Varicose veins are a problem not only for the elderly, but also for very young people. How often do young women have swollen nodular veins, pain and other problems with varicose veins in their legs after childbirth.
Symptoms of varicose veins in the legs
The first signs of varicose veins of the legs are the appearance of small veins on the surface of the skin. They appear in small groups on the thighs. This is especially noticeable in cellulite. By the way, cellulite is directly related to varicose veins. Adipose tissue replaced by cellulite makes it difficult for blood to flow through the lower extremities and increases the risk of developing varicose veins. Veins visible on the skin are called telangiectasia by doctors. These vascular networks are formed by small veins, which can be a simple cosmetic defect or can serve as a sign of the beginning of varicose veins.
It is recommended to see a doctor to find out if you are at risk of varicose veins. The doctor will also recommend the type of treatment that should be used for varicose veins. Another symptom of varicose veins is swelling of the legs. However, other diseases (kidney, heart, etc. ) can cause swelling of the feet, so it is necessary to rule out these diseases first. And finally, the most unpleasant and indicative symptom of varicose veins is pain in the legs. Pain usually appears in the afternoon, in the area of heavy physical exertion. The calf muscles are sore, sore and not very strong.
So, if you have these symptoms: spider veins, swelling, pain in the legs - you should see a doctor.
Medical treatment of varicose veins of the legs
There are many drugs that are effective in the initial stages of treating varicose veins of the legs. These are the so-called venotonic drugs. They give noticeable results only in complex therapy. Thus, to increase the effect of venotonics, patients with varicose veins should constantly wear compression stockings. These are special socks, stockings and tights. They gently squeeze the diseased limb without squeezing the vessels. Thus, the vessels get additional tone and the disease develops more slowly.
However, special attention is paid to the fact that drug treatment cannot completely get rid of varicose veins. This is only a reduction of venous insufficiency, prevention of thrombophlebitis (which often complicates the life of people with developed varicose veins of the legs).
The doctor may recommend the patient to undergo a course of lymphatic drainage. This is a special massage performed manually or with equipment. After lymphatic drainage, swelling decreases, blood and lymph flow from the lower extremities improves. However, the effect of this procedure is temporary, short-term, so it is impossible to refuse to take venotonics and wear compression stockings.
Folk remedies in the treatment of varicose veins
In addition to medical treatment of varicose veins, you can try to use folk methods. So the shower gives a good effect. Gradually, for several days, you should massage your feet with the water stream from the shower. By lowering the water temperature a little every day, you will gradually switch to cold water - and this will give the most significant result. If it is difficult to pour cold water on yourself, arrange a contrast shower for yourself: turn on hot water for a few seconds, then cold water, and finish the procedure with cold water. After such a shower, the feet should turn red. Rub them with a towel and lubricate with nourishing cream.
Foot baths are beneficial. Note that you cannot take a hot bath with varicose veins.
Prepare a bath according to this recipe in the morning so that your feet are not tired during the day. Birch, nettle and burdock leaves (take 1 tablespoon each) are brewed with 1 liter of boiling water and brewed for half an hour. Then, the resulting broth should be diluted with hot water (to bring it to body temperature) and you can take a bath. Keep your feet in the solution for at least 20 minutes.
Tones the veins of the legs and bath with lemon balm, oregano, chamomile and nettle. Take 2 cups of the mixture (mix all the herbs in equal parts) and brew with a liter of boiling water. After the broth has brewed, add 2 liters of water and keep your feet in a hot bath for 20 minutes.
It should be noted that folk remedies cannot completely cure varicose veins, but they will stop their development.
What is sclerotherapy?
Sclerotherapy is one of the most effective non-surgical treatment methods for varicose veins. The essence of the method is that the doctor injects a special drug into the vein that has been replaced by varicose veins. This drug causes the destruction of the inner layer of the vein, and then the vein itself gradually sticks together and dissolves within 1. 5 years. Blood circulation begins to pass through healthy vessels. Treatment requires 3-6 sclerotherapy sessions per leg. After sclerotherapy sessions, you will see the result only after 2-8 weeks, and all this time there may be unpleasant events: hematomas, tingling, pain. But over time, this will pass and the swollen veins will disappear. The doctor selects the drug individually for each patient, so the risk of side effects and complications is minimal. Varicose veins rarely recur after high-quality sclerotherapy.
If sclerotherapy is performed using an ultrasound scanner, then it is called echosclerotherapy. This method is better, because the scanner allows the doctor to fully control the movement of the syringe in the vein, to control the uniform distribution of the drug.
Foam sclerotherapy is a method of injecting a drug in the form of microfoam into the affected vein. The microbubble is in closer contact with the walls of the vessel, which leads to a higher efficiency of this method. Microfoam forces the blood out of the vein - and because of this, the vein sticks together and stops working faster. In addition, the blood removed from the vein does not dilute the drug, as in conventional sclerotherapy, so the drug works more effectively.
Operations for varicose veins
One of the most modern surgical methods for the treatment of varicose veins of the legs is surgery under general anesthesia. It is a type of local anesthesia based on a mixture of natural anesthetics. This method has many advantages: the patient leaves the clinic within 2 hours after the operation, there are almost no postoperative hematomas, there is no intoxication that occurs with general anesthesia. The vein is removed radically, the effect lasts for many years.
Operations performed under general anesthesia are no less effective, the only difference is that patients tolerate local anesthesia more easily than general anesthesia.
Miniphlebectomy - this operation is performed under local anesthesia. The doctor makes punctures, through which he removes the varicose branches of the veins. This operation can be a substitute for sclerotherapy in some cases. Patients recover quickly, there is no scar, and compression stockings only need to be worn for 1-2 weeks.
Short peeling - this method involves the removal of only the affected area, not the entire vein. The doctor determines the exact position and length of the diseased vein, then two small incisions are made through which the varicose vein is removed. The operation is short, the soft tissues of the leg are not cut - this allows the patient to recover quickly and not feel pain after the operation.
Endoscopic vein cutting is now widely used. Simply put, an incision is made in the affected vein, and an endoscope is inserted into it. The doctor gets an opportunity to see the inside of the affected vein. By moving the endoscope, the doctor finds the length of the varicose vein and then cuts it. The advantages of this method are that the doctor sees everything he does, which allows him not to make mistakes and minimize the trauma that the patient inevitably receives during the operation. This is a very promising method for the treatment of varicose veins, because the result of such an operation is the gradual reduction of venous insufficiency and the improvement of the condition of the veins.
Intravascular laser coagulation is another low-traumatic method for the treatment of varicose veins. An ultrasound scanner monitors the insertion of the light guide into the vein. The light guide is then moved to the point where the vein enters the deep venous system. The laser is activated, under its influence the blood plasma boils and the diseased vessel is reliably closed and stops functioning.
Varicose veins often suffer from generations. Doctors do not know exactly why the disease occurs, but they believe that those whose grandmothers and mothers have varicose veins should be especially careful with their legs. Preventive measures such as running, swimming, shower massage, trying not to gain excess weight, eating right and. . . it is recommended to never get discouraged!