrap it around your legs. The procedure is performed overnight;
- To prevent your legs from hurting due to varicose veins at night, you need to eat the following apple porridge. Pour three Antonovka apples with a liter of boiling water and let it brew for three hours. Then remove the apples and make a puree, to be consumed twice a day, 30 grams;
- Pour boiling water over 30 grams of nettle and let it brew for an hour. Then filter and drink a quarter of a glass three times a day. Drink for 1 month, then take a break for two weeks and repeat the course. Nettle treatment should be carried out for six months;
- Pour boiling water over the hop cones and leave to infuse for 15 minutes. Drink the tincture half an hour before meals. For faster results, soak the bandages in the intoxicating infusion and apply them to the affected veins;
- Pour boiling water over 5 grams of chopped nutmeg. Add 5 grams of honey and mix. Let it brew for 30 minutes. Drink 60 minutes before the morning meal and two hours after. Nutmeg is poisonous, so you can't drink more than five grams of it per day. Failure to heed this warning could result in death;
- Place Kalanchoe leaves in a liter jar. Half leaves and half alcohol. Infuse for two weeks in the dark. Shake the jar daily. Lubricate your feet daily with the resulting product;
- You have to peel five potatoes. Grate them and brush your feet with the puree obtained. After four hours, rinse the potatoes with warm water;
- Pour 50 grams of horse chestnut with alcohol (500 milliliters). Let it ferment for two weeks. After a while, filter and drink 15 grams three times a day with water. The course of treatment is 7 days. Then a 14 day break. After completing just three of these courses, your legs will improve.
It is important to remember that the described methods of treatment of traditional medicine can be used only after consulting a doctor, so as not to aggravate the situation and not harm your health.
Dietary rules for varicose veins
Try to eat foods that contain fiber every day. Thanks to fibers, excess and unnecessary substances for the body are removed from the body. Fiber tackles toxins, waste, pus and even radionuclides. It is also sometimes called an intestinal cleanser. Therefore, it is useful to eat different grains and fruit and vegetable peels.
If you eat only pearl barley porridge for a couple of days, you can get rid of extra pounds, remove swelling and improve the condition of your skin and hair.
To lose excess weight and improve blood circulation in your legs, try consuming less animal fats. They can be replaced with vegetable oils, which improve blood circulation and are therefore considered useful for varicose veins in the legs. To prevent obesity, increased cholesterol and sludge in the body, exclude fast food and fast food products from the diet.
It is very useful to eat foods enriched with vitamin C, which strengthens the walls of the veins and improves immunity. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, sea buckthorn, rose hips, blackcurrants, onions and garlic.
Now you know why varicose veins of the lower extremities develop, how it can be correctly diagnosed and what treatment is provided for this disease. Only by strictly following all the recommendations of an experienced doctor can you overcome this disease in a short period of time and continue to live and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.