Rainy autumn is approaching, a time when we move less and sit a lot, wear heavy shoes all day, and take hot baths more often and for longer. All this does not have the best effect on our blood vessels, and especially on veins with varicose veins.
Take advantage of a little slowdown in life: take care of the health of your feet.
What are varicose veins?
It would seem that everything is very clear: these are dilated and visible veins in the legs.
However, these changes are not just a cosmetic defect, but a manifestation of insidious varicose veins.
What's happening?
The superficial veins of the lower extremities dilate, leading to the creation of conditions for slowing down blood flow and the formation of thrombi (blood clots) in the lumen of the vessels.
Dangers
Due to lack of nutrition and blood supply, trophic ulcers appear - skin defects on the legs that do not heal in the long term.
The resulting blood clots can break off and travel with blood throughout the body. What does this mean? The development of thromboembolism - the lumen of the vessel is suddenly obstructed and an obstacle to blood flow is created. Several organs are affected: an acute cerebrovascular accident (stroke) or infarction (myocardium, kidney, lung) may occur. The complication is life-threatening and often leads to disability.
What else is known about varicose veins?
The older a person ages, the greater the risk of developing varicose veins. The disease has no sex or age. The disease can occur even in children, although it is quite rare. Women get sick more often than men.
A brief excursion into anatomy.
Our blood moves through the systemic and pulmonary circulation.
Normal
The heart beats rhythmically and pushes blood through the vessels. Thanks to the force of gravity from top to bottom, blood moves easily through the arteries.
Upon reaching the legs, the blood rotates and begins to return through the veins, from the legs to the heart. Without additional anatomical structures, this process is difficult, because blood will simply flow back. To ensure normal blood flow, nature has provided valves in the veins that allow blood to flow in only one direction: upward.
The heart, walls of veins and valves have assistants - leg muscles. Thanks to the vigorous work of the muscles, the blood vessels in the legs contract and relax, pushing blood up from one valve to another.
For varicose veins
The walls of the veins weaken, dilate and lengthen. In this case, the valves stop closing and a gap forms between them, which causes a slowdown in blood flow. Over time, a vicious circle develops: the slower the blood flows, the more the veins stretch and the worse the valves function.
Our veins are under attack
It is believed that varicose veins are a hereditary disease (in 98% of cases). A certain gene is passed on to us from our ancestors, which causes weakness of the venous wall and inferiority of the venous valves. However, even in this case, the disease does not always develop.
Additional unfavorable factors:
- Overweight or obesity.
- A person does heavy physical work, lifts weights and stands for a long time.
- Intense sports, leg injuries.
- Sedentary lifestyle - a person is forced to sit for a long time, for example, 6-8 hours a day at a computer or in a car.
- In women: wearing heels, pregnancy and childbirth, taking hormonal contraceptives (blood thickens).
- Chronic constipation.
- Dietary characteristics: higher amount of carbohydrates, lack of vegetables and fruits. Because the body does not receive the substances necessary to restore the structure of the venous wall.
How to recognize varicose veins? To do?
The disease has several stages of development with the gradual appearance of new symptoms. Only a doctor should understand this.
You can independently assess the health of your veins and/or suspect the development of a disease.
When to go to the doctor
At the first signs of illness: swelling, heaviness or pain in the legs, sometimes cramps in the calf muscles. In this case, there may be no visible changes in the veins of the lower extremities.
And, of course, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible if veins appear in the legs. Moreover, it does not matter which veins and with what intensity they are visible. They may be dilated veins with the formation of bluish nodules. Sometimes the changes are minor in the form of a vascular pattern, the so-called "stars" or "meshes", which are the initial signs of varicose veins.
Correct diagnosis is the basis of successful treatment
Doppler ultrasound and duplex angioscanning of the leg veins are performed. The investigation is informative from the early stages of the disease: when there are only complaints and no visible changes in the veins.
From tablets and ointments to surgery
For varicose veins, contactphlebologist. The sooner the doctor addresses the health of your feet, the more effective the treatment will be.
The "gold standard" is surgical removal of varicose veins, which has been practiced for decades. The intervention is somewhat traumatic and is performed in a hospital under anesthesia with incisions and sutures.
However, modern medicine takes a gentle and comprehensive approach to solving the problem.
The choice and combination of methods depends on the severity of the disease:
- Phlebotonics and phleboprotectors are prescribed - drugs that improve the condition and tone of the venous wall, increasing the outflow of venous blood from the lower extremities.
- Anticoagulants, inflammation reducers and pain relievers are used.
- Wear therapeutic compression stockings (stockings/stockings). The class is selected by the doctor depending on the stage of the disease or for prevention purposes.
- Minimally invasive surgical interventions: sclerotherapy, endovenous laser coagulation, radiofrequency vein obliteration. The altered veins are "glued" or "sealed. "The procedure lasts about an hour and after a while the patient goes home. Advantages: no cuts, infections, suppurations. Thanks to technology, the risk of complications is almost zero.
Can varicose veins be cured?
No. If a person has inherited a disease from his ancestors, no doctor will be able to cure him forever.
You can eliminate the consequences of the disease, stop its further development and get rid of complications. However, there is still a fairly high risk of relapse. Therefore, follow your doctor's recommendations and try to avoid situations that have a negative impact on the health of your veins.
Flying gait: prevention of varicose veins
Almost everyone is at risk of developing varicose veins, so it wouldn't hurt for us all to follow simple rules in certain situations.
During pregnancy
Hormonal changes and compression of the inferior vena cava by the pregnant uterus cause stagnation of blood in the veins of the lower extremities.
How to proceed
Select compression stockings together with your doctor. When signs of illness appear, phlebotonics are prescribed.
In a standing or sedentary occupation, lifting heavy objects
Blood circulation worsens and the load on the lower extremities increases.
How to proceed
Avoid tight clothing and socks with tight elastic bands. Do not wear shoes with heels higher than six cm, while working move more frequently, change positions and do simple exercises.
When sitting, avoid crossing your legs, crossing your legs, or putting one or both legs under you.
With a sedentary lifestyle
Blood stagnates in the veins of the lower extremities.
How to proceed
Play sports that place dynamic stress on the lower leg. By contracting and relaxing, muscles improve the movement of blood in the vessels. Swimming, running, walking and cycling are suitable.
With hereditary predisposition
There is a high probability that the disease gene will manifest itself sooner or later. In addition, it does not matter which veins were weakened in our ancestors: hemorrhoids, legs or groin.
How to proceed
Visit a phlebologist once a year for a preventive examination. Try to move more and avoid situations that negatively affect the veins.
P. S.Varicose veins are a "silent" disease. For a long time, the disease does not cause pain, does not cause discomfort and does not interfere with life. Unless the "mesh" is perceived as an annoying cosmetic defect. Meanwhile, a timely visit to the doctor will help avoid many problems.