Varicose veins are a rather dangerous disease that scares many girls. With this disease, the veins in the legs often become enlarged and visible from the outside, which greatly impairs the aesthetic appearance. However, the danger is not limited to the appearance, because the disease can have serious consequences, so you should see a doctor immediately after the first signs of varicose veins appear on the legs of women. During early treatment, it is possible to eradicate the disease without surgery; as the severity worsens, the likelihood of treatment with conservative therapy decreases.
Causes of varicose veins
Varicose veins are a disease that occurs when there is a genetic predisposition to it and external stimulation due to improper lifestyle or severe stress.The factors influencing the development of the disease are multifaceted, so we conditionally distinguish 3 types of probable causes. The first, most common, is a genetic change that is localized in the blood vessels, the probable causes are: thin walls, insufficient valves, or weak ones. The second, hereditary factor is that people whose parents have a similar illness are often at higher risk of occurrence. The third reason is quite extensive - a negative effect from the outside, but often accompanied by other factors listed.
The following external causes can trigger the first signs of leg varicose veins in women:
- Long stay in a standing or sitting position;
- The patient lives a measured life without physical exertion;
- Bad habits, smoking and drugs are the most dangerous, but the negative effects of alcohol are not inferior;
- Pathology in the operation of valves;
- Various diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- Improper diet;
- Negative impact of the environment;
- Obesity, being overweight, is one of the most dangerous factors in the development of varicose veins;
- Mechanical injuries to the legs;
- Use of uncomfortable clothing to constrict blood vessels, such as high heels;
- Chronic constipation.
The primary signs of varicose veins in the legs are seen in people of different ages, but most often in women over 40 years of age. New average statistical minima for the incidence of varicose veins in young people are established each year. Symptoms can occur within 20 years. However, 70% of varicose veins are recorded in women. To prevent side effects, you should consult a phlebologist who will diagnose and prescribe treatment.
Preparations for external use
Varicose creams and ointments are available in many forms depending on the brand.They affect the veins in the legs, relieving swelling, relieving pain, relieving severe foot syndrome, toning the walls of the blood vessels and diluting the blood somewhat.Despite a number of positive points, it is worth noting that medications make it difficult to achieve complete healing because the dilation of the walls is irreversible.
Most often, treatment of leg varicose veins begins in women or is supplemented with creams:
- Phlebotonics - their main effect is to improve the tone of the membranes, which helps prevent further varicose veins. However, it is possible to eliminate edema, burning sensation, seizures, especially at night;
- Anticoagulants (blood thinners) - medicines are used to increase the fluid parameters of the blood, which prevents blood clots from forming in the dilated vein and improves blood flow upwards. It is necessarily prescribed for thrombophlebitis. In addition, they reduce the severity of leg edema and stimulate blood circulation;
- Anti-inflammatory. These include non-steroidal medications that can reduce the inflammatory response.
Ointment treatment is prescribed as the main therapy in the early stages of the disease, and then the main task is to prevent further development. In the later stages, it acts as an integral part of complex therapy or accelerates rehabilitation.
Drug therapy
More often than other methods, medications are used because they work in a complex way and accompany almost every stage of the treatment of the disease.If symptoms of varicose veins are detected in the legs, in most cases different medical methods are prescribed, only rare exceptions can lead to surgery.
Most medications have their own characteristics of use, dosage, and side effects, so self-medication is not recommended, you should consult a professional.
Before treating varicose veins in women, it is necessary to examine which treatment methods would be more acceptable and to identify the cause of the disease.Drugs are traditionally divided into 3 categories: normalizing blood flow, preventing the risk of complications, and eliminating symptoms.In order to qualitatively remove the symptoms of leg varicose veins in women and achieve disease regression, the drugs must be applied in a complex manner. There are such groups of drugs:
- Anticoagulants help to dilute the blood;
- Phlebotonics improve the quality of the vessel wall;
- Angioprotectors prevent negative effects and reduce vascular permeability;
- Antioxidants help eliminate oxidation reactions;
- Corticosteroids, antispasmodics, anti-inflammatory drugs help relieve pain, swelling and inflammation;
- Vitamins and minerals, immunomodulators, help to regenerate the body’s properties to resist the development of pathology.
Dosage and choice of medication should be made by your doctor. It is often the case that drugs are used little from different groups in order to have a complex effect.
Anticoagulants should only be used if there is a risk of blood clots, ie with increased blood density. Antioxidants are prescribed primarily for the risk of complications. Vitamin complexes are shown by everyone, but should be selected individually based on diagnostic data.
Varicose veins are called female diseases, but they are primarily associated with veins, so they also occur quite often in men. The drugs described can be used by a strong half of society.
Surgery
If it was not possible to cure early in the varicose veins, conservative therapy could be replaced by a more radical method - surgery. Today, the least invasive methods are most common when only a small defect is needed through which drugs or devices are injected. The usual method of surgery is used only if there is an increased risk of the thrombus breaking.
The operations are presented in the presence of such manifestations of the girls:
- A complex form of the disease;
- Pathology in the saphenous veins;
- Blood circulation is impaired, the patient's life becomes difficult;
- Occurrence of complications in the form of thrombosis or trophic ulcer;
- Rapid progression of the disease, which poses a risk to the patient’s health.
However, a number of contraindications include:
- Hypertension;
- Ischemia;
- Infectious diseases of high fever;
- Old age;
- Erysipelas inflammation or eczema;
- II-III trimesters of pregnancy.
The usual surgery is called phlebectomy.When executed, the damaged vessel is completely eliminated, this applies to both large and small branches.In doing so, several small incisions are made, allowing only local anesthesia. Cross-section is performed in a similar way when the vein is not removed but only ligated.
More advanced techniques - laser, sclero, ultrasound therapy. This is done with a small injection with an insulin syringe or a small incision. A special substance (sclerosant) or device is injected into the vessel. As a result, the vein sticks together and the blood circulation dries out in the vessel. To date, a new sclerotherapy method has been developed that allows the use of a foam-type drug.
Treatment with leeches
Leeches are drugs that have long been known for their positive effects on the blood. Thanks to them, various diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, have been treated in the past. Despite the many modern techniques available, hirudotherapy remains popular.
Leech saliva contains a unique substance - hirudin, which prevents the blood from clotting, making it more fluid. In this case, the cure will help dissolve the blood clots. So the blood is not only diluted but also purified. Doctors note that after treatment, the edema disappears, the legs and feet do not hurt, and blood flow normalizes.
Hirudotherapy is prescribed at all stages of the disease. The usual course of treatment is 5-6 times. You must take a 3-4 month break to complete the course. During the procedure, 1-2 leeches and an additional 3 leeches are placed in the most problematic areas along the entire affected vein.
Healing exercises
Exercise and warm up every morning. By implementing a complex of simple exercises, the quality of human health can be significantly improved:
- Take a reclining backrest on your back and raise your legs to a perpendicular position you can throw against the wall. Keep your legs in this position for 3 minutes. In this case, breathing should be slow, not the stomach but the chest;
- Recumbent exercise bike. It is necessary to perform the movement of the legs, which is similar to a bicycle, the duration of the exercise is 3-5 minutes;
- Stand up on your toes in a standing position, you do not need to rise high, it is enough to come down 1 cm from the surface. The operation is performed about 30 times;
- The position should be pumped with one foot and then the other to the toe. The angle of the foot must not exceed 45 °. The duration of the procedure is 15 minutes; over time, the load must increase.
It is recommended to take daily walks, at least half an hour. Swimming is an effective remedy, you should visit the pool once a week.
Other treatments
It is not necessary to focus only on the main component of the treatment, because the effect of the drugs can be significantly improved with the help of excipients. Additional methods make it possible to eliminate symptoms, increase the effect of medications, and reduce the risk of relapse.
The basic recommendation of your doctor is to use the right diet. Possible use of folk remedies. To determine the right diet, it is advisable to consult a dietitian to find the best foods to normalize blood circulation. There are general principles to follow:
- Eat lots of vegetables, preferably raw;
- Eat more berries or fruits, preferably raw, but fruits frozen or dried in winter are suitable;
- Add nuts and legumes to the dishes;
- There is a lot of seafood;
- For cooking, prefer flaxseed or olive oil;
- Exclude fried, fatty, spicy, smoked, salty and sweet foods from your diet;
- Add up alcohol, coffee, cigarettes completely.
Lifestyle plays an important role, time for active rest, cycling, walking, exercise, dancing, swimming. To maintain the normal condition of the legs, the exercise should be done daily. It is recommended to recharge regularly every 2 hours when standing or sitting for a long time.
An important condition in the process of rehabilitation and prevention is the use of compression underwear. It compresses the legs, causing the blood supply to the legs through the saphenous veins and removing the load from the visible blood vessels. There are canvases with different compression levels, the doctor will provide information on the required form.
Recipes of traditional medicine
Folk recipes are very popular today, as some plants strongly influence the symptoms of the disease.
The most popular folk remedies:
- Horse chestnut, almost all its derivatives are used;
- Inflorescences of white acacia;
- Purple flowers;
- Swamp creeper leaves;
- Grape leaves;
- Wormwood leaves;
- Willow bark;
- The stem is celandine.
The plants are prepared in the form of a tincture. Add 2-4 tablespoons. l. selected ingredients and pour 0, 5 liters of alcohol. Stick to a place where the sun is out of reach for 2 weeks. Use spirits for body lotions and leave them overnight.
Treatment during pregnancy
Therapy during pregnancy should only be selected by a physician who prefers medications during this period without contraindications. Usually preventative measures are chosen: diet, exercise and creams are also used.
Tinctures of wormwood, chamomile, hops and calendula are recommended for pregnant women. They are placed as a night cream or compress. At the same time, it is important to avoid hot baths, saunas, and not to use alcoholic solutions indoors.