The walls of blood vessels contain muscle fibers that help move blood. There are few muscle elements in the veins. To prevent blood from flowing through the veins in the opposite direction, they are equipped with valves. When the valves are insufficient, blood becomes harder to flow and pools in the veins, causing pain. This phenomenon is called varicose veins. At risk are those people who spend most of their time on their feet or, on the contrary, sit too much. Pregnancy and obesity also contribute to the disease.
Varicose veins in the legs are very difficult to miss; they are determined by factors such as:
If even one of these signs is present, then it’s time to act. With varicose veins you cannot:
Most often, the cause of the disease is heredity. In this case, in order to prevent varicose veins in the legs, it is necessary to carry out prophylaxis. It is advisable to combat constipation and excess weight. In addition to these prohibitions, it is also necessary to perform some gymnastic exercises. You can learn a full range of exercises during the First Wellness Course at our Center.
When varicose veins are not complicated by thrombophlebitis or the deep veins are not affected, simple regular exercises are recommended. It is reasonable to combine them with forced emptying of the veins at night. To do this, the legs are raised from heel to hip on a rolled blanket at an angle of forty-five degrees.
In the pelvis, the veins suffer due to pregnancy and childbirth, constipation, and heavy lifting. All this causes not only dilation of the veins and increased venous pattern, but also pain, burning and discomfort in the area of the uterus, perineum, external genitalia, and rectum.
This variant of varicose veins requires strengthening the muscular frame of the perineum, as well as forced emptying of the veins of the pelvis and perineum. For this, exercises familiar from childhood are used, performed lying on your back with your legs raised.
Gymnastics for varicose veins in this area can be supplemented with a cool shower of the perineum, which allows the veins to contract better and get rid of blood.
Another option for varicose veins in the pelvic veins can be considered hemorrhoids. In the venous sinuses of the rectum there are no valves at all, so it is necessary to strengthen the intestinal muscles and control the venous outflow. Breathing exercises involving the abdominal muscles will help here.
The following exercises are also useful:
Contraindications to gymnastics will be:
Gymnastics and exercises in our Center are carried out by certified specialists with many years of experience. Our trainings and courses have helped thousands of people restore their health, regain strength and good spirits.
Contrary to popular belief, not only obese people, whose legs bear a considerable load, suffer from varicose veins. All categories of the population are susceptible to this disease - both with an overly active lifestyle and with insufficient mobility.
Not all drugs used in the treatment of varicose veins completely eliminate the disease, so in order to prevent the occurrence of varicose veins, it is necessary to perform certain exercises.
Information about the causes and treatment of varicose veins, as well as the prevention of the disease, is presented on this page.
Varicose veins are a disease of peripheral veins, manifested by a loss of their elasticity, significant stretching and deformation. Most often, such vein damage occurs in the legs.
This disease is extremely widespread, because more than half of the adult population, mostly women, are susceptible to it.
The predisposing cause of varicose veins is congenital weakness of the venous walls and insufficiency of the venous valves. The following factors realize this predisposition:
1. Occupational hazards (work involving prolonged standing or prolonged sitting, sports with heavy, excessive loads on the legs, etc.).
3. Wearing tight clothes.
5. Lack of vitamin P (routine) in the diet.
The main symptoms of varicose veins are the following:
1. Increased fatigue, increasing weakness
2. Unpleasant sensations in the ankle joints.
3. Enlarged veins.
4. Swelling of the legs.
5. Darkening of the skin of the lower leg that begins at later stages of the disease. The skin here becomes dense, “parchment-like”.
6. Even the slightest injuries can lead to the formation of long-term non-healing trophic ulcers when the disease is already severe.
To prevent the occurrence of varicose veins, you should follow the following recommendations:
1. Pouring with cold water.
2. Contrast shower.
6. Health running.
7. In winter - leisurely skiing.
8. Avoiding excessive stress.
9. Wearing loose, non-pressure shoes.
10. For flat feet, use arch supports to correct it.
11. For pregnant women - wearing special tights.
12. Balanced nutrition.
13. If varicose veins are already beginning to dilate, bandage the legs with elastic bandages.
14. Refusal to take long-term hot baths.
When considering nutrition as the prevention and treatment of varicose veins, you should adhere to the following rules:
1. Limit the use of table salt, since its excessive amount in food interferes with the removal of fluid and increases swelling.
2. Provide enough high-fiber foods in your daily diet - fruits, vegetables, whole grains. Such food prevents the occurrence of constipation, which most often contributes to the appearance and development of varicose veins.
3. Occasionally but regularly take multivitamins (especially those that include vitamin P (rutin), which is necessary to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, as well as vitamins C and E).
4. Eliminate fried foods from your diet, as well as foods that contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and salt deposition (fatty meat broths, legumes, jellies, pickles, marinades, etc.).
If among your ancestors or close relatives there were or are people suffering from varicose veins, then you should take care in advance not to continue this family “varicose line”.
When preventing varicose veins, clothing should be loose - do not wear tight, tight tights or leggings. It’s a good idea to get special stockings and tights made of compression knitwear.
It is imperative to wear such knitwear during long periods of walking, standing, physical exercise, etc.
For this disease, general practitioners and phlebologists most often recommend taking Agapurin 600 retard orally after meals with a small amount of water, 1 tablet 2 times a day. Another medicine for varicose veins is aescusan (12-15 drops 3 times a day before meals).
Also, in the treatment of varicose veins, Traumeel C is indicated in tablets, 1 tablet under the tongue 3 times a day or applied as an ointment 2 - 5 times a day to the affected areas.
Venoruton can also be prescribed 1 tablet with meals 2 times a day or in the form of a gel applied to the skin and rubbed in 2-3 times a day, or troxevasin also in the form of a gel.
In addition, when treating varicose veins, the drug anavenol is prescribed, 20 drops 4 times a day after meals.
The newest medications for varicose veins include: detralex, pentoxifylline and tribenozide.
If medications for varicose veins do not help, in advanced cases they often resort to phlebotomy - surgically cutting out the affected vein. True, these days they have begun to resort to a more modern method - endoscopic (without skin incisions).
In order to prevent the occurrence or progression of the disease, perform the following preventive exercises against varicose veins:
1. Stand on a step or threshold and transfer your body weight to the front of the step. The back should be straight, the legs should not be too tense. To maintain balance, you can hold on to the wall with your hand. Breathe evenly. Now swing back strongly, trying to maintain balance using your legs. Next, slowly counting to 10, return to the starting position. Rest a little and then repeat this exercise 2 more times.
2. Sit on a chair, spread your legs as wide as possible. Remember how the centipede moves, funnyly moving its many legs, and try to portray something similar yourself. Start the movement with your toes, pressing them towards the sole and then releasing them. In this case, the entire foot should work, simulating the movement of a wave. Don't lift your feet off the floor. This exercise for varicose veins should be completed when you feel that your legs are tired.
3. Try to pick up a coin from the floor with your toes - start with the largest coins, then, as you improve, move on to new ten-ruble coins, later - to five-kopeck coins and then to kopecks.
If you have varicose veins in the initial stage, exercises can be as follows:
1. Tighten and relax your thigh muscles by moving your kneecap (10 times).
2. Stick your stomach out, then inhale, draw it in, and then exhale (3-4 times at a slow pace).
3. Raise your arms up through your sides, then, after inhaling, lower them down, while exhaling (3-4 times, also at a slow pace).
4. Curl and straighten your toes (do this 10 times at a slow pace).
5. In addition, you can do the following exercise: rise on your toes so that your heels lift off the floor by 1-2 cm, then sharply lower your heels. After performing this exercise 30 times, rest for 10-15 seconds, and then, if you do not feel tired or weak in your legs, repeat it again. It is advisable to perform this simple exercise calmly, slowly, 3-5 times a day, making no more than 60 hits of your heels on the floor each time.
Gymnastics for advanced varicose veins includes the following set of exercises:
1. Lying on your back, raise your legs and rotate them, as if riding a bicycle, for 3 minutes several times a day. This exercise is especially recommended to be performed after physical activity on the legs (health running, long walking, etc.).
2. In a lying position, lift your right leg up, relax it as much as possible and shake your foot sharply. Lower your leg. Then do the same with the other leg. Repeat this exercise several times a day (the more, the better).
3. Several times a day, if your legs are tired, do a stand on your shoulder blades (this exercise can only be done if there are no contraindications from the spine).
Varicose veins are an unpleasant phenomenon. It not only reduces the aesthetic appeal of the legs, but also causes significant discomfort and pain. Sports and gymnastics for varicose veins can alleviate or relieve pain and restore an attractive appearance to the legs. However, you need to select exercises wisely. Not all types of physical exercise are suitable in this case.
Varicose veins are equally likely to occur during sedentary or standing work. The ideal combination in this sense is alternating periods of walking and sitting, but not everyone gets this kind of work. To prevent pain and swelling from being so intense, perform simple physical therapy exercises right at work.
Physical therapy has a positive effect not only on the course of varicose veins, but also on a person’s overall well-being
The walls of blood vessels are strengthened. Blood will circulate faster. Exercises are good for both prevention and prevention of relapses of varicose veins.
Yoga is an excellent way to lose weight, which is good, because excess weight worsens the condition of varicose veins. A set of exercises helps improve blood circulation in the legs. The best asana poses for this are as follows:
It is best to practice yoga in special groups under the supervision of an experienced instructor.
Finish the leg stretching complex against the wall. Simply lie on your back next to a wall, raise your legs at a right angle and lean them against the wall. The buttocks are pressed tightly against the wall. For a minute, pull your socks toward and away from you alternately.
When performing exercises on simulators, you need to be especially careful when using the stair climbing simulator. A stepper can either improve the condition or worsen it. For varicose veins, all sports are recommended - exercises where there is a load on the lower leg. And a stepper might seem like a good option. However, many users noted increased pain.
This is an ideal sport for those who suffer from varicose veins. Water aerobics and swimming are equally beneficial. During such exercises there is no heavy load on the legs. When swimming, keeping the body in a horizontal position has a beneficial effect on the lower limbs. The blood drains from the legs, reducing the load on the veins. They relax, blood circulates normally.
There are also no high loads during water aerobics classes. Venous blood drains from the vessels. The skin is micromassaged with water, which is also beneficial for the veins. This sport is also good for strengthening your posture. The firmness and elasticity of the skin increases.
Swimming has a good effect on the condition of the lower extremities
Pilates is a good gymnastics for varicose veins, since there are no shock loads on the body. Due to the gradual soft work of the muscles, blood circulation improves, the flexibility of blood vessels and ligaments, the elasticity of the veins increases, and their walls are strengthened.
Another advantage of this method, as in yoga, is the slow execution of exercises. This allows you to monitor your condition. Give preference to exercises in a lying position and reverse poses (i.e. those in which the legs are raised).
A bicycle with varicose veins is not the best option. Such exercises should be performed with caution, as under high loads they can cause harm. Perform all exercises wearing compression stockings. Do not exercise to the point of extreme fatigue.
When choosing between a bicycle and an exercise bike, give preference to the second. You will avoid harmful loads (for example, when driving uphill). In addition, by choosing a recumbent exercise bike, you will exercise while lying down, which will further reduce the load on your veins.
Running is good for varicose veins. But you need to adhere to several rules. Running should be easy. Don't get too tired and don't run too fast or too much. Perform exercises in compression garments.
After finishing your workout, rest sufficiently for you. Lie down with your legs up. However, if you have thrombophlebitis, running is prohibited at all.
All of these types of exercises are not only safe (if performed correctly), but also useful for varicose veins. They help relieve pain and improve the appearance of your legs. In addition, they have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the body.
Today we will talk about varicose veins of the legs, varicose veins of the lower extremities - a very common vascular pathology, causes, symptoms of the disease, prevention of the disease.
Varicose veins (see photo of manifestations of varicose veins on the legs) are the scourge of our time; if earlier this progressive disease of impaired blood flow and weakening of the valves affected people of very advanced age, now the first signs of this disease of peripheral vessels appear in twenty-year-olds.
Spider veins (telangiectasias) appear, then the superficial veins become less elastic, twist, become noticeable, protruding above the skin of the lower leg and thigh. Blood flows more slowly, rises poorly, venous stagnation forms, swelling occurs after a night's rest, and there is a danger of blood clots.
And during pregnancy and childbirth, when the level of female hormones that weaken the vascular wall rapidly increases, this pathology of the veins of the lower extremities is diagnosed in every third woman.
However, not only the limbs, even by the age of 30-35, varicose veins of the pelvic organs (beginning to develop as a result of fluctuations in intravascular pressure during contractions), hemorrhoids, and varicoceles (dilation of the spermatic cord veins in men) appear en masse. There are varicose veins of the esophagus, stomach...
The ICD 10 (International Classification of Diseases) code for this disease is 183
Nodules, swollen veins in the legs, a blue network of small vessels, spider veins, swelling in the evenings, nagging, aching pain along the veins, burning, sometimes itching, heaviness in the legs that appears by the end of the day, the occurrence of night cramps, paresthesia - goosebumps and numbness...
The whole complex of unpleasant symptoms in the legs with varicose veins of the lower extremities, disturbing at night, is described in an article on the website alter-zdrav.ru - Restless legs syndrome - causes and treatment, symptoms of RLS.
And in the end, thrombophlebitis in general (sharp pain along the vein, redness, local increase in temperature, swelling, sometimes you can palpate painful areas with a blood clot blocking the lumen of the vessel, in severe cases chills, transition of the inflammatory process from superficial to deep veins), trophic ulcers... on background of chronic venous insufficiency.
Probably no one will like this picture. And then there still looms the detachment of a blood clot and subsequent stroke or heart attack, tissue necrosis... But this is already quite sad.
Since in order to reduce the load on the veins it is unacceptable for us to return evolutionarily to walking on all fours, we will have to look for methods to UNLOAD our legs using natural methods...
1. Genetics (heredity).
2. Changes in hormonal levels (pregnancy, hormonal contraceptives).
3. Heavy physical activity, especially static, purely standing or sedentary work.
5. Chronic cough.
7. Leg injuries, which also damage the valves in the vessels.
Women successfully provoke the onset of varicose veins by prolonged standing and walking in high heels and sitting at a table in a cross-legged position.
Wearing thongs and tight synthetic underwear has an unfavorable effect.
A phlebologist deals with veins. If surgical intervention is already required - a vascular surgeon.
In addition to an external examination of the lower extremities and collecting anamnesis (complaints), to make a diagnosis, Doppler ultrasound is performed (the quality, speed of blood flow, the presence of obstacles in the form of clots, blood clots), transillumination (transillumination of veins, even with changes not yet visible to the eye), are performed.
Modern medicine does not offer an effective way to treat this disease; radical removal of superficial veins does not count. There are also radiofrequency ablation, laser therapy, and sclerotherapy, but they are not suitable for everyone, there are contraindications, and they are indicated mainly in the early stages of this disease.
But what can we do for varicose veins at home on our own to counteract this unpleasant vascular pathology?
Prevention of varicose veins primarily involves exercise, and this is not surprising, since the vessels simply need to be trained.
The most advantageous functional position of the legs for varicose veins is elevated, elevated . But it’s impossible to spend all the time with your legs in the air, and stagnation in the venous network must somehow be avoided, because it is this that leads to heaviness in the legs, cramps and swelling.
And it turns out that it is more useful for a person to walk and even run than to sit for hours in the office or in front of a computer; at rest, there is practically no movement of blood, the fluid manages to sweat into the tissue, and the swelling increases.
That’s why we don’t go crazy at work, we often take breaks during work, get up, stretch, walk around the table, walk to the toilet if possible, climb a couple of flights of stairs, and do a few exercises.
Such a warm-up and distraction from sedentary work is also useful for diseases of the eyes and spine (the neck and lower back are the most affected in this).
1. Sit on a chair so that your feet do not touch the floor. We rotate our legs at the ankles, bend and straighten them to a strong tension, then do the same with our toes, each exercise 15-20 times. Also, for varicose veins on the legs, foot massage will be useful.
2. Walk vigorously in place for a minute.
3. Stand close to the wall, palms at shoulder level, emphasis on the wall. We rise on our toes and fall on our heels, 10-15 such rolls.
4. Slowly rise onto your toes, feet shoulder-width apart, arms up.
5. “Bicycle” with your feet from a supine position.
6. “Scissors” (we cross vigorously straightened legs like scissors)
7. Slow swings of the legs from a position on the side, alternately with the right and then with the left.
8. Pull your knees all the way to your chest. Repeat 20 times.
Sports activities for diseases of the veins of the lower extremities are extremely useful - swimming (in water, the pressure on the veins is reduced by 2 times!), skiing, cycling, race walking, not recommended - football, basketball, volleyball (the valve apparatus is injured).
How to prevent varicose veins on the legs?
The latter has its drawbacks: firstly, it is quite expensive, and secondly, after prolonged wear, the vessels become completely soft and stop working independently.
So I would recommend it not for constant wear, but during heavy loads, standing work, long hikes, and during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, unfavorable conditions are created for the body, which can lead to the appearance and development of varicose veins. This is facilitated by hormonal changes, which lead to a weakening of the venous wall, as well as an increased volume of blood in the veins. As a result, the load on the veins increases significantly, and the valves in the veins cease to cope with their work. The veins dilate, swelling and pain appear, and there is a feeling of heaviness in the legs.
Therefore, women who have signs of varicose veins or are predisposed to this disease should follow some recommendations to prevent the development of the disease.
1. Starting from the 3rd month of pregnancy, it is recommended to wear medical compression tights or stockings for pregnant women. To choose the right size and model of compression hosiery, consult a phlebologist.
2. You can’t stand in one place for a long time or walk a lot.
3. During rest, the legs should be elevated - this improves the outflow of venous blood.
4. Massage your feet daily for 7-10 minutes and perform special exercises.
5. Use special creams, gels and ointments containing venotonics and heparin. These substances increase the tone of the venous wall, improve blood circulation, relieve swelling and pain in the legs. Before choosing an ointment, be sure to consult your doctor.
It is not recommended to take tableted drugs during pregnancy that increase the tone of the venous wall, since their effect on the fetus has been poorly studied.
If varicose veins have already developed, special exercises should be performed. They increase the pumping function of the muscles and facilitate the movement of blood.
Be sure to consult your doctor before starting exercise.
Exercise 1. Sit on the floor. stretch your legs forward. Place your hands on the floor. Bend your left knee and place your left foot next to your right knee. The right foot should be bent and the toes pointing upward. Without bending your knee, lift your right leg. Then slowly lower it. Repeat the exercise 10-15 times with one leg, then the other.
Exercise 2. Stand straight, legs at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other, feet slightly turned outward. Straighten your arms at the elbows and extend them forward. When performing the exercise, focus on your fingertips. Keep your back and head straight, slowly bend your knees. Lean your body forward and hold this position for a second. Don't squat below knee level. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 10-15 times.
Exercise 3. Lie on your right side and rest your right elbow on the floor, keeping your legs straight. Place your left foot on the floor in front of your right knee and grab your shin with your left hand. Bend your right foot and lift your right leg up. Slowly lower your leg, then raise it again. Repeat the exercise 10-15 times. After this, lie on the other side and change legs.
Exercise 4. Lie on your right side, rest your right elbow on the floor. Both palms should be on the floor. Bend your right leg and extend your left leg straight out at a 90° angle to your body. Pulling your foot towards you, lift your left leg up. Then slowly lower it. Repeat the exercise 10-15 times. Then lie on the other side and switch legs.
Exercise 5. Stand up straight with your feet wide apart. Use your hand to hold onto the chair to avoid losing your balance. Bend your knees and squat down a little. The back should remain straight. In this position, lift your heels off the floor and rise as high as possible on your toes. Hold for 3-5 seconds, then lower your heels. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times.
Exercise 6. Sit on a chair, grab the seat with your hands. Raise your legs slightly and perform a scissoring motion. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times.
Exercise 7. Sit on a chair, lower your hands down and press them to your hips. Raise your right leg, stay in this position for 2-3 seconds and lower it down. Repeat the movement with your left leg. Repeat the exercise 4-10 times.
Exercise 8. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Lift up on your toes 3-4 cm, then slowly lower your heels to the floor. Repeat the exercise 10-20 times. This increases blood circulation in the veins of the lower leg, and is especially useful for those who have to stand in one place a lot.
Exercise 9. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Rise up on your toes so that your heels lift just 1 cm off the floor. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then lower your heels to the floor. Repeat the exercise 20 times. It is recommended to perform the exercise 3-5 times during the day.
Diseases of the blood vessels, circulatory system and hemostasis are complex and dangerous. Dealing with them is also not easy; for example, treating varicose veins requires a lot of effort and patience. And life today is such that it only encourages varicose veins of the lower extremities. Even standing behind the counter, sitting at the computer, even uncomfortable shoes, in which you also have to hurry - everything impedes the outflow, causes congestion in the veins of the legs, and if the parents were haunted by such an illness, then the danger is doubly dangerous.
Young girls think that this will not happen to them, their legs will always be slender and light, so, following fashion, they choose high heels and run around in them for days. The main thing is beauty, and you can tolerate inconveniences, because beauty, as you know, wants victims. And the casualties can be very large...
When the structural structure of the vascular wall is disrupted and vascular tone decreases, the deep veins of the lower extremities dilate unevenly. This process is greatly facilitated by excess stress on the legs. The blood that entered the arterial bed of the systemic circulation from the left ventricle, enriched the lower extremities with oxygen and nutrients and took away carbon dioxide and metabolic products from them, should rise up the veins through the right ventricle into the lung to give away what is unnecessary and take the next portion of the necessary lower limbs of substances.
The veins of the lower extremities are equipped with valves so that the rising blood does not return, because it overcomes the gravity of the Earth, rising upward. In dilated veins, the valves cannot close tightly, and therefore all the blood does not leave, but begins to sink down and stagnate. Then a new portion comes to her and blood circulation is disrupted.
Due to stagnation of blood in the venous vessels, blood clots (clots) slowly begin to form, which are called red clots , since they consist mainly of red blood cells. The thrombus forms a head and a tail, the head is attached to the wall of the vessel, and the free tail is left for platelets to stick to. The resulting blood clots are permanently attached to the walls of the dilated veins and become a time bomb, because a clot that breaks off and enters the bloodstream is very dangerous, as it can clog a vital artery. Blood clots usually come off at the tail end and go on a short journey. Having successfully passed through the right atrium, the thrombus can get stuck immediately in the pulmonary trunk, if it is large, or advance into the pulmonary artery, which it can no longer safely overcome. Many have heard about sudden death brought about by a blood clot in the arterial vessels of the lungs; doctors call this phenomenon PE ( pulmonary embolism ).
To say that varicose veins of the lower extremities is a ubiquitous phenomenon is to say nothing. But there are people who live to a ripe old age and have no idea about varicose veins. Why? Maybe initially they knew some secret or spent their lives on the couch with their feet up?
In order for the structural structure of the wall of a venous vessel to be disrupted, it doesn’t take much, just some congenital characteristics of an individual or conditions created during life can cause the onset of a pathological process:
Apart from such terrible events described, varicose veins of the lower extremities are simply unattractive. At the beginning of the disease, when 2-3 veins have expanded, a person often does not pay attention to this, but the disease progresses, and problems begin. The nodes have come out, the skin on the inner surface of the leg shines and changes color, and these places begin to itch very much. The skin is injured and ulcerated. What if you also have diabetes? Enlarged veins in the legs are not an independent disease of the legs; the whole body is involved here, because it is the circulatory system.
Thus, the manifestations of varicose veins of the lower extremities can be presented as follows:
As the disease progresses, the symptoms of varicose veins become brighter and lead to other events:
It should be noted that thrombophlebitis is very dangerous and requires immediate medical attention!
Of course, varicose veins are most common in the veins of the lower extremities, but dilation of the pelvic veins is also a common phenomenon and one can imagine what the organs there can reach, because the eye cannot see what is happening in the veins of the internal organs. The female body “succeeds” especially in this regard; women even have a separate group of “their own” varicose veins.
The physiological characteristics of representatives of the fair half of humanity predispose them to this disease more, since nature has endowed them with the function of childbirth and provided them with special organs where blood circulation is very intense, requiring a large number of veins and arteries. When a woman prepares to become a mother, her body must restructure itself and ensure normal pregnancy. Of course, the load on the body is colossal and stagnation occurs both in the pelvis and in the lower extremities.
Varicose veins during pregnancy will become the starting point for the development of the disease in the future, where the expansion of the veins of the small pelvis, as well as the legs, may take a “worthy” place and over time will begin to pose a threat not only to health, but also to human life.
The trouble is that you can’t just see the dilation of the pelvic veins; this requires special equipment, because the venous vessels of the pelvis are not as accessible as on the legs. However, they also form nodes, similar to the veins of the legs, they can contain blood clots that can break off and “set free to float”, unfortunately, not for long... Varicose veins of the small pelvis can cause internal bleeding. Surgeries on the pelvic organs, especially in gynecology, require the mandatory use of compression stockings (elastic stockings and tights) to prevent life-threatening complications associated with blood clot rupture.
Read more about varicose veins of the pelvis and uterus at the link.
Varicose veins occur in men to a lesser extent than in women, but in the case of damage to the legs, they manifest themselves similarly. Therefore, everything that is said above and below is fully applicable to the stronger sex.
It is worth adding that men can “boast” of a special male varicose veins - dilation of the veins of the spermatic cord (varicocele). Fortunately, this type of male varicose veins can be easily operated on and is not particularly life-threatening, but it is still better to do without it.
It happens that a network of small blood vessels suddenly begins to appear through the skin of the leg or thigh. Particularly impressionable people can be reassured immediately - this is the so-called reticular varicose veins, or varicose veins of the superficial veins . It is benign and, as it were, not entirely real. Progression and serious complications are not inherent in it; in general, apart from a small cosmetic defect, it does not threaten anything. Therefore, reticular varicose veins of the lower extremities are also called cosmetic .
But those who are not particularly impressionable should remember why varicose veins on the legs are dangerous and begin to fight them in the early stages, which are simply ignored and missed by the patient himself. However, having learned about the disease, future patients of the vascular surgeon still try to do without surgery in the future, are interested in traditional medicine recipes and often quite successfully cope with the progression of the disease at home.
At first, the patient tries to treat varicose veins on the legs, consulting with experienced relatives, friends and acquaintances. And they help because the disease is common and people know a lot about it. Sympathizing with a fellow sufferer, everyone tries to take part in his fate and offer his own proven recipe.
Some suggest going on a diet, losing weight and cleaning blood vessels, others recommend special elastic stockings and tights that they themselves wear, others even suggest leeches...
Undoubtedly, nutrition plays a role in varicose veins. And quite a lot. Losing weight with varicose veins is really very “beneficial”, so this is where you should start, of course, without resorting to numerous advertising products, which may be good for simple weight loss, but are contraindicated in the treatment of varicose veins.
In case of varicose veins of the lower extremities, first of all you should forget:
Apple cider vinegar is widely available in stores and is not expensive at all. It tastes good. For treatment we take:
2 teaspoons of vinegar, add a spoonful of honey, add 200-250 ml of purified water and drink in the morning on an empty stomach. It is good to rub your shins with apple cider vinegar diluted in a ratio of 1:10 in the evening; by the morning the blood vessels will feel it.
Also, various infusions and decoctions are used to treat varicose veins of the legs, where the recipe for chestnut tincture, which is prepared as follows, is considered very effective:
Due to the fact that chestnut affects blood pressure, it is recommended to take the medicine in accordance with blood pressure . 30-40 drops in a spoon of boiled water 3-4 times a day before meals - with normal pressure and 1-2 times a day with low blood pressure. The course of treatment is 1 month, then a break, and after 2 weeks, if necessary, the course can be repeated.
In addition, to treat varicose veins on the legs, you can use chestnut tincture to rub the legs. According to people's reviews, this method helps remarkably; some even managed to cure varicose veins in the early stages. Well, for those who haven’t had much luck with treatment with diet and tinctures, but don’t want to go to the doctor, traditional medicine recommends the “good old”, but not forgotten, leeches .
Before starting treatment with leeches for varicose veins, many patients try to get information about what and how, which is completely natural. Leeches look scary and repulsive. Many people remember how in childhood, when swimming in ponds, they shied away from them. At that time, the leech was generally the main enemy, although grandmothers said that in the old days, zemstvo doctors kept leeches in special jars and used them in almost every case that involved bloodletting (one of the few methods of treating many diseases).
Treatment with leeches is called hirudotherapy. This name comes from the word hirudin , a special enzyme found in the saliva of leeches that prevents blood clotting. Having suctioned, the leech will fall off only when it has drunk, and the blood will flow out in a thin stream for some time... Naturally, it is not difficult to guess that if there is stagnation in the veins, then the leech will help extract “extra” blood, and perhaps with its saliva and blood clots will dissolve. And it turns out that no one forgot the leech; for some people, growing medicinal leeches has become a good business, because not every leech has such healing properties; special leeches . Animals raised on such farms are sent to medical centers specializing in hirudotherapy.
It happens that treatment started in a timely manner stops the pathological process, and people continue to live without a doctor, supporting themselves with folk remedies, regimen and diet. And what happens when the disease is advanced and they can no longer help:
So, it's time to visit a doctor. At the reception desk of any clinic they will explain that the dilation of the veins of the lower extremities is carried out by a special vascular surgeon - a phlebologist.
Of course, medicine always strives to do without radical measures, that is, without surgery, trying conservative treatment until the last minute. Any operation, even the simplest one, is associated with a violation of the integrity of blood vessels, and, therefore, with thrombus formation, which already occurs with varicose veins. In addition, any surgical intervention requires anesthesia. Here the age of the patient should be taken into account, because it is known that in old age varicose veins are often accompanied by chronic diseases of the respiratory organs and cardiovascular system, and this circumstance significantly complicates the choice and management of anesthesia. Therefore, a vascular surgeon first treats varicose veins conservatively.
Conservative treatment methods, in addition to ointments, creams and tablets for varicose veins, also include such types of minimally invasive surgery as compression sclerotherapy (sclerotherapy) and laser coagulation of varicose veins (more on them below), since such treatment does not require a hospital stay, there is little traumatic and almost painless.
To treat varicose veins of the lower extremities, medications are prescribed that improve blood flow through the veins, protect the wall and thin the blood. These include:
Sclerosing therapy can independently treat varicose veins on the legs in the initial stages of the disease, when the function of the valves is not yet impaired, and this method also copes remarkably well with reticular varicose veins, leaving absolutely no traces of the disease. Treatment of varicose veins with sclerotherapy is carried out by a phlebologist who injects a solution of ferric chloride in a certain concentration into the vein.
Probably, at all times, surgery was, is and will be the main way to cure varicose veins, therefore methods such as laser treatment will always be popular among doctors and patients. Undoubtedly, when the patient sees and hears everything during the operation, and is not afraid in advance that he will not wake up (most patients panic about this before the intervention) - this means a lot.
Patients tolerate laser treatment of varicose veins well, although there is also a postoperative period and some inconveniences associated with at least a small intervention. Bruising and soreness may appear along the coagulated vein, sometimes after a few days the body temperature rises to low-grade fever. These phenomena quickly disappear if you take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac, nimesulide). Immediately after the operation, the patient is not only allowed to stand up, but is also recommended to walk around, although wearing (mandatory!) compression stockings.
Laser treatment is carried out by intravascular exposure of thermal laser energy directly to the venous wall and the blood clots attached to it, which must be replaced by connective tissue. And the vein itself will eventually (within about a year) turn into a connective tissue cord.
Laser coagulation of varicose veins is a fairly effective method that has a minimal number of contraindications, does not have negative side effects, and does not cause allergic reactions. Laser treatment is well tolerated by patients and can be used in elderly and senile people. But taking into account contraindications, choosing the right dosage, professionally carrying out the procedure and doing without real surgery is the job of specialists, because real surgery for varicose veins of the lower extremities is a rather serious thing with a lot of contraindications and complications.
Radical surgery for varicose veins is not easy to perform, is rich in “surprises” and refers to extreme measures, after all, it concerns the hemostasis system, which will certainly respond to any intervention. Unfortunately, it is not always adequate. Therefore, the doctor’s task is to explain to his patient how not to end up on the operating table, but preventing such a prospect should be the goal of the patient’s entire life, because his health is in his hands.
Looking at the dilated veins of the parents, it would be good to think in time that this pathology has a hereditary predisposition and take all measures to avoid such troubles. It also happens that varicose veins have already undergone laser treatment, but even in this case there is no reason to reassure. Varicose veins of the lower extremities are a recurrent disease, and if anyone thinks that it is possible to cure varicose veins completely, they are deeply mistaken. It can be prevented or stopped, but it will not allow you to forget about yourself.
Prevention, prevention and more prevention is what is needed to combat enlarged veins in the legs. Where to begin?
Not from Monday, not from the 1st, not from the next month or from the New Year, but immediately we implement 12 rules:
Of course, you should start with a diet; nutrition for varicose veins should be predominantly of plant origin, rich in vitamins and light.
It is necessary to get rid of excess weight, if any, in any way, because under its weight it is unlikely that the veins that have already begun to expand will stop, even if healthy people do not tolerate such a load well.
You should choose a job that is mobile and not physically very stressful, even if you want it based on talent and abilities, you should not forget about varicose veins hidden somewhere in the vessels. Well, if, in spite of everything, you have chosen a sedentary or standing profession, then periodically you can get up, walk, or better yet, run up the stairs, do simple exercises for your legs, standing on your toes or squatting.
It’s better to leave heels of incredible length in the store, and buy cute, comfortable shoes with 5-6 cm heels (very few friends have 15-centimeter heels, so let them wear them). Shoes should be made from natural materials, fit correctly and not interfere with blood circulation.
Compression jersey for varicose veins will be a wonderful addition to selected shoes. On elastic stockings and tights it is not written in large letters that they are intended for the treatment of varicose veins, but what a comfort for the legs.
Playing sports cannot be ruled out, otherwise many people think that any load on the veins affects them, they begin to spare themselves and end up with physical inactivity, but the veins will not like this at all. Another question is which sports are preferable for varicose veins. Swimming “in a trough, in a tub, in a river, in a stream, in the ocean” is figuratively said, but it makes sense: swimming is the best helper in the fight against enlarged veins in the legs. And also... cycling. These sports are not only physical education and prevention of varicose veins, but also great fun.
Important! Weightlifting and even track and field athletics, kettlebell lifting and other sports that require excessive effort are not suitable for either girls or boys. And you need to come to terms with this.
Photo: example of simple exercises to combat varicose veins
Therapeutic exercises for varicose veins of the lower extremities are an integral part of preventive measures; they are not at all difficult to perform and are not tiring, so it is necessary to allocate a few minutes in the morning and/or evening. And if you do the “bicycle” exercise every day, lying on the floor (everyone knows it), then no varicose veins will wake up. And the veins will be grateful.
Foot massage for varicose veins is a very effective and pleasant remedy. You can do it yourself, but it is better to have professionals who know the anatomical structure and physiological characteristics of the venous vessels do it periodically Of course, going to a specialist for a massage all year round is both physically difficult and financially expensive, so daily self-massage with your own hands and a couple of times a year with a massage therapist will be normal.
You need to get rid of the habit of throwing your legs over your legs once and for all, and in return you can buy the “American” one, which we often mock sarcastically when we see how in an American movie the heroes easily throw their legs on the table, not considering it bad form. They think about themselves and are involved in the prevention of varicose veins at every step. And we? We will too.
Perhaps there is no point in reminding once again that your feet need to be kept clean, your skin should be taken care of, and abrasions, scratches and cracks should be avoided, which could lead to infection. And, God forbid, if you catch a fungus, you will have to fight it mercilessly. Every evening, it is advisable to arrange water treatments for your feet in the form of soothing baths with pine extract, after which it will be good to lubricate your feet with a softening tonic cream. Your feet will feel good and your sleep will improve. A special cream or ointment for varicose veins after exercise therapy and massage will soothe and relax the veins of the lower extremities.
Do not ignore traditional medicine, infusions, decoctions, lotions - everything can be prepared at home and treated with folk remedies;
It’s better not to finish the last cigarette, but to throw it away along with the pack, so that you never buy or pick it up again.
And yet, having directed your energy to carry out preventive measures, you still sometimes need to remember the vascular surgeon, and if he just looks and testifies that he has nothing to do yet, then everything is fine, it means that the work was not in vain.