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 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 outflow 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, since it is this part of the body that carries the greatest load. The 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 the 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, breastfeeding, menopause adversely affect the state 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, 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 adversely affects the state of the vascular system and ultimately leads to complications. The second type is not that dangerous for blood vessels, so it rarely causes varicose veins.
• A sedentary lifestyle, hard physical work invariably lead to a violation of the venous outflow.
• 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, causing blockage of blood vessels and circulatory disturbances.
• An unbalanced diet with an insufficient amount of vitamin C in the diet, which is responsible for the condition of the vessels, their strength.
• Congenital and chronic blood abnormalities characterized by excessive formation of clotting factors and the formation of blood clots.
• Wear tight-fitting clothing that obstructs venous return.
• Intermittent or chronic constipation. During exertion, intra-abdominal pressure increases, cutting off blood flow.
• Chronic pathologies of the heart, which adversely affect the entire vascular system.
• The use of drugs that increase blood clotting.

Another factor that causes the symptoms of lower extremity varicose veins in women is the frequent use of high-heeled shoes. It has been proved 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. In the initial stagepathologies in the area of the legs and feet, varicose veins of dark blue or purple color appear. They do not disturb the patient and do not stand out on the skin surface.
2. At the second stageseveral enlarged veins appear, which are hard and painful to touch. Nodules make themselves felt in the affected veins.
3. Third stagecharacterized by the appearance of a large number of deformed veins protruding above the level of the epidermis.
4. At the fourth stageinstead of the affected veins appear redness of the epidermis or blue spots that begin to itch. The itching is so unbearable that the patient cannot control himself. In the places where it scratches, a weeping and painful surface appears.
5. At the fifth or sixth stagethe spots merge, forming ulcers. In the absence of treatment, the process of tissue necrosis begins, which reaches 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 by the end of the working day, even with minimal effort.
• Swelling after physical exertion, which disappears after resting in a horizontal position.
• Convulsive contraction of muscles at night.
• Excessive dryness of the epidermis in the shins, itching and burning.
• Increased fatigue.

In addition, the patient begins to be bothered by constant, arching pains in the limbs. As a result, he avoids physical activity, spends a lot of time in a sitting position. In the advanced stages, when trophic ulcers turn into a 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 serious consequences of varicose veins. Complications develop in 30% of patients. Common complications are venous bleeding, thrombophlebitis, dermatitis, eczema, which develop due to a reduced blood supply to the tissues.

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

The first phase of the examination will be a test: the patient is placed on the couch, raises the leg perpendicular to the body and holds it for 30 seconds to ensure the outflow of blood from the veins of the lower limbs. Subsequently, 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, then the presence of the initial stage of varicose veins is suspected.

During phlebography, a special contrast agent is injected intravenously into the patient and the patency of the deep veins is evaluated on an x-ray. To determine the patency in a particular vessel, dopplerography is performed.

The most informative method is ultrasound angiography, which not only allows you to assess the patency in 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, 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 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 the elasticity of the 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 disease process. The use of such funds is allowed in the absence of trophic ulcers.
3. An obligatory step in the treatment will be the intake of anticoagulants, for example, acetylsalicylic acid, which will help prevent further blood clots.
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 which seals them, preventing further progression of the disease. Most often, manipulation is performed to eliminate a cosmetic defect, as the affected limb does not look attractive.

Methods of surgical intervention

Advanced cases of the disease are scarcely amenable to 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 therapeutic methods and consists in the elimination of nodes. During the manipulation, a special sclerosing agent is injected into the lumen of the vein, which contributes to its gradual death. Before introduction, the vessel is removed from general circulation by tying and cutting.

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

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.

Recipes 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 of chopped green tomatoes will help relieve pain and swelling, normalize blood circulation, which is applied to the affected area and left overnight, fixed 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 lycopene content, which eliminates congestion. It is allowed to use ripe fruits in the form of a paste.
2. To enhance the effect of drugs, it is recommended to consume freshly squeezed vegetable juices from carrots and beets daily. Especially valuable is the juice of celery leaves, which has an extremely positive effect on blood vessels.
3. An effective remedy for relieving pain is grated potatoes, which must be applied to the legs, left for 4 hours, washed off. Repeat the procedure every day until the patient's condition has improved.
4. Protruding veins can be treated with a special compress of 1 part of minced garlic and 2 parts of butter. The compress is applied at night 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 to infuse for 2 weeks. Use to scrub every night for 21 days. Take a 10-day break and repeat the course.
6. An effective remedy is chamomile oil. It is necessary to prepare it 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. Carry out the treatment until the condition is relieved.

Such 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 tend to develop varicose veins need to take preventive measures. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing that does not obstruct the venous outflow. You should adhere to the principles of a healthy diet, 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.