Thanks to veins, blood in the human body flows to the heart. Varicose veins of the lower extremities cause the veins to dilate and lengthen. This disease is widespread nowadays. Women aged thirty to forty suffer most from it. Let's take a closer look at why varicose veins develop on the legs, how they are diagnosed and treated.
Why does the disease develop?
Varicose veins of the lower extremities develop gradually. It is facilitated by various unfavorable factors for the veins, which over time make themselves felt in the form of the formation of nodules and meshes.
Reasons why varicose veins develop on the legs:
- Overweight;
- The intestines cannot cope with their work, which is why constipation often occurs;
- Flat feet;
- High blood pressure;
- Passive lifestyle;
- Great physical activity;
- Prolonged tension in the legs.
Due to excess weight, the legs undergo great stress, which leads to stagnation of blood in the veins. Also, if the intestines malfunction, the functioning of all organs and systems of the human body is disrupted. Since blood travels a long way before getting back to the heart from the lower extremities. And if the intestines work intermittently, venous blood will not be able to return back to the top, which leads to its stagnation in the legs.
In addition to the factors described above, the development of the disease is also facilitated by diseases of the pelvic organs, and hormonal imbalances with pregnancy, stress, antibiotics, alcoholic beverages, and smoking.
Varicose veins of the lower extremities are inherited at the genetic level. Since it is transmitted from parents, children can begin to suffer from varicose veins from a young age. Therefore, it is important to carry out disease prevention, which will help prevent the disease and prevent the development of serious complications.
Symptoms and diagnosis of the disease
The main symptoms of varicose veins of the legs are the following:
- Swelling of the legs at the end of the working day;
- A feeling of fullness and heaviness in the calf area after sitting or standing in one place for a long time;
- Tingling in the legs;
- The appearance of cyanosis of the legs;
- Formation of nets and stars on the legs.
If these symptoms appear, it is important to urgently visit a phlebologist or vascular surgeon. If you start treatment in a timely manner, you can prevent the development of complications.
The specialist will carefully examine the patient and listen to complaints. He will also prescribe all tests and undergo the necessary examination. To accurately diagnose and prescribe correct and effective treatment, the doctor prescribes the following studies:
- Ultrasound examination of veins, called duplex vein scanning. Thanks to ultrasound, an experienced specialist will see the condition of the patency of the veins, as well as how much they have dilated. In addition, such a study will tell you whether there are blood clots in the veins and in which direction the blood flows;
- Using contrast venography, varicose veins of the lower extremities can be accurately diagnosed. Thanks to venography, the condition of the veins is assessed, the presence of blood clots and tumors is determined. During this study, a substance is injected into the leg area that colors the blood blue, which makes it possible to make an impression of the patient’s veins on an X-ray.
Most often, vein examination is carried out using duplex scanning.
When to see a doctor urgently
Since varicose veins are dangerous for the human body, it is important to urgently seek medical help when the following situations occur:
- If severe and sharp pain in the legs occurs with any movement;
- If in the morning, when you want to get out of bed, you feel a sharp pain in your leg. In this case, the leg has a swollen, dense appearance, and the skin burns;
- If, in addition to pain, there is weakness throughout the body, shortness of breath and a constant feeling of oxygen deficiency;
- If the leg affected by varicose veins begins to ooze blood.
The above symptoms force a person to immediately consult a doctor to prevent unwanted bad consequences.
Correctly treating varicose veins
Taking into account the advanced state of the disease, emerging complications associated with varicose veins, as well as the patient’s age, the doctor prescribes conservative or surgical treatment.
Varicose veins are treated using the following methods:
- Treatment of the disease without surgery. This method of treatment is effective only at the first symptoms of varicose veins. Conservative treatment methods include wearing special compression garments, following a special diet, and regularly performing a set of physical activities.
On the advice of a doctor, you can choose special knee socks or socks for your feet, with a certain compression. You can also wrap your legs with elastic compression bandages. Such underwear should be worn throughout the day and removed only before bed.
Also useful is a special massage, which is carried out with special cuffs filled with air. Thanks to pneumomassage, blood circulation improves, tissues breathe better, pain and discomfort associated with varicose veins disappear;
- Treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities also occurs with the help of medications, which in turn are divided into venotonics, anticoagulants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Anticoagulants prevent blood clots from forming in the veins.
Thanks to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, inflammation and pain are eliminated.
- Varicose veins are also treated with leeches. Leeches bite the skin, dig into it and release hirudin, which thins the blood and prevents blood clots from forming;
- Treatment with sclerotherapy, in which the affected veins are completely removed. The procedure goes like this. The doctor injects a special medicine into the vein, which glues the veins together and prevents blood from flowing. Because of this, vein degradation occurs. The vein completely resolves within a year. This procedure does not interfere with blood circulation. To completely cure varicose veins using sclerotherapy, you need to undergo three to six such sessions;
- Varicose veins are also treated with laser. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. The first results will be visible within three weeks of such treatment;
- If the above-described conservative methods do not produce results, the doctor resorts to surgical treatment. On the second day after surgery, the patient can already walk independently.
What method to treat varicose veins in your case should be determined by the doctor individually. There is no need to self-medicate such a serious disease.
Expert advice
Doctors advise all their patients who come to them with varicose veins the following:
- Try to drink more than two liters of purified water every day. Water will help you lose excess weight and also prevent the development of varicose veins;
- It is important to do a fasting day once a week. On this day you need to fast. A one-day fast will help cleanse the body of waste and toxins;
- Try to quit smoking. After all, nicotine has a bad effect on blood vessels and provokes the development of varicose veins;
- Try not to overheat and strengthen your immune system so as not to get sick. Do not sit in a hot bath or sauna for too long;
- It is not recommended to change the climate suddenly. Therefore, it is best to relax in your own climate zone.
The simple tips listed will help prevent varicose veins, and will also make it easier to bear if the disease has already affected your legs.
Varicose veins and traditional medicine
It is necessary to begin treatment of varicose veins with folk recipes only after consultation with a doctor and in parallel with a conservative method of treatment. Traditional medicine recipes that will help get rid of the disease:
- Mix one part minced white garlic with two parts cream butter. Apply the resulting product to the damaged veins, wrap your leg with parchment paper and a bandage or a warm scarf. This compress is done at night. In the morning, wash off and put on warm pants;
- For a year, before going to bed, tie slices of green tomato to the affected veins. Thanks to the vegetable, varicose veins will become soft and decrease in size. And after a while they will disappear altogether;
- Mix sour milk with wormwood. Place the resulting mixture on a bandage and wrap it around your legs. The procedure is carried out overnight;
- To prevent your legs from hurting from varicose veins at night, you need to eat the following apple porridge. Pour three Antonovka apples with a liter of boiling water and let it brew for three hours. Then take out the apples and make a puree from them, which should be consumed twice a day, 30 grams;
- Pour boiling water over 30 grams of nettle and let it brew for an hour. Then strain and drink a quarter of a glass three times a day. Drink for 1 month, then take a break for two weeks and repeat the course. Nettle treatment should be carried out for six months;
- Pour boiling water over the hop cones and let steep for 15 minutes. Drink the tincture half an hour before meals. For faster results, wet the bandages in the intoxicating infusion and apply them to the affected veins;
- Pour boiling water over 5 grams of chopped nutmeg. Add 5 grams of honey and stir. Let it brew for 30 minutes. Drink 60 minutes before the morning meal and two hours after it. Nutmegs are poisonous, so you can drink no more than five grams per day. Failure to follow this warning may result in death;
- Place the Kalanchoe leaves in a liter jar. Half leaves and half alcohol. Infuse for two weeks in the dark. Shake the jar every day. Lubricate your feet with the resulting product daily;
- You need to peel five potatoes. Grate them and brush your feet with the resulting puree. After four hours, rinse the potatoes with warm water;
- Pour 50 grams of horse chestnut with alcohol (500 milliliters). Let it brew for two weeks. After a while, strain and drink 15 grams three times a day with water. The course of treatment is 7 days. Then a break of 14 days. After completing just three such courses, your legs will improve.
It is important to remember that the described traditional medicine treatment methods can only be used after consultation with a doctor, so as not to aggravate the situation and not harm your health.
Dietary rules for varicose veins
Try to eat foods that contain fiber every day. Thanks to fiber, excess and unnecessary substances for the body are removed from the body. Fiber copes with toxins, waste, pus and even radionuclides. It is sometimes also called an intestinal cleanser. Therefore, it is useful to eat different cereals and peels of vegetables and fruits.
If you eat only pearl barley porridge for a couple of days, you can get rid of extra pounds, remove swelling, improve your skin and hair condition.
To lose excess weight and improve blood circulation in your legs, try to consume less animal fats. They can be replaced with vegetable oils, which improve blood flow and are therefore considered useful for varicose veins of the legs. To prevent obesity, increased cholesterol and sludge in the body, exclude fast foods and fast food products from your diet.
It is very useful to eat foods enriched with vitamin C, which strengthens the walls of veins and improves immunity. Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, sea buckthorn, rose hips, black currants, onions and garlic.
Now you know why varicose veins of the lower extremities develop, how it can be correctly diagnosed and what treatment is provided for this disease. Only by strictly following all the recommendations of an experienced doctor can you overcome this disease in a short period of time and continue to live and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.