Varicose veins are a disease of the veins, expressed in the expansion, lengthening, tortuosity of the veins with subsequent disruption of blood flow due to pathological changes in the venous walls and valves. Various forms of varicose veins are observed in 38% of women, and in 90% the appearance of varicose veins is associated with pregnancy. This pathology is diagnosed in 40% of pregnant women.
The first signs of varicose veins are observed already in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Women complain of heaviness in their legs, fatigue when walking, and the appearance of spider veins. The dilation of veins that occurs at the beginning of pregnancy is constantly progressing.
The disease is aggravated by an increase in the volume of circulating blood, a growing uterus, an increase in body weight - all these factors lead to a slowdown in blood flow and increased pressure in the veins.
If in patients outside of pregnancy the first signs of varicose veins develop several years after the onset of the disease, then in pregnant women this process is significantly accelerated.
The clinical disease is manifested by the following symptoms:
The appearance of varicose veins in pregnant women is associated with a deficiency of the hormone estrogen and an increase in progesterone. This hormonal imbalance has a relaxing effect on the vascular wall.
In addition, progesterone in high concentrations suppresses hormones synthesized by the pituitary gland, which tone smooth muscle fibers.
Unfavorable factors influencing the development of varicose veins during pregnancy are an increase in the volume of circulating blood and compression of the retroperitoneal veins by the growing uterus.
Progressive weight gain with increasing pregnancy affects the increase in pressure in the veins and slows down the speed of blood flow.
A preliminary diagnosis of varicose veins is made based on an external examination of the pregnant woman and her complaints. Using instrumental diagnostic methods, the nature of the disease is established.
The following diagnostic methods are used:
In the first trimester of pregnancy, treatment of varicose veins includes only elastic compression and vitamin therapy. Medications are contraindicated in the early stages; drug therapy begins in the second trimester of pregnancy.
With the help of compression treatment, venous outflow in varicose veins is normalized, pathological venous emissions (reverse blood flow) are eliminated, and microcirculation is improved.
Elastic compression in pregnant women with varicose veins should be used constantly; as a result, only high quality knitwear is selected, with the help of which optimal pressure is created in the veins of the lower extremities.
Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to correctly distribute pressure along a vein using elastic bandages, so their use is indicated only for short-term treatment, for example, after sclerotherapy.
During pregnancy, special medical knitwear is used - tights, stockings for varicose veins of 2nd degree of compression, and in case of severe disease - 3rd degree of compression. At the initial stage of varicose veins, when the disease is expressed by heaviness in the legs and passing swelling, it is enough to use stockings and stockings of the 1st degree of compression. You can learn more
When treating varicose veins during pregnancy on the legs, medications are prescribed only from the second trimester of pregnancy, since many of them have contraindications for use in the early gestational stages.
Preparations from the phleboprotector group are used in tablets for oral administration and ointments for topical use.
These medications increase the tone of the venous wall, improve microcirculation, reduce capillary permeability, and prevent the development of inflammation.
Effective tablets for varicose veins:
Other drugs with anticoagulant and antiplatelet effects are not prescribed during pregnancy. Their use is advisable during childbirth to prevent bleeding and thrombosis.
Tonic preparations - gels, ointments and creams for external use have a rapid local decongestant and analgesic effect, largely due to auxiliary components that have a cooling and distracting effect.
The active ingredients of most ointments are heparin and rutoside, which penetrate the layers of the skin and have an anti-inflammatory and venoprotective effect.
These are creams and ointments:
Surgical intervention is performed for complicated varicose veins - acute thrombophlebitis and phlebothrombosis.
In this case, a crossectomy is performed (ligation of the veins at the junction of the great saphenous vein and the deep one) under local anesthesia.
If there is a high probability of developing thromboembolism caused by deep vein thrombosis, a vena cava filter is installed in the patient, and according to indications, an operation aimed at plication of the inferior vena cava is performed. In this case, the question of emergency termination of pregnancy is usually raised.
Read more about the methods and types of surgery here.
Infusions of horse chestnut flowers and fruits are the most effective remedy for treating varicose veins at home. The infusion should be used externally; it has a venotonic effect, reduces capillary permeability, relieving swelling, and relieves inflammation in thrombophlebitis.
It is prepared as follows:
A decoction of sour apples will help improve blood circulation:
To quickly relieve evening swelling, you can apply a cabbage leaf to your legs, previously pierced with a fork until the juice is obtained. Fix the sheet with a bandage for 30 - 40 minutes. more about traditional medicine here.
To stimulate venous outflow, you must perform the Mikulin exercise daily:
Another modification of the exercise:
In the evening, after a hard day, lie on your back, lift your leg up, lightly shake your foot, perform circular movements with your foot, then do the same with the other leg. Repeat 10 times for each leg. more about doing gymnastics here.
How to avoid varicose veins? Since the cause of varicose veins during pregnancy is mainly associated with hormonal imbalance even in the pre-pregnancy state. It is important to eliminate hormonal imbalances at the planning stage.
Typically, hormonal disorders manifest in women with the following symptoms:
You should also avoid factors that contribute to the appearance of varicose veins - prolonged stay in an upright or sitting position, strong weight gain (normal weight gain during pregnancy should be no more than 15 kg), deficiency of vitamin C and B3, a large amount of animal proteins in the diet.
Prevention of varicose veins during pregnancy:
The most effective prevention of varicose veins is movement, since the calf muscles physiologically work as “pumps” when walking, normalizing lymph and blood flow. You should walk 1 to 3 km daily to avoid varicose veins.
If preventive measures are taken, varicose veins during pregnancy usually do not cause complications, however, the possibility of their development cannot be excluded. Most complications occur during childbirth and the postpartum period, especially if the woman suffered injuries (ruptures) to the birth canal during expulsion of the fetus.
If pathological conditions occur in the postpartum period, women are prescribed antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory infusion therapy. The issue of surgical intervention is decided individually.
Scientists are sounding the alarm, varicose veins, a pathology of the 21st century, is already developing in young people under the age of 30 and causes a lot of problems and unpleasant sensations: the veins in the legs itch, there is severe pain, swelling, dilatation or bloating of the veins, etc.
Why does a patient feel itching, heaviness and nagging pain in the lower extremities with varicose veins?
Scientists have identified the main cause - congenital pathology of the venous valve, which can lead to blockage of blood vessels and blood stagnation. Consequently, red blood cells and platelets located in the veins penetrate through the walls of blood vessels into the fiber.
After the breakdown of hemoglobin, bruises form on the legs and swelling appears. With a regular process of disruption of tissue nutrition, this will lead to constant itching, eczema, dermatitis, and trophic ulcers.
If you suddenly have itching, pain, swollen veins and a burning sensation in your legs, this is the primary symptom of the disease, which should not be ignored so as not to worsen the situation. Therefore, when the first symptoms of the disease appear, be sure to contact a specialist who will find out the cause and prescribe comprehensive treatment.
If you have itchy veins on your legs in the shin area, follow these basic rules:
Why do specialists prescribe ointments and tablets?
If you are concerned about itching in the legs, swelling, pain, swollen veins, doctors recommend using ointments externally and tablets internally to relieve the symptoms of varicose veins and relieve the inflammatory process, to achieve maximum therapeutic effect.
For varicose veins on the legs, for preventive purposes, phlebologists recommend following the basic rules:
To combat the symptoms of varicose veins, use pharmaceutical drugs only after consultation with a phlebologist. Remember! By following preventive measures, the disease will not bother you.
Treatment of varicose veins requires an individual approach. Typically, therapy for the disease includes the use of various medications, which include ointments for varicose veins, as well as tablet forms of drugs. Of course, the use of external liniments is very convenient when it comes to damage to the veins of the legs. However, among the many names, you should choose one, the most effective.
All ointments for varicose veins can be divided into several categories:
1. Heparin ointments. Their main active ingredient is heparin (a waste product of leeches). Medicines containing this component have a blood-thinning effect. To treat varicose veins, Lyoton-1000, Heparin ointment, Dolobene, Trombless, Hepatrombin and some others are used. These products are indicated for use in the presence of small subcutaneous hematomas, spider veins and small blood clots.
2. Preparations containing plant extracts of horse chestnut and butcher's broom. They have a venotonic effect. They are prescribed for minor external manifestations of varicose veins in the legs, as well as for the prevention of the disease in the presence of predisposing factors. Such creams strengthen the vascular wall, thus helping to narrow the “lumens” in the veins. In this group of medications, the most popular include Aescusan, Venastat, Aescin, Venoplant and others.
3. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Almost everyone has come across such drug names as “Voltaren”, “Diclofenac”, “Indomethacin”, “Fastum-gel”. In the form of liniments, they can be used not only to treat varicose veins, but also its complications, manifested in the form of inflammatory processes of blood vessels. When applied externally, liniments locally relieve swelling and eliminate pain.
4. Hormonal creams. This group of funds is among the most effective. However, it should be borne in mind that their use may negatively affect some body systems.
As a rule, such drugs are prescribed for severe phlebitis (only after consultation with your doctor). The most popular are Lorinden, Celestoderm, Flucinar, Sinaflan. These ointments for varicose veins contain a hormone - glucocorticosteroid. It is he who exerts its therapeutic effect.
Despite the fact that these drugs are available in the form of external liniments, do not forget that they are medications, many of which are available with a prescription.
Therefore, before purchasing ointment for varicose veins, you should check with a specialist about the indications for its use: to what extent this or that medicine is necessary and safe.
The medicine contains 3 main components:
The active substance is heparin, belongs to the group of direct anticoagulants. It is due to this that the effectiveness of this drug for varicose veins of the lower extremities is manifested. It is used to treat existing blood clots, as well as to prevent the formation of new blood clots.
The benzyl ester included in the liniment promotes the penetration of the active component into the vascular bed and enhances its effect, and the local anesthetic, in turn, locally anesthetizes. Thus, heparin ointment has a dual effect: analgesia and resorption of thrombus masses. Indications for the use of this drug are:
When treating varicose veins with heparin ointment, the following undesirable side effects may occur:
Moreover, liniment should not be applied to damaged areas of the skin, or if you are allergic to the product, or to persons with thrombopenic purpura (diathesis).
Before use, you should read the instructions. It states that you should squeeze a small amount (0.5-1 gram) of ointment onto the affected area of the body and rub it into the skin. To achieve a therapeutic effect, the procedure should be repeated 2-3 times a day for a week. Also, if necessary, after consultation with a specialist, it is possible to extend the therapeutic course.
The minimum cost of heparin ointment is 50 rubles. Of course, the pricing policy depends on the manufacturer, the pharmacy’s markup, and the city where the medicine is sold.
The composition of Hepatothrombin is somewhat different from its predecessor in the presence of additional components. It contains dexapanthenol and allantoin, which are necessary to improve the supply of the active substance to damaged vessels, as well as to protect the skin from adverse effects. Along with the usual one, there is also Hepatrombin G (a modification of this medicine), which is used to treat hemorrhoids.
The drug is produced not only in the form of liniment, but also in the form of a gel for varicose veins of the same name. Just like Heparin ointment, Hepatrombin-gel is not recommended for application to affected areas of the skin. The price of the gel starts at 150-170 rubles.
A structural analogue of Hepatrombin is Venitan-gel, containing the active component - heparin (1%). This product is available in a 50 gram tube. It is worth noting that the composition of Venitan cream and gel for varicose veins differs significantly from each other. If the active ingredient in gel preparations is heparin, then in creams it is horse chestnut fruit extract and escin. The principle of operation will accordingly also be different.
Venitan cream belongs to the group of venotonic agents. In most cases, it is prescribed for minor manifestations of varicose veins (swelling in the evening, increased fatigue of the lower extremities, the presence of small hematomas in the areas of the body affected by the disease).
Venitan cream is also used as an ointment for varicose veins during pregnancy, which is undoubtedly a great advantage of the medicine.
As a rule, this drug is well tolerated without causing complications. It is recommended to use the cream three times a day. It should be applied in small portions to the affected areas of the body and rubbed until completely absorbed.
However, along with the cream, the manufacturer recommends using other means of treating varicose veins in the legs to achieve a complex effect. Venitan is quite affordable at its cost, which, however, is slightly higher than the price of previous drugs (initial cost - 250 rubles).
We can conclude that Gepatrombin and Venitan are quite good and affordable drugs for relieving leg fatigue.
However, despite all the listed advantages of these medications, their use is advisable only after undergoing a full examination and consultation with your doctor.
The well-known drug Troxevasin is available in the form of a gel, the active ingredient of which is troxerutin. It has medicinal properties and has the following effects:
Troxevasin has a high penetrating ability: already 30 minutes after application it is localized in the middle layer of the skin. This remedy is regularly prescribed for the treatment of varicose veins in all its manifestations, namely:
It is important to note that the use of Troxevasin is tolerated without any complications. In medical practice, not a single case of poisoning by its components has been recorded. However, it should be borne in mind that this drug is used exclusively for external application.
Troxevasin should be used 2 times a day for 6-7 weeks. Of the side effects, only two can be distinguished: an allergic reaction and individual intolerance to the components of the drug. You can buy the gel for an average of 180-190 rubles.
A complete analogue of Troxevasin is Troxerutin. It is also available in the form of a gel, the content of the active substance in which is 2%. According to the principle of action, this drug also coincides with Troxevasin. At the same time, the cost of this medicine is much lower - it is about 50 rubles per 40 grams of the product.
This remedy for varicose veins is a derivative of sodium heparin. Along with it, Lyoton includes the following additional components:
Lyoton - gel is used to treat all forms of varicose veins. It should be applied in a thin layer to the skin, rubbing in gently (do not massage your feet). In addition, it is better not to combine the use of this drug with external forms of tetracyclines, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antihistamines (anti-allergic) drugs.
To achieve the desired effect, a course of treatment of 1 to 6 weeks may be required. Longer use of Lyoton requires careful study of the clinical case. A significant advantage of the drug is the absence of contraindications during pregnancy.
Lyoton is available in tubes of 50, 50 and 100 grams of the drug. In accordance with this, the cost starts at 350 rubles, and increases depending on the volume. The proprietary trade name “Lioton-1000” means that 1 gram of the substance contains 1000 IU of heparin.
A prophylactic product based on beekeeping products, Zdorov cream-wax, can be used to prevent the development of varicose veins. Its composition includes the following components:
All of the listed substances complement each other, “transforming” this cream for varicose veins into a unique remedy. The main effects of the drug include:
It should be noted that despite the fairly wide range of applications of Zdorov cream, this remedy should not be considered as a panacea for all diseases. No studies have been conducted on this drug, and therefore it is better to use it for the prevention of pathologies or during the period of remission of the disease, in addition to the main doctor’s prescriptions.
To get rid of varicose veins of the lower extremities, you should rub Zdorov cream-wax into the skin of your legs twice a day with light massaging movements. However, its use is excluded in case of fever, during the period of exacerbation of phlebitis, varicose veins and thrombosis. After applying the cream, do not take a bath for the next two hours. The average cost of Zdorov cream wax is 1,100 rubles.
A drug based on ketoprofen, Fastum-gel, belongs to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It is used as an ointment for varicose veins on the legs only in the presence of complications in the form of pain and inflammation of blood vessels. Moreover, this drug has a number of specific contraindications. Thus, Fastum-gel cannot be used in the following groups of patients:
Recommendations for the therapeutic dosage of the product (it is applied to the affected areas) are as follows: the gel must be squeezed onto the skin 5 to 10 centimeters long; This procedure should be performed up to 2 times a day.
The minimum cost of the drug is 250 rubles. Due to the presence of many side effects (as mentioned earlier), you should consult a specialist regarding the duration and necessity of using this remedy.
This medicine contains diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The main indication for the use of the drug is pain associated with circulatory disorders. This product is recommended to be applied morning and evening at the same time to the area of the source of pain.
The most common side effects are skin reactions in the form of itching, redness and rashes at the site of contact of the drug with the epidermis. In addition, generalized allergic reactions such as Quincke's edema can sometimes be observed. Voltaren should not be used by pregnant women, children, or persons prone to allergic reactions. The price of the drug is 250 rubles.
A drug such as Flucinar is a glucocorticosteroid. The drug contains fluocinolone acetonide, which in its chemical structure is a hormone. Therefore, this medication can be used exclusively as a backup among all drugs for the treatment of varicose veins of the legs.
Thus, its use is justified only when non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are ineffective, as well as in severe cases of phlebitis.
If the patient strictly follows the instructions for use of Flucinar, he will certainly be able to reduce the likelihood of systemic side effects after taking the drug (the most common are only skin reactions).
It should be noted that improper use of the drug can lead to an overdose, accompanied by extremely severe symptoms. For this reason, it is better to refuse self-medication, despite the affordability of the drug (Flucinar can be purchased for about 250 rubles).
Both liniments are similar in principle of operation. They belong to the group of local antiseptics. Ichthyol ointment for varicose veins can only be used to eliminate thrombophlebitic symptoms. Vishnevsky's liniment has the same indication.
The therapy for using these ointments involves making dressings based on this drug: liniment is applied to the lower limbs, then covered with a circular, loose bandage. To achieve the best effect, leave the product on overnight.
The duration of use of ointments depends on the severity of the clinical situation. Liniments Vishnevsky and Ichthyol are completely safe, so even long-term use does not cause side effects. The cost of Ichthyol ointment is approximately 50 rubles, and Vishnevsky’s liniment is 30 rubles.
Some recipes of Eastern traditional medicine do not lose their relevance today: creams based on natural ingredients are often used to treat varicose veins. The most common presence in the composition of such liniments is extracts from earthworms, camphor, Chinese fan, musk and other healing natural ingredients.
Moreover, Chinese creams have virtually no side effects. They should be applied twice a day to the affected areas of the lower extremities.
The cost of such products depends on their manufacturer, as well as on the place of purchase. You can often find them in online stores. However, you should not trust your health to little-studied ointments: before purchasing any product, you should consult a specialist.
You can prepare a cream against varicose veins based on horse chestnut yourself. To do this, you need to grind 5 kernels of the specified ingredient, then pour in 100 milliliters of olive oil and boil for 45 minutes in a water bath.
After the resulting mixture has cooled, add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to it. In addition to the fact that this drug is very easy to prepare, it also has the advantage of being safe to use for expectant mothers: during pregnancy, this cream is an indispensable aid in the fight against increased swelling of the legs.
Calendula has a good anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous effect, from which liniment can also be prepared.
To do this, take half a liter of melted pork fat, melt it in a frying pan and add 50 grams of dried calendula flowers.
The mixture needs to be heated for 3 minutes, after which you will need to remove the pan from the stove and leave to cool at room temperature until the morning. The next day, the resulting product needs to be reheated, cleaned of the cake and poured into jars. The shelf life of this ointment when stored in the refrigerator is 1 year.
Along with the above, there is a recipe for the so-called “miracle ointment”, which effectively eliminates the symptoms of varicose veins. To prepare it, you will need to mix in an enamel bowl 300-400 grams of rendered pork fat, 1 tablespoon each of Ichthyol and Vishnevsky ointment, the juice of one large onion, 2-3 tablespoons of aloe juice, 30 grams of laundry soap and a tablespoon of honey.
Then you need to put the pan with the ingredients on low heat and, stirring constantly, bring to a boil. After this, let the mixture cool. The finished cream can be used to make leg bandages.
In addition to those mentioned earlier, the use of compresses and rubbing of the lower extremities with black radish juice is known as a means for the treatment and prevention of varicose veins. However, any therapeutic measures should be carried out only after consultation with your doctor.