Varicose veins (varicose veins) - a condition in which the veins increase in diameter, become winding. Most often this is due to impaired work of venous valves.
Venous system. Features of the structure of the veins.
Venous vessels are part of the cardiovascular system, they carry blood from peripheral tissues to the heart. The opinion that venous blood always flows through the veins, and arterials always flow in the veins. In fact, this is not always the case. For example, pulmonary arteries carry venous blood from heart to lungs, and pulmonary veins are returned from the lungs to the heart of arterial.
In many arteries, blood flows under high pressure, so they have a thick dense wall. On the contrary, in the veins the blood pressure is quite low, so their wall is thinner and less dense. In the lumen of many veins there are valves - they pass blood in only one direction, thereby contributing to its advance to the heart. The valves are absent only in the veins of the head and neck, since they are above the heart, the blood flows down them freely.
What happens in the veins? The essence of varicose veins.
The walls of the veins of the lower extremities are forced to constantly experience increased loads, since the outflow of blood through these vessels occurs against gravity. The main mechanisms leading to varicose veins:
- excessive stretching of the venous wall;
- Disruption of the venous valves.
It is far from always possible to say exactly why these pathological changes occur in the veins. There are factors that increase the risk of varicose veins.
The causes of varicose veins
Factors that increase the risk of the disease:
- Directing. This factor is present in all people. Legs are the most remote from the heart of the body, which is below the rest during standing and walking. Venous blood is most difficult to return to the heart from the feet.
- Age. As the risk of varicose veins increases, as the venous valves wear out. They stop closing completely, so that a small amount of blood can flow in the opposite direction. She stagnates in the veins of the legs, instead of returning to heart.
- Floor. Women suffer from varicose veins more often than men. This is facilitated by hormonal changes in the female body during pregnancy, in postmenopause, before menstruation. Female sex hormones contribute to the relaxation of the walls of the veins.
- Hormone replacement therapy and taking oral contraceptives.
- Heredity. The more members of your family suffer from varicose veins of the lower extremities, the higher your risks.
- Obesity. Extra pounds contribute to increasing the load on the cardiovascular system. The pressure in the veins increases.
- Standing or sitting for a long time. This leads to stagnation of blood in the veins of the lower body. For example, office workers, surgeons and other people who are "standing" and "sitting" work often suffer from varicose veins.
- Pregnancy. During pregnancy, women suffer from varicose veins much more often than in other periods of life. This is due to some physiological changes in the body of a pregnant woman.
Signs of varicose veins
- Noticeable expansion of subcutaneous veins. They increase, become winding, well visible under the skin. Variciously dilated veins most often look like cereals, the "worms" of blue or dark purple. Such a picture occurs only with varicose veins located under the skin. If venous vessels located deeper in the fabrics are affected, it is impossible to notice this outwardly.
- Sensation of severity in the legs. Usually it occurs or intensifies after intense physical exertion, in the evening and at night.
- Various unpleasant sensations. It can be a burning sensation, a feeling of pulsation, tingling, numbness.
- Swelling on the legs. Stagnation of blood in varicose veins leads to the fact that fluid begins to linger and accumulate in the tissues. Edema occurs closer in the evening, as a rule, first only on the feet. As a violation of the outflow of venous blood increases, swelling extends to the lower legs, hips.
- Muscle cramps. They arise due to a violation of the blood supply to tissues, when a person stands for a long time.
- Pain in the legs. Not all patients are worried. Intensify with prolonged standing.
Complications of varicose veins
In most patients, varicose veins do not lead to complications. But the following states may occur:
- Bleeding. In case of damage to the skin in the area of varicose veins, bleeding occurs, which may not stop for a long time. In such cases, you need to lie down, raise your legs up and press on the bleeding area. If the blood continues to go, you need to consult a doctor.
- Ulcers for varicose veins. Very painful, most often located in the ankle. Ulcers occur due to edema and impaired blood supply to tissues in the area of varicose veins. Usually an ulcer is preceded by a pale spot on the skin. If this complication arises, you need to immediately consult a doctor.
- Thrombophlebitis for varicose veins. A condition in which blood clots grow on the venous wall and inflammation occurs. In the area of damage, a feeling of heat, redness, pain can occur. Usually, with this complication, the doctor prescribes compression linen, painkillers.
- Chronic venous deficiency. A condition in which the exchange of oxygen, nutrients and waste products between the skin and blood is disturbed, due to impaired blood supply. Chronic venous deficiency increases the risk of pathologies such as eczema, hard dense skin, trophic ulcers.
- Venous eczema (stagnant dermatitis). Skin lesion caused by stagnation of venous blood and edema formation. The main symptoms: red spots, peeling, itching in the field of varicose veins.
- Restless legs syndrome. It is characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs that arise at rest. The patient must constantly make movements, which is why sleep is often disturbed.
Compression linen for varicose veins
Compression stockings and elastic bandages with varicose veins compress dilated veins, thereby improving blood circulation. As a rule, compression underwear wrapps the legs around the ankles most tightly, and above gradually becomes more free. It helps the blood move through the veins in the direction of the reverse strength of gravity - up to the heart.
Many patients note that compression stockings and elastic bandages help to cope with discomfort, pain, edema.
Despite the fact that compression linen helps to improve blood flow and cope with some symptoms, it does not heal varicose veins. During the studies, ambiguous results were obtained, so scientists cannot say whether compression stockings help to eliminate or prevent varicose veins.
Varieties of compression linen:
- Stockings and tights. The most common type of compression laundry. Stockings reach the hips, tights - to the waist. Compression tights are most convenient, as they are securely fixed and do not slide.
- Golfs. They reach the knee. Often used by men. There are different models.
- Elastic bandages. There are different lengths, can only be intended for bandaging the lower leg or lower leg and hips. This is the cheapest, but the most uncomfortable variety of compression linen. The bandage has to be applied longer than putting on tights or stockings, it constantly slides. The degree of compression is controlled manually by regulating the strength of the bandage, and is not always adequate.
Operations for varicose veins
With pronounced varicose veins on the legs, they resort to surgical treatment. Usually the operation is performed under general anesthesia. In most cases, the patient is discharged from the hospital on the day of surgical intervention. If the operation is carried out on two legs, then perhaps it will be necessary to spend one night in the hospital.
There are different types of surgical treatment of varicose veins.
Dressing and removal of an expanded vein
Two cuts are made: one in the groin, the other below, in the ankle, knee or in another place. In the upper section is found, bandaged and crossed by a vein. Through it, a special thin wire is carried out to the lower section, after which it is pulled together with the below. Removing the surface vein will not affect the blood supply to the leg, as its functions will take on deep veins.
Possible complications of dressing and removal of the vein:
- the formation of large hemorrhages;
- bleeding;
- pain;
- A very rare complication is deep vein thrombosis.
Restoration of performance after such an operation in most patients occurs within 1-3 weeks. All this time you will have to wear compression stockings. If there is venous insufficiency, compression underwear will have to be used in the long run.
Sclerotherapy
During this procedure, a special substance is introduced into the vein, which damages its wall from the inside and leads to the overlap of the lumen. Varicosis takes place within a few weeks. Sometimes the medicine has to be administered several times.
Radio frequency ablation
The technique provides for heating the vein wall using radio frequency energy. The course of the procedure:
- A small cut is made above or below the knee and access to Vienna.
- Under the control of ultrasound, a catheter (a half flexible tube) is carried out in a vein.
- Then, through the catheter, the doctor conducts a probe that emits radio frequency energy.
- The energy emitted by the probe heats the vein wall from the inside, causes its burn and closing the lumen of the vessel.
Usually this operation is performed under local anesthesia, without anesthesia. During the procedure, the patient may experience small unpleasant sensations resembling injections with pins. Sometimes a small skin burn occurs. Within a few weeks after radio frequency ablation, compression linen must be worn.
Treatment of varicose veins with a laser
Closing the lumen of the vein can also be caused by irradiation of its wall from the inside with a laser. The course of the procedure:
- A catheter is introduced into the patient's vein.
- A source of laser radiation is carried out through a catheter to Vienna.
- The laser causes the heating of the vein, the burn of its walls from the inside and the ceiling of the lumen.
- The surgeon directs the laser rays under the control of the ultrasound and gradually burns the vein wall.
As a rule, the treatment of varicose veins with a laser is carried out under local anesthesia. The procedure is effective in 98% of cases.
Exercises for varicose veins
Therapeutic gymnastics can be beneficial for varicose veins. Below we will consider the simplest set of exercises, but before their implementation you must definitely consult a doctor. Only your doctor will be able to say exactly which loads are not contraindicated to you and are able to benefit.
How can gymnastics help with varicose veins:
- improving the outflow of venous and lymphatic vessels;
- improvement of blood supply to the lower extremities;
- increasing the tone of the walls of the veins;
- improvement of blood circulation in small vessels;
- Strengthening the muscles of the legs, increasing their endurance.
Massage for varicose veins
Massage can be used for varicose veins, but not always, it depends on the degree of severity and the presence of complications. Do not engage in self -massage, it is better to contact a professional massage therapist.
Massage for varicose veins helps to reduce symptoms such as swelling, convulsions, numbness and other discomfort. It relieves tension in the muscles and helps to restore the normal tone of the venous walls. With varicose veins, massage is often combined with physiotherapy exercises.
How to deal with varicose veins at home?
There are some measures that can be used independently, at home to slow down the progression of varicose veins and reduce the sense of discomfort to which it is accompanied by:
- Physical activity. Walking helps strengthen the muscles of the legs and improve the outflow of venous blood. Consult your doctor, he will recommend the level of physical activity that is suitable for you.
- Maintaining a healthy weight. Adhere to a healthy diet. If you suffer from an excess body weight or obesity, try to get rid of extra pounds. Consult with a nutritionist: a specialist will give recommendations on the nature of the food that will be optimal in your case.
- The right choice of clothes. Do not wear high -heeled shoes, tight linen and clothes that squeeze the veins.
- Raising the legs up. It will be very good if you can periodically take breaks and raise your legs above the level of the heart. When you sleep or just lie on the bed, put 3-4 pillows under your feet.
- Breaks with prolonged sitting or standing. Try to move every 30 minutes.
- Do not put your foot on your leg when you sit. Because of this, the veins are squeezed, the outflow of blood is even more disturbed.
Prevention of varicose veins
It is impossible to completely prevent varicose veins. Existing preventive measures help only delay the disease or slow down its progression, if it has already arisen.
- If you have to sit or stand for a long time, be sure to take breaks. Walk, go off. If possible, you can lie down and raise your legs.
- Try to keep your legs in a raised position when you are sitting, resting, sleeping. It is sometimes useful to go to the sofa or on the floor and hold their legs raised, leaning them against the wall.
- The more often your legs are higher than the level of the heart, the better for their veins.
- Perform physical exercises that help strengthen the muscles of the legs. Thanks to this, blood movement will improve through the veins.
- If you have overweight or obesity, try to lose weight. This will not only reduce the risks of varicose veins, but also positively affect the condition of the entire cardiovascular system.
- Do not wear cramped clothes, especially one that pulls in the waist, groin, legs. Because of it, the outflow of blood through the veins may worsen.
- Try to wear high -heeled shoes as little as possible. Because of this, the tone of the muscles of the legs is disturbed, they stop helping to push blood through the veins.