Varicose disease is a pathological enlargement of superficial veins. In this case, their elongation and increase in diameter occurs, leading to a variety of changes in venous trunks. Currently, varicose veins are a very common disease. The frequency of incidence in women is 3 times higher than that of men. This is due to the anatomical structure of the vessels, their location and pregnancy.
In recent decades, there has been a "rejuvenation" of the disease - often varicose veins on the legs, signs of which are already pronounced, occur even in schoolchildren. The WHO attributes varicose disease to life-threatening diseases, “shooting first at the legs, then at the heart,” because of its fatal complications.
Varicose veins - causes
Unlike arteries, veins have valves, due to the presence of which the reverse flow of blood is impossible. When these valves fail to function, with the elastin and collagen imbalance present in the body, the elasticity of the walls sharply decreases, their thinning and stretching occur. As a result, the valves and the vessels themselves do not cope with their functions, a reverse blood flow occurs, and stagnation develops. This is the mechanism of the formation of varicose disease.
With the formation of varicose veins on the causes of the causes leading to its development, several.
Hereditary predisposition
This is one of the main causes of varicose veins - it is defined in 1 / 3 patients with this pathology. In the presence of varicose veins in close relatives (parents, grandmothers, great-grandmothers) the probability of disease occurrence is 70%. The hereditary factor is not the disease, but the genetically conditioned anatomical structure of the vessels:
• congenital defective valves;
• insufficiently developed connective tissue of the vein walls.
In this regard, varicose veins, the symptoms of which are found to varying degrees in young people of both sexes and even in children, is so widespread.
Hormonal imbalance in the body
With varicose veins, the causes of its development are diverse, but among them the most important is the hormonal imbalance that occurs when:
• pregnancy and childbirth;
• menstruation;
• climacteric period;
• treatment with hormones drugs or their use in contraception.
Female sex hormones (progesterone, etc.) and their analogues cause the destruction of collagen in the walls of veins. This significantly reduces their tone.
Inflammatory processes of genital organs
Inflammation in pelvic organs leads to hormonal disorders and changes in blood flow in small veins. As a result, a message appears between the veins and arteries, the volume and blood pressure in the veins increases. They expand, the valves do not withstand the reverse flow of blood, varicose veins appear.
Nervous disorders
The tone of all vessels is regulated by nerve endings. If certain disturbances (stress, depression, neurosis, etc.) occur in the nervous system, the venous tone decreases, and the diameter of the vessels increases.
Physical overloads lead to increased pressure in the veins. With large static loads (excess body weight, weight transfer, pregnancy and childbirth, prolonged stay on the legs without movement), the pressure in the veins increases significantly. The risk group includes sellers, teachers, hairdressers, loaders.
A sedentary lifestyle or work
The scourge of modern life is "computer varicose veins". Muscles of the legs are a kind of "pump": when they contract, the venous blood moves up faster. In the sitting position, the muscles do not contract, except that the veins are pinched, their tone decreases, blood circulation is disturbed.
Increased intra-abdominal pressure leads to high pressure in the veins of the legs, which disrupts the operation of the valves. This occurs with prolonged constipation, sneezing, coughing.
The development of varicose veins may result in reduced immunity, trauma. Sex plays a certain role. In connection with the genetic predisposition in women, varicose veins, the signs of which can be expressed in varying degrees, are much more common than in men. Men also turn to the doctor when dangerous complications come and without surgery it is already impossible to do.
Varicose on the feet - the first symptoms
With varicosity on the legs, the first symptoms from which the disease begins, may be not pronounced and do not immediately attract attention. These include:
• a thin vascular network of purple-blue color;
• pain, fatigue, burning or itching in the legs in the evening;
• numbness or muscle twitching at night.
With progression of changes in venous vessels with varicose veins, the first Symptoms of the disease are aggravated, and complaints become more:
• the skin in places of varicose veins on the legs thickens, flakes, becomes covered with cyanotic spots;
• pain in the gastrocnemius muscles becomes permanent, increases when walking;
• venous nodes appear, which are accompanied by pain on palpation.
In the future, with varicose veins, the signs of the disease increase and edemas appear. They are a signal that the veins do not cope with their function. This period is dangerous because of complications that can lead to death:
• thrombophlebitis;
• thromboembolism;
• trophic ulcers;
• Bleeding that can occur from a small blow is difficult to stop.
Therefore, varicose veins on the legs, signs of which are growing, should be treated in time because of possible complications. Thrombophlebitis (inflammation of the inner walls of the veins) contributes to the formation of blood clots, which can block the flow of blood in the vessel (phlebothrombosis), or, coming off, get blood flow to the lungs (thromboembolism), which can result in death.
To avoid fatal complications, a timely appeal to the phlebologist (angiosurgeon) and blood coagulability check should be made.
Varicose veins - treatment
When symptoms of varicose on the legs appear, treatment should begin immediately. Currently, medicine has made significant progress in the treatment of this pathology.
If the first signs of varicose veins are found on the legs, treatment is still possible without surgery and consists of several procedures:
1. Medicamentous: appointed, depending on the state of the vessels (after the results of examination of vessels on ultrasound or contrast venography), venotonics, NSAIDs, anticoagulants. It is possible to use drugs of these groups locally in the form of gels, ointments, creams.
2. Compression treatment: wearing special stockings, golf, in extreme cases - the use of elastic bandages.
3. Pneumomassage - improves the nutrition of tissues, leads to an improvement in venous blood flow.
4. Sclerotherapy - the introduction of special medications in the vein, overlapping the bloodstream along it. There is a gradual atrophy of the vessel, it disappears.
5. Laser vascular coagulation is the most modern method. It is carried out under anesthesia, a positive result comes in a month.
Varicose veins - prevention
With varicose veins, prevention of the disease in a broad sense consists of three rules:
1. Walk better than standing.
2. Sitting is better than standing.
3. Lying is better than sitting.
In order for veins to function normally, the muscles of the legs should contract. Or the legs should be in a horizontal, elevated position with straight knees.
If a person is forced to stand or sit for a long time, he is in a high-risk group. For good circulation of venous blood, there must be contractions of the muscles of the legs and heart. Therefore, with varicose veins, prophylaxis is an active lifestyle, including, if possible:
• walking at a fast pace;
• swimming;
• cycling.
Physical stress should not be prolonged and debilitating.
With a long standing - "shift" from foot to foot, wiggling your toes.
Preventive measures for prolonged sitting:
• periodically raise your feet to the table or to the level of your heart to improve blood flow:
• you can put your feet on a stand and forcefully lift your toes towards you several times - this will reduce venous pressure;
• a 10 minute break for walking or leg warming up after every hour of sitting;
• in all cases of physical activity (training, running, exercising on a simulator), as well as during pregnancy, before flying in an airplane, during long journeys by car, it is necessary to use compression hosiery.
Contraindicated in varicose veins:
• overeating, eating a lot of spicy, salty, fatty;
• alcohol, smoking;
• excess weight;
• lifting and carrying heavy weights;
• hot baths for more than 10 minutes with a temperature above 36,70 C, saunas, baths, solariums;
• warming up procedures;
• taking hormonal drugs, including contraceptives;
• the heel is more than 4 cm (the muscles of the lower leg begin to contract partially, which leads to impaired venous circulation).
Do not self-medicate. At the first signs of varicose veins it is necessary to consult a doctor and begin timely treatment - this will help to avoid serious complications.