Thanks to the veins, the blood of the human body circulates towards the heart. Varicose veins of the lower limbs cause dilation and lengthening of the veins. This disease is very common today. Women aged thirty to forty suffer the most. 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 limbs develop gradually. It is facilitated by various factors unfavorable for the veins, which make themselves felt over time in the form of the formation of nodules and meshes.
Reasons why varicose veins develop on the legs:
- Overweight;
- The intestines cannot do their job, which is why constipation often occurs;
- Flat foot;
- High blood pressure;
- Passive lifestyle;
- Great physical activity;
- Prolonged tension in the legs.
Due to excess weight, the legs experience significant stress, which leads to stagnation of blood in the veins. In addition, in case of dysfunction of the intestines, the functioning of all organs and systems of the human body is disrupted. Because the blood travels a long way before returning to the heart from the lower limbs. And if the intestines work intermittently, venous blood will not be able to rise upwards, which will lead 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 associated with pregnancy, stress, antibiotics, alcoholic beverages and smoking.
Varicose veins of the lower limbs are inherited at the genetic level. Because they are passed down from parents, children can begin to suffer from varicose veins at a very young 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:
- Swelling of the legs at the end of the working day;
- A feeling of fullness and heaviness in the calves after prolonged sitting or standing in one place;
- 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 consult a phlebologist or vascular surgeon. If you start treatment on time, you can avoid the development of complications.
The specialist will carefully examine the patient and listen to complaints. He will also prescribe all the 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 duplex venous examination. Thanks to ultrasound, an experienced specialist will see the state of patency of the veins, as well as their degree of dilation. In addition, such a study will tell you if there are blood clots in the veins and in which direction the blood flows;
- Thanks to contrast venography, varicose veins of the lower extremities can be accurately diagnosed. Thanks to phlebography, the condition of the veins is assessed, the presence of blood clots and tumors is determined. During this study, a substance is injected into the area of the leg that colors the blood blue, allowing an impression of the patient's veins to be made on an x-ray.
Most often, the examination of veins is carried out by double-sided scanning.
When to see a doctor urgently
Since varicose veins are dangerous for the human body, it is important to urgently consult a doctor when the following situations arise:
- If severe, sharp pain in the legs occurs during any movement;
- If in the morning, when you want to get out of bed, you feel a sharp 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 lack of oxygen;
- If the leg affected by varicose veins begins to ooze blood.
The above symptoms force a person to immediately consult a doctor to avoid bad unwanted consequences.
Treat varicose veins correctly
Taking into account the advanced state of the disease, emerging complications related to varicose veins as well as the patient's age, 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, following a special diet and regularly engaging in a range of physical activities.
On the advice of a doctor, you can choose special knee socks or socks for your feet, with a certain compression. You can also wrap your legs with elastic compression bandages. These underwear should be worn all day and only removed before bed.
A special massage is also useful, performed with special cuffs filled with air. Thanks to pneumomassage, blood circulation improves, tissues breathe better, pain and discomfort linked to varicose veins disappear;
- The treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities is also carried out with the help of medications, which are themselves 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, digging into it and releasing hirudin, which thins the blood and prevents blood clots from forming;
- Sclerotherapy treatment, in which the affected veins are completely removed. The procedure goes like this. The doctor injects a special medicine into the vein, which sticks the veins together and prevents blood from flowing. As a result, damage to the veins occurs. The vein disappears completely within a year. This procedure does not interfere with blood circulation. To completely cure varicose veins with sclerotherapy, you need to undergo three to six such sessions;
- Varicose veins are also treated with laser. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. The first results will be visible within three weeks following such 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.
The method of treating varicose veins in your case should be determined individually by the doctor. There is no need to self-medicate for such a serious illness.
Expert Advice
Doctors advise the following to all their patients who come to them with varicose veins:
- Try to drink more than two liters of purified water every day. Water will help you lose weight and 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 detrimental effect on blood vessels and provokes 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. So it is better to relax in your own climatic zone.
The listed simple tips will help prevent varicose veins, and will also facilitate care if the disease has already affected your legs.
Varicose veins and traditional medicine
It is necessary to start the treatment of varicose veins with traditional recipes only after consulting a doctor and in parallel with a conservative method of treatment. Traditional medicine recipes that will help get rid of the disease:
- Mix one part minced white garlic with two parts cream butter. Apply the resulting product to damaged veins, wrap your leg with baking paper and a bandage or warm scarf. This compress is done at night. In the morning, wash and put on warm pants;
- For a year, before going to bed, attach 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 completely disappear;
- Mix the sour milk with the wormwood. Place the resulting mixture on a bandage and wrap it around your legs. The procedure is carried out overnight;
- To prevent your legs from hurting from varicose veins at night, you need to eat the following apple porridge. Pour three Antonovka apples with a liter of boiling water and leave to infuse for three hours. Then remove the apples and make a puree, which should be consumed twice a day, 30 grams;
- Pour boiling water over 30 grams of nettle and leave to infuse 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 let steep for 15 minutes. Drink the tincture half an hour before meals. For faster results, wet the dressings 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 stir. Leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Drink 60 minutes before the morning meal and two hours after. Nutmeg is poisonous, so you can drink no more than five grams 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 every day. Lubricate your feet daily with the product obtained;
- You need to peel five potatoes. Grate them and brush your feet with the puree obtained. After four hours, rinse the potatoes with lukewarm water;
- Pour 50 grams of horse chestnut with alcohol (500 milliliters). Leave to infuse for two weeks. After a while, filter and drink 15 grams three times a day with water. The duration of treatment is 7 days. Then a 14-day break. After completing just three such classes, 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 containing fiber daily. Thanks to fiber, excess and unnecessary substances for the body are removed from the body. Fibers resist toxins, waste, pus and even radionuclides. It is sometimes also called an intestinal cleanser. Therefore, it is useful to eat different cereals and peels of vegetables and fruits.
If you eat only pearl barley porridge for a few days, you can get rid of extra pounds, eliminate swelling and improve the condition of your skin and hair.
To lose weight and improve blood circulation in your legs, try consuming less animal fats. They can be replaced by vegetable oils, which improve blood circulation and are therefore considered useful against varicose veins of the legs. To prevent obesity, increased cholesterol and sludge in the body, exclude fast foods and fast food products from your 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, black currants, onions and garlic.
Now you know why varicose veins of the lower extremities develop, how to correctly diagnose them and what treatment is offered for this disease. Only by strictly following all the recommendations of an experienced doctor can you overcome this disease in a short time and continue to live and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.