Sputnik learned from a specialist whether it is possible to resist varicose veins and what to do if they appear.
Many of us consider the appearance of venous patterns on the legs to be almost a norm.
Are varicose veins a disease or a consequence of stress?How dangerous is it?Let's look at the physiology of the body.
Europeans get sick more often
Varicose veins have been known since Egyptian times.Hippocrates and Avicenna tried to treat it.
Nowadays, a large part of the working population suffers from this disease.And the reason is often not the physiological working conditions.
The outflow of blood from the lower limbs occurs through veins: deep, deep in the muscles, and subcutaneously, passing through the subcutaneous fat.The deep and superficial venous systems of the legs are connected by connecting veins.The basic feature of the structure of the veins of the lower limbs is the valves, which direct the blood flow strictly towards the heart, preventing the blood from flowing downwards.Valves in the connecting veins allow blood to flow from the saphenous veins to the deep veins and prevent its return.The venous valves in the legs are unevenly distributed.Most of them are on the lower legs, the least on the thighs.
Interestingly, varicose veins affect white people more often.The reason lies in the number of valves.Representatives of Negroid and Mongoloid races have several times more valves than Caucasians.
If there is a dam, there will be a flood
What causes blood to flow through the veins to the heart?First of all, the active contractions of the muscles of the leg, lower leg and thigh, as well as the contraction of the diaphragm and partly the heartbeat.With any movement, the contracting muscles squeeze the blood out of the veins and push it towards the heart.Calf muscles are considered the second heart of the body because they play an important role in walking.
The laws of fluid movement in the body are no different from the laws of fluid movement in nature.
If an obstacle (dam) appears in the river's path, the river begins to widen (spill) below the obstacle.The same thing happens in the body.If the veins become pinched somewhere on the way to the heart, the excess blood that is not pumped out dilates the lower sections of the veins, thereby disrupting the function of the valves (not closing) and overall blood flow in general.The veins begin to dilate.
Varicose veins are dilation of the saphenous veins.If we are talking about the legs, when a person is standing, the veins cannot extend above the level of the skin.
There are two ways to solve this problem:
- treatment of incompetent venous valves, closure or removal of superficial veins;
- eliminate the cause of the narrowing or pinching of the vein on its way to the heart.
Blood from the lower extremities rises into the femoral veins, which collect in the inferior vena cava, which then enters the right atrium.
There are many obstacles along this long path where the vein (column of veins) can become narrowed, resulting in increased pressure on the lower parts.
If there are problems in the large intestine (section of the cecum), then due to the anatomy, the veins begin to swell first in the left leg (this is a warning sign), so you must carefully monitor bowel movements and avoid constipation.
Normally, a person should have a bowel movement every day in the morning.It is important to follow the correct eating habits.
What you need to know about female varicose veins
Women giving birth weakens the pelvic floor muscles, which in turn can put pressure on the femoral veins.
The first sign of pelvic floor weakness is webbing in the ankle area.Pelvic floor strengthening exercises such as Kegel exercises are very effective.
Ovarian inflammation or adhesive disease is both a cause and a consequence of varicose veins.Venous blood is saturated with toxins and carbon dioxide, and stagnation always means an increase in the concentration of those toxins that lead to inflammation and tissue changes, so all the organs in the pool are at risk.Stagnation of venous blood in the pelvis is also the cause of infertility, impotence and hemorrhoids.
Sedentary lifestyle and sedentary work can be the cause of pelvic congestion.Therefore, movement during the day or simple exercise while working is essential.
The hormonal background of women and the use of contraceptives lead to chronic venous insufficiency.
How not to harm yourself?
The condition and anatomical position of the liver play a huge role in either preventing the formation of varicose veins (if healthy) or in the occurrence of veins (in case of abnormalities).
Since the vein from the lower limbs to the right atrium also passes under the liver, any enlargement or rotation of the liver relative to its axis can cause compression of the vein and increased pressure on the lower venous sections, thereby causing the formation of varicose veins.
The thoracic-abdominal diaphragm is sensitive to a person's psycho-emotional state.Any negative emotion (fear, anger, irritation) causes the release of adrenaline and cortisol hormones, which in turn cause muscle spasm and compress the lumen of the venous column.
Considering that we are irritated more than once or twice during the day, the health of the nervous system is of great importance in the treatment and prevention of varicose veins.
Injuries to the lumbar region, weakness of the quadratus lumbar muscle can cause the venous pump to malfunction (it pumps blood upwards due to inhalation and exhalation).This causes congestion, increased pressure in the veins and, as a result, dilation of the veins.
Wearing tight clothing and shoes tends to compress superficial veins and impede blood flow.
Sitting cross-legged is very dangerous.In this situation, not only the popliteal vein is compressed, but also the position of the pelvic organs is disturbed.
Keep the process under control
Instrumental examinations - ultrasound, X-ray with contrast material and others - help to identify and solve many problems.
The condition of the blood directly affects varicose veins.Thick and viscous blood is always very difficult to push upwards, overcoming the gravitational force of the Earth.This leads to wear and tear of the venous vessels, valves and blood clots.This is a very dangerous condition, because a detached blood clot that enters the lungs or heart can lead to quick death, and sometimes doctors simply do not have time to provide emergency help.
Old, uncontrolled varicose veins can lead to thrombophlebitis, as stagnant venous blood is rich in toxins and can cause inflammation of the inner surface (epithelial layer) of the vein.
It is important to keep the varicose veins under control - once the vein is maximally dilated, it will be impossible to restore it to its previous state.Unless you delete it.But you need to understand that there is nothing superfluous in the body: the blood volume of the removed vein is redistributed among the nearby veins, increasing the load.
What symptoms should you see a doctor for?
The first signs of trouble are swelling of the lower legs and feet, a feeling of heaviness in the legs that occurs after prolonged sitting or standing.These symptoms disappear or are significantly reduced when walking and after a night's rest.
If you ignore these manifestations, then over time there will be exploding pain in the calf, a feeling of heat in the legs and night cramps in the calf muscle.There will also be external changes.Small bluish-red spider veins appear on the thighs and legs, veins with a diameter of up to 2 mm appear through the skin, and finally, the most characteristic manifestation of the disease is varicose veins.
Today, there are two methods of treating varicose veins: surgical and conservative.
With conservative treatment, we eliminate as much as possible the factors that led to the development of varicose veins.True, the situation is greatly influenced by genetic predisposition - here, as they say, you can only deal with the consequences.
How to support the body?
Control of water and drinking must be observed.Water is consumed in portions: often and in small portions.Avoid foods that can cause thirst, constipation and atherosclerosis.Sweets are completely excluded, as sugar leads to glycation of red blood cells and blood clots, flour from premium flour, as this leads to gas formation.
There should be physical activity (swimming, Nordic walking) and special daily exercises for the legs.But active sports with weight lifting are not suitable.
If varicose veins appear, wear a compression garment or apply an elastic bandage.It is very important that the bandage does not change its shape when stretched, and the application of the bandages should be started from the foot, grasping the heel.
You should take venotonic drugs according to the doctor's recommendation.
Sclerotherapy and laser correction are also very popular these days.Pneumatic massage is very effective when performed in courses.
When preventing or treating varicose veins, be aware of yourself and the symptoms that may bother you at first.Remember that veins are part of the body;they are the leaders of life in our wonderful bodies.Be healthy!