Varicose veins of the lower extremities are a chronic disease accompanied by a grape-shaped dilation of the vessels of the legs. The main causes of varicose veins are hereditary predisposition, excess load or sedentary lifestyle. Women are more prone to this disease, especially after childbirth. In male representatives, varicose veins on the legs may be due to the presence of arteriovenous connections.
When the first signs of varicose veins appear, which include visible nodular changes in blood vessels, pain and swelling of the legs and feet, it is advisable to consult a doctor. After examination and making an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will determine how to treat varicose veins on the legs in each specific case.
Conservative therapy for varicose veins is quite varied, and can only reduce the manifestations of this disease, but not cure the cause.
Special exercises for varicose veins that anyone can do at home. They are aimed at strengthening the muscles of the legs, which helps maintain veins in good shape. Among the most effective are:
A diet designed to reduce excess weight, with a high content of plant fiber and limited consumption of animal fats and carbohydrates, can reduce the load on the legs and can be successfully used to treat varicose veins at home.
Knitwear (socks, stockings) for the treatment of varicose veins differ in the degree of compression. To put it on correctly at home, you often have to use special devices. You must wear underwear throughout the day, removing it only at night. The principle of action is based on external compression of varicose vessels of the legs and improvement of blood outflow. Instead of medical knitwear, to treat varicose veins, you can use a regular elastic bandage, which is wound in a spiral from the fingertips to the middle of the thigh, grabbing the heel. It is important that the new turn overlaps the previous one by at least half.
Special anti-varicose stockings
Pneumatic massager, which consists of several cuffs into which air is supplied under pressure, can be effective in treating varicose veins in the initial stages of the disease. This uses a compression method, which improves blood circulation and reduces swelling. You can use this device at home.
It is advisable to treat varicose veins on the legs with ointments and tablets only at the beginning of the disease, or if complications develop.
Major drug classes include:
The use of all medications must be coordinated with a doctor, as there is a possibility of developing side effects.
It is impossible to cure varicose veins using traditional methods; you can only slow down the process and delay the occurrence of serious complications, for example, thrombophlebitis.
Surgical treatment of varicose veins does not always involve open surgery. Thanks to modern advances, it is possible to remove varicose veins on an outpatient basis. The most commonly used radical treatment methods are:
Varicose veins of the legs are a fairly common problem, including among pregnant women, for whom treatment with conventional methods is contraindicated. That is why so many recipes for folk remedies have been created to alleviate the manifestations of this disease at home:
Our grandmothers' recipes are not always effective, but they make it possible to treat varicose veins at home when there is no other option. You should not abuse this; it is better to contact a vascular surgeon for examination and treatment.
In the development of varicose veins, hereditary factors, poor lifestyle and excessive stress on the legs play a large role. To reduce the likelihood of this disease and slow the progression of symptoms, you can do special exercises and diet. But varicose veins can only be cured surgically after a full examination.
Many people simply do not pay attention to the subtle first signs of varicose veins, i.e., varicose veins, considering them a consequence of ordinary overwork. Such an unreasonable attitude towards one’s own health subsequently becomes the cause of many dangerous diseases and intractable problems. To avoid this, varicose veins need to be treated in the early stages.
Varicose veins most often affect large vessels (veins) of the lower extremities. This pathology is most often called varicose veins. Although this kind of disease develops in the veins of various internal organs. With varicose veins, the outer walls of these vessels become thinner, the diameter of the intravenous lumen increases, and various aneurysm-like neoplasms appear.
The disease begins mainly in people over 40 years of age. However, due to various reasons, for example, during weightlifting, it can begin in youth.
Phlebology studies the anatomical structure of veins, their physiology and functional characteristics. This section of medicine also deals with the study of various kinds of pathological processes that affect these vessels.
Phlebologists treat varicose veins and other venous diseases. Unfortunately, phlebologists are rarely found in ordinary clinics. Therefore, if necessary, they should be sought in special medical centers or private clinics.
Varicose veins affect women much more often than men. The main reasons for this:
In addition, varicose veins begin due to the following reasons:
At the initial stage, the symptoms of varicose veins are often ignored, hoping that after a little rest or less physical activity the problem will resolve itself. This is a completely wrong opinion. After all, it is in the early stages that varicose veins, like many other diseases, can be cured completely and prevent the development of complications.
Therefore, the first signs of varicose veins are a good reason to visit a specialist. It could be:
At the initial stage of development of varicose veins, symptoms of this disease may include:
All these symptoms intensify after any stress on the legs - walking, lifting weights, physical work, etc. - and invariably disappear after a night's sleep or lying down. If varicose veins are not treated after the first symptoms appear, the disease gradually moves from the initial stage to the next stage of development. The patient's condition worsens, varicose symptoms become noticeably more complicated. The following symptoms appear:
In order to find out how to treat varicose veins at the initial stage, you need to consult a phlebologist and undergo the necessary examination. Based on the obtained anamnestic indicators, the phlebologist will draw up a course of treatment and give the necessary recommendations regarding lifestyle correction, adherence to the regimen and proper nutrition during the treatment period.
At the initial stage of varicose veins, patients are prescribed:
Conservative treatment of varicose veins is carried out using the following drugs:
If treatment of varicose veins begins at later stages of the development of the disease process, the patient will need the following treatment procedures:
In particularly dangerous cases, surgical intervention is performed to treat varicose veins. The following operations can be performed as part of anti-varicose surgery:
In order for the treatment of varicose veins to be successful, in addition to performing all medical procedures and taking medications, it is necessary to make some changes in lifestyle, daily routine, and habits.
A patient with varicose veins must:
Women should avoid wearing high-heeled dress shoes. To ensure normal blood circulation and reduce fatigue while walking and standing, shoes should be wide enough to freely accommodate the foot and lower leg (in boots) with a stable heel. The maximum heel height allowed for varicose veins is 4 cm.
Neglected or untreated varicose veins, as a rule, cause trophic ulcers, blood clots and the development of thrombophlebitis. Trophic ulcers that occur with varicose veins cause severe pain, destruction of the skin and cause general infection of the body and blood poisoning.
Blood clots formed on the inner walls of veins (thrombosis) create the risk of blocking blood vessels. In this case, blood circulation is disrupted, and oxygen starvation may occur due to impaired breathing. A broken blood clot can cause death.
Another dangerous complication of varicose veins is thrombophlebitis. This disease begins due to inflammation of the venous wall caused by a blood clot. These and other inflammations invariably make the sick person disabled over time.
Patients suffering from varicose veins need to eat properly. It is best to eat up to 5-6 times a day in small portions. Small meals help the rapid absorption of nutrients and reduce the risk of overeating and gaining excess weight. Nutrition should help thin the blood, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and relieve swelling.
The following products should be included in your daily diet:
To reduce swelling, mandatory control of the amount of fluid consumed is necessary.
If you have varicose veins, you should avoid the following products:
Alternative medicine advises patients with varicose veins to take baths with decoctions of chamomile, hops, St. John's wort, clover, cedar cones, spruce, and pine.
To make a compress with white cabbage leaves, you need to soap them generously with soap (toilet or laundry soap). Sprinkle areas of damaged skin on the legs generously with baking soda and apply the prepared leaves. Wrap your feet in a warm soft cloth, secure it and leave until the morning. In the morning, remove the compress, wipe your feet with a damp cloth and put on fresh, warm stockings or knee socks.
To make a compress from Kalanchoe to reduce vascular nodules and stars, you will need fresh leaves of this plant. They need to be thoroughly ground to obtain a paste. Pour alcohol and leave in the dark and warm for a week. From the resulting tincture you need to make compresses in the manner described above.
To ensure normal blood circulation, traditional medicine recommends the following remedy. Before going to bed at night, you need to thoroughly steam your feet in water with the addition of herbal infusions. Warm socks prepared in advance should be moistened with vodka or alcohol and put on your feet immediately after steaming. Pull and secure plastic bags over the socks and leave until morning.
It is quite possible to avoid the appearance of varicose veins. You need to take care of this in advance, especially for people at risk. This group includes people who stand a lot on their feet: hairdressers, teachers, salespeople, etc.
Another cause of varicose veins is physical inactivity. This problem often occurs among office workers, cashiers, and doctors. Therefore, in order to ensure normal blood circulation in the leg veins, you need to move more. Morning exercises, walking, jogging, and any feasible sports exercise will protect against the occurrence of not only varicose veins, but also other dangerous diseases.
Regular consultations with a phlebologist are necessary when taking hormonal medications, high blood pressure, liver diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and kidney diseases. Proper nutrition, avoiding intense physical activity and overheating, and massage will also help strengthen the veins.
Surely many are familiar with the feeling of fatigue and heaviness in the legs that occurs after a long day. Various creams, baths and wraps bring only a short-term effect, and discomfort in the legs appears again and again. Alas, all of these are the first signs that you are developing varicose veins.
It is a mistake to believe that varicose veins are the lot of older people. The disease has no age restrictions. Today, about 10% of men and almost a third of the fair sex suffer from varicose veins, and in recent years the disease has occurred in very young people. Starting unnoticed, at first it does not cause much inconvenience, which is why measures to treat varicose veins begin to be taken only in the later stages.
This is a chronic vascular disease in which the functioning of the venous valves is disrupted, as a result of which blood stagnates in the veins and their diameter increases. As a rule, in the early stages a person does not pay attention to the signs of the disease.
Varicose veins begin with a feeling of fatigue and heaviness in the legs, rapid fatigue, pain, swelling of the foot and lower leg, periodic cramps in the calf muscles. Symptoms often worsen in the evening, after a whole day spent on your feet or in an office chair. Varicose veins are an insidious disease: rarely does anyone pay attention to these first “alarm bells”, as well as to the small vascular “stars”, “webs” and slightly protruding saphenous veins of the lower extremities that appear on the legs. Meanwhile, such symptoms indicate that varicose veins are already quite developed.
It progresses over time; pain and swelling gradually increase. Varicose veins harden and become painful. Often they are accompanied by trophic disorders. The disease is fraught with serious complications: thrombophlebitis of the subcutaneous and deep veins, trophic ulcers. Meanwhile, treatment started in the early stages can be quite effective.
Some people are more prone to varicose veins than others.
First of all, varicose veins are caused by congenital weakness of the walls of venous vessels and hormonal disorders. The disease affects people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. The risk group includes representatives of professions that are forced to spend most of the day “on their feet”: teachers, salespeople, managers, workers, etc. It develops more often in women due to the predilection of the fair sex for high-heeled shoes. Of course, you shouldn’t give up beautiful shoes for fear of developing the disease, but it would be useful to follow preventive measures and periodically visit a phlebologist.
Today the disease is quite treatable
If, in addition to tired legs, you are worried about cramps and pain in the calf muscles, numbness in the legs and swelling along the venous vessels, this is a good reason to seek help from professionals and begin treatment. Today, the disease is quite treatable. All treatment methods can be divided into four groups: conservative, sclerosing, surgical and mixed.
The conservative method comes down to constantly wearing compression stockings or bandages. This method is not very effective for the treatment of varicose veins, therefore, as a rule, it is recommended for patients who have contraindications to surgical treatment; or for preventive purposes. Treatment with elastic bandaging involves wearing the bandage throughout the day; It should be applied in the morning, before getting out of bed, and removed before going to bed.
The principle of action of the drugs is based on improving microcirculation in the tissues of the lower extremities. Some of them are of plant origin; they act by reducing permeability and strengthening capillaries, increasing venous tone and reducing thrombus formation.
Heparin remains one of the most effective treatments for varicose veins. It is preferable to use gels and ointments based on it. Doctors recommend Lyoton-gel as the optimal remedy. Due to the high content of heparin in it, it is effective for relieving swelling and inflammation in the postoperative period.
In the early stages of the disease, you can resort to sclerotherapy. This method is based on the ability of certain substances introduced into the lumen of the vessel to destroy the internal “lining” of the vein and cause blood clotting with subsequent narrowing of the lumen of the vessel. This method has proven itself well: it is easy to use and at the same time quite effective. Currently, modern sclerosing drugs are used, such as scleroven, varicoside and thrombovar.
Sometimes varicose veins do not respond to conservative treatment, and large varicose veins have to be removed surgically. Thanks to the modern level of medicine and the use of laser and endoscopic technology for treatment, such an intervention is less traumatic and takes little time. Often, a doctor prescribes a combined method of treating varicose veins - a combination of surgery and sclerotherapy. After such therapy, the patient must wear compression bandages or stockings to prevent varicose veins from spreading further along the vein.
A good result is obtained by combining a decoction of medicinal herbs with healing baths.
Everyone knows that any disease is easier to prevent than to treat, and varicose veins are no exception to this rule. If you are predisposed to varicose veins, you need to follow simple preventive measures.
Avoid standing for long periods of time and sitting in one position (especially in a cross-legged position). Do not wear tight shoes and clothes, as this can cause a slowdown in blood flow through the vessels of the lower extremities, and, consequently, increases the risk of developing varicose veins. Watch your own weight: excess body weight leads to an increase in the load on the walls of the veins, and, therefore, contributes to the development of varicose veins of the lower extremities. Physical exercises are extremely useful for prevention: walking, swimming, climbing stairs, lying on your back with your legs elevated above the level of your heart.
Mikulin’s exercises are very effective for treatment and prevention: you need to rise on your toes so that your heels lift off the floor a couple of centimeters, then drop sharply. Repeat the exercise at least 30 times, 4-5 times a day.
If varicose veins are in the initial stage, a combination of taking a decoction of medicinal herbs with healing baths will be very effective. To prepare a bath, take 500 g. branches of willow, chestnut and oak, fill with cold water, then put on fire and let them simmer for 30 minutes. Add 200 grams each. St. John's wort, chamomile, string, marshweed and leave the resulting decoction to infuse overnight. Separately, steam or boil a loaf of rye bread, combine with herbal infusion and take baths daily for 30–40 minutes before bed at a temperature of about 40 degrees.
At the same time, drink a herbal mixture prepared as follows: 1 tbsp. l. Brew willow, oak and chestnut branches with a liter of boiling water, boil for half an hour, then add 1 tbsp. l. dried string, St. John's wort, chamomile and marshweed, leave for about 12 hours and add 2 tsp to the decoction. honey It is recommended to take the resulting mixture 50 ml 2-3 times a day in the first two days, then 100 ml for two days, and then 150 ml for 2 weeks. After 5–10 days, you can repeat the course of treatment for varicose veins.
An excellent remedy for treating the disease is apple cider vinegar.
There is a category of patients who do not want to see a doctor. You can try to overcome the disease on your own, especially since there are many methods of treatment with folk remedies. Having tried to cope with the disease on your own, you may be convinced that such treatment can be no less effective than taking medications.
Start with your diet. People who develop the disease should exclude alcohol, strong tea and coffee, spicy foods, sugar and confectionery from their diet. Eating a large amount of vegetables, fruits, juices and fruit drinks, especially blueberry and cranberry, will be very useful. If varicose veins develop in older people, nettle infusion will help stop the process. It can be drunk like tea, without strict dosage.
There are a lot of folk recipes. For example, a decoction of hop cones works well. To prepare this remedy, take 1 tbsp. l. hop cones, brew them with a glass of boiling water and steam for 15 minutes. Take the resulting decoction on an empty stomach, 200 ml 3 times a day, and apply lotions to the area of varicose veins.
Varicose veins can also be treated externally. Try, for example, taking unripe walnuts and pouring olive oil over them. Treat the skin with the resulting infusion. The method is quite effective, but you can’t expect quick relief from varicose veins.
Another method of treatment: beat a cabbage leaf until soft, apply vegetable oil to it and apply to the affected area. This compress should be kept for 24 hours and then replaced with a new one. The course of treatment is 30 days.
An excellent remedy for improving blood circulation, and therefore treating varicose veins, is apple cider vinegar. It can also be taken orally at the rate of 2 tsp. per glass of water, and treat varicose veins with it twice a day.
Another popular treatment method is to smear the affected areas with a tincture of white acacia flowers or nettles.
You should not get carried away with self-medication. At the first signs of illness, you should seek help from specialists and use folk recipes as an effective addition to drug treatment.
Remember that varicose veins are a difficult disease to treat, but with some effort it is quite possible to overcome it. A careful and attentive attitude towards your own health will certainly help you cope with such a nuisance as varicose veins.
Pregnancy is a responsible and touching time. The health of the unborn baby depends on how it proceeds. And, of course, any woman takes care of herself, tries to prevent all sorts of risks, and is observed by doctors. However, not only pleasant anticipation accompanies pregnancy. Sometimes a woman encounters complications that did not bother her before pregnancy. Varicose veins in pregnant women are the most common pathology. It occurs in almost half of expectant mothers. We will tell you why and how the disease occurs.
If we analyze the main causes of the development of varicose veins, pregnancy is always a risk for blood vessels. What is so special about the body of expectant mothers that varicose veins take root so well in them?
If you are expecting a baby and notice venous nodules appearing on your legs, immediately contact a phlebologist. As an option, we suggest you consult at the Baltic Vein Clinic, where qualified specialists work. The clinic's website offers an online test that can assess the severity of your problem.
After all, spider veins and increased vascular patterns are not always a sign of varicose veins. Sometimes this is a simple cosmetic defect that you can easily cope with after pregnancy.
It is clear that during pregnancy it is advisable to limit the intake of medications, so no one will prescribe venotonic medications to you. But they will select compression garments, and they will tell you how to behave correctly so that varicose veins do not progress.
In the initial stages of varicose veins, pregnant women are recommended:
What to do if varicose veins are severe? The phlebologist, together with the surgeon and obstetrician-gynecologist, assess the severity of the pregnant woman’s condition and decide on a minimally invasive operation . The choice is not easy, but it is necessary to make it. In recent years, an innovative method of treating varicose veins has emerged - the biological glue method. It is successfully used by doctors at the Baltic Vein Clinic, is performed without anesthesia and is absolutely safe for the fetus. The only drawback of the method is its high cost.
There are other minimally invasive interventions that a phlebologist can recommend to a pregnant woman. But, again, each case must be analyzed individually.
We also advise you to familiarize yourself with exercises for varicose veins for pregnant women at this link.
Symptoms of varicose veins can include not only spider veins, nodes, and tortuous veins. It is useful for pregnant women to know other signs of beginning varicose veins :
We describe these signs to alert you. Varicose veins most often begin asymptomatically, but progress quickly. Therefore, if the above symptoms appear, still visit a doctor.
Prevention of varicose veins is your correct lifestyle. Follow all doctors' recommendations and take care of yourself.
Full treatment of varicose veins of the legs will still have to be carried out after childbirth. We say “full” because during pregnancy it is better not to resort to either radical or minimally invasive methods of treatment. The only exceptions are cases of severe varicose veins.
Since it appeared once during pregnancy, you are already at risk for the occurrence of pathology. Therefore, monitor your condition. Varicose veins can hide for a while, and then arise with renewed vigor. Don't forget about disease prevention.
Varicose veins and pregnancy - causes, prevention and treatment on video from the program “I’m Expecting a Baby”:
In this material we will not advise taking any medications or suggest minimally invasive and conservative treatment methods. Only so as not to harm you, dear expectant mothers. Your varicose veins should only be dealt with by an experienced phlebologist or a doctor observing you. Pregnant women should not treat varicose veins differently!
Take care of yourself. We wish you a wonderful mood, excellent health and the birth of wonderful and healthy children!
Important! Doctors are shocked: “An effective and affordable remedy for varicose veins of the lower extremities exists. " Read more.
When protruding veins appear on the extremities, the question arises: how to stop varicose veins on the legs so that the disease does not spread? Of course, any disease must be treated at the initial stage, and especially varicose veins of the lower extremities, so you can avoid serious consequences.
The appearance of heaviness and pain in the legs may indicate an onset of illness. Varicose veins of the lower extremities occur due to impaired blood circulation. Dangerous consequences of the disease are thrombophlebitis, thromboembolism, trophic ulcers, bleeding, inflammation of the veins.
Women are more often affected by this disease. Currently, varicose veins have become much younger; it is often possible to find even a child with signs of this disease.
The development of varicose veins in the legs can be caused by a disruption in the functioning of elastin and collagen, which leads to a loss of elasticity of the vein walls. As a result, they become thinner and stretched, and the venous valves also begin to work poorly. Valves and veins do not cope well with the flow of blood, causing reverse blood flow and stagnation. Methods for treating varicose veins at the initial stage, including traditional methods, will be described below.
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Blood rises from the organs to the veins. Over time, capillaries begin to work worse in the vein walls, so oxygen and nutrients reach the vein cells slowly, causing them to die. The process resembles tissue necrosis during a heart attack. This condition causes pain and heaviness in the legs.
Other important reasons for the appearance of varicose veins include hereditary factors, long periods of standing idle, and a sedentary lifestyle. All these processes lead to venous stagnation of blood and, as a consequence, to vein pathology. The elasticity of the venous walls is lost, the veins become deformed. Stagnant processes are formed.
The earliest signs of venous circulation disorders include:
If the disease develops, then at its next stage additional symptoms appear:
At this stage of the disease, swelling of the legs appears. This is the first sign that blood circulation is impaired. Therefore, do not hesitate and start treatment immediately, but first visit the doctor’s office. Be aware of complications that may develop as a result of this disease.
The disease itself is not dangerous, but its complications, if left untreated, can even threaten a person’s life. First of all, it is thrombophlebitis. It is formed due to inflammation of the venous walls, which causes blood clots to appear in them.
Blood clots can block the lumen of the vein, this condition is called phlebothrombosis. It is more dangerous if a blood clot breaks away from the wall of a blood vessel and enters the lungs, which in medicine is called thromboembolism. This condition poses a real threat to human life. Therefore, the question arises - how to stop varicose veins?
The main thing is to start treatment as early as possible. The first thing you need to do is visit a phlebologist and take a blood test for clotting.
At the early stage of the disease, in addition to the basic actions that the doctor will prescribe for you, you need to try to change your lifestyle as much as possible. What can you do in this case?
Go for short runs regularly. Massage your limbs. It is recommended to lie down for a while before the massage session with your legs raised up, which will improve venous blood flow. Use special ointments and creams, they will help relieve tired legs. The doctor will prescribe you to take medications that will strengthen the walls of blood vessels, improve blood flow and relieve swelling.
This vein treatment will only help at the initial stage of the disease, but provided that all activities are carried out regularly. Otherwise, the disease will begin to progress; only surgical intervention will help cure varicose veins. In the meantime, all treatment is carried out at home.
Here are the treatment methods phlebologists can offer you:
In some cases, doctors themselves recommend using traditional medicine recipes, since there have been positive results from such treatment.
If the veins protrude in the legs, treatment with conservative methods has not given the desired results, then there is only one way to eliminate the problem - this is surgery. Currently, endoscopic operations are low-traumatic and give good results.
What does traditional medicine say about the treatment of varicose veins? It is also possible to cure this disease in its initial stages at home. Medicinal herbs, from which compresses are mainly prepared, can help you with this. You can prepare compresses based on wormwood, celandine, and Kalanchoe. Treatment with folk remedies is carried out using honey, apple cider vinegar, and tomato.
Folk remedies for varicose veins produce a positive, time-tested effect. Therefore, it is sometimes not worth neglecting advice of this kind. Alternative treatment for the disease also involves the use of leeches, but this method is best discussed with a doctor.
Only a doctor can tell you how to treat varicose veins on the legs. Therefore, do not self-medicate, but undergo an initial diagnosis.
If you do not want the development of varicose veins, act according to this rule: walking is better than standing; sitting is better than standing; lying down is better than sitting.
Remember that you are at risk if your activities require you to stand or sit for long periods of time.
In order for normal blood circulation to occur, your muscles and heart need to constantly contract.
And this is facilitated by movement.
Therefore, the first tip is an active lifestyle. You can choose a sport that you like, ride a bike, go swimming, or at least take a walk every day. But remember that all physical activity should not be long and exhausting.
If you stand for a long time, try to shift from foot to foot and wiggle your toes. If forced to spend a long time in a sitting position, adhere to the following rules:
Buy compression underwear, it will be useful to you in the following cases:
Tips on how to prevent varicose veins of the lower extremities:
And also, if you decide to massage your legs for varicose veins, be sure to consult your doctor, as it is necessary to determine the stage of the disease; massage may be contraindicated for you.
Take walks more often and quit smoking and alcohol. At the first signs of illness, contact a phlebologist, get diagnosed and begin treatment. Folk remedies for the treatment of varicose veins should be used in combination with basic therapy.
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Today on the pages of MirSovetov we will look at how to recognize incipient varicose veins, how to treat and slow down its development.
To find out if you are at risk of varicose veins, MirSovetov recommends consulting with your doctor. The doctor will also advise the method by which spider veins should be treated. Another sign of varicose veins can be swelling of the legs. However, legs can also swell due to other diseases (kidney disease, heart disease, etc.), so you first need to rule out these diseases. And finally, the most unpleasant and indicative symptom of varicose veins is pain in the legs. The pain usually appears in the afternoon, after heavy physical activity. The calf muscles hurt, the pain is nagging and not very strong.
So, if you have these symptoms: spider veins, swelling, pain in the legs, you should consult a doctor.
However, MirSovetov pays special attention to the fact that drug treatment cannot completely rid you of varicose veins. This is only a reduction in venous insufficiency, preventing thrombophlebitis (which often complicates the life of people with advanced varicose veins).
The doctor may advise the patient to undergo a course of lymphatic drainage. This is a special massage performed manually or using equipment. After lymphatic drainage, swelling decreases, the outflow of blood and lymph from the lower extremities improves. However, the effect of this procedure is temporary and short-lived, so you cannot refuse to take venotonics and wear compression stockings.
Foot baths help a lot. Please note that if you have varicose veins, you should not take hot baths.
To prevent your feet from getting tired during the day, take a bath in the morning according to this recipe. Birch, nettle and burdock leaves (take 1 tablespoon of each) are brewed with 1 liter of boiling water and left for half an hour. Next, the resulting decoction must be diluted with warm water (so as to bring it to body temperature), and you can take a bath. You need to keep your feet in the broth for at least 20 minutes.
A bath of lemon balm, oregano, chamomile and nettle tones the blood vessels in the legs. Take 2 cups of the mixture (mix all herbs in equal parts) and brew with a liter of boiling water. After the broth has infused, add 2 liters of water and keep your feet in a warm bath for 20 minutes.
Please note that folk remedies cannot completely rid you of varicose veins, but will only stop its development.
If sclerotherapy is carried out using an ultrasound scanner, it is called echosclerotherapy. This method is better because the scanner allows the doctor to fully control the movements of the syringe in the vein and monitor the uniform distribution of the drug.
Foam-form sclerotherapy is a method in which a drug in the form of microfoam is injected into the affected vein. Microfoam has closer contact with the walls of the vein and this determines the higher efficiency of this method. Microfoam displaces blood from the vein - and therefore the vein sticks together and stops functioning faster. In addition, the blood displaced from the vein does not dilute the drug, as with conventional sclerotherapy, as a result of which the medicine is more effective.
Operations under general anesthesia are no less effective, with the only difference being that patients tolerate local anesthesia much easier than general anesthesia.
MirSovetov invites you to familiarize yourself with the surgical methods for treating varicose veins that are offered today in modern clinics.
Miniphlebectomy - this operation is performed under local anesthesia. The doctor makes punctures through which he removes varicose veins. This operation can serve as a replacement for sclerotherapy in some cases. Patients recover quickly, there are no scars, and compression stockings only need to be worn for 1-2 weeks.
Short stripping - this method does not involve removing the entire vein, but only the affected area. The doctor determines the exact position of the diseased vein, its length, then two small incisions are made through which the varicose vein is removed. The operation is short-lived, the soft tissues of the leg are not cut - this allows the patient to recover quickly and not experience pain after the operation.
The method of endoscopic vein dissection is now widely used. In simple words, an incision is made on the affected vein into which an endoscope is inserted. The doctor is able to see the inside of the affected vein. By moving the endoscope, the doctor determines the length of the varicose vein and then cuts it off. The advantages of this method are that the doctor sees everything he does, this allows him not to make mistakes and minimize the trauma that the patient inevitably receives during the operation. This is a very promising method for treating varicose veins, since the consequence of such an operation is a gradual reduction in venous insufficiency and improvement in the condition of the veins.
Intravascular laser coagulation is another low-traumatic method of treating varicose veins. An ultrasound scanner monitors the insertion of a light guide into the vein. The light guide is then moved to the point where the vein enters the deep venous system. The laser is turned on, under the influence of which the blood plasma boils, and the diseased vein closes securely and ceases to function. MirSovetov would like to point out that this operation is quite expensive and requires specially trained personnel to perform it.