Probably everyone has seen people with prominent veins in their arms. Some consider this to be the norm or an individual characteristic of a person. In fact, the veins must be hidden under the skin and any change is a reason to think about your health. In addition to swelling of the veins, discomfort or a change in skin tone can be an alarming sign.
Are there varicose veins in the upper extremities?
Varicose veins are a vascular disease. It can affect any vessels and occur anywhere in the body. Considering that the triggering factor is excessive load, in most cases varicose veins affect the members of the body. The disease occurs mainly in the legs, but varicose veins in the hands also occur. According to the international classification (MKB-10), it corresponds to the I86 code.
The varicose veins in the upper extremities are easy to recognize - the veins in the hand and forearm swell up and look like blue snakes. The disease affects more women after age 50, as well as male athletes and bodybuilders.
Protruding and swollen veins: is the risk of varicose veins high?
Under the action of excessive loads, the venous walls stretch and the valves of the veins cannot fully perform their functions. If your veins looked normal before, but are now swollen, you should see your doctor for a detailed examination. The sooner a problem is detected, the easier it will be to address.
If vein changes occur, the danger of varicose veins is really great.
In addition to external unsightly manifestations, varicose veins affect the patient's well-being, causing pain and causing some complexes.
Characteristics of varicose veins in the upper limbs
The first changes in the varicose veins in the hands appear as blue nodules. After a while, they can disappear and reappear.
This suggests that the veins cannot cope with the increased load, but recover quickly when the provocation factor is eliminated.
In the absence of timely treatment, nodules in the veins of the arms will be observed constantly and then the expansion will affect the longest section of the vessel. In this case, the vessel swells considerably, which often draws the patient's attention and forces him to consult the doctor.
Other reasons
Not only does excessive loading negatively affect vessels. Other reasons for the extension may be:
- Stress.
- Taking oral contraceptives or hormonal imbalance in a woman.
- Smoking and alcohol abuse.
- Intensive exercise.
- Unbalanced diet. Read about the correct diet for varicose veins here.
- Heredity.
The hormonal background greatly affects the condition of blood vessels. As you know, it is less stable in women than in men.
Symptoms of violation - pay attention!
Even if the person is unaware of a problem such as varicose veins, he should be alerted by the following changes:
- Swelling.
- Burning and discomfort.
- Fast fatigue and weakness.
- Numbness or pain.
- The contrast between the color of the vein and the skin is clearly visible.
- Raising your arms reduces the size of your veins.
In thin people with thin skin, the veins may appear swollen. However, this is not a pathology, but a characteristic of the body.
If this symptom has been seen since birth and is not accompanied by other symptoms, don't worry.
Looking at a picture of varicose veins in the arms and a healthy limb, you will immediately notice the difference and know what to look for.
Treatment methods
Tactics for treating varicose veins on the hands depend on the stage of development of the disease. In the initial stages, conservative methods of treatment are used and, in later stages, surgical ones.
People at risk are advised to dedicate themselves to preventing varicose veins to avoid dangerous complications.
Conservative treatment includes the use of special compression stockings, consultation of special medications, diet and physical therapy. All of this in order to increase the tone of the veins, strengthen the blood vessels and reduce their permeability.
The medical shirt is represented by special gloves or sleeves made of special materials. Underwear must be worn at all times to provide mechanical support to the vessels and prevent their expansion. The degree of compression is selected by the doctor, taking into account the disregard for the pathology.
Treatment of advanced stages of varicose veins in the hands
When deep veins are affected, limb function can be impaired. The person feels weight, pain, discomfort, becomes unable to do the usual work.
Surgical intervention is used in the later stages. Some of the most effective and safe methods are laser correction and sclerotherapy. Its advantages are as follows:
- No pain.
- No scars or scars.
- Rapid tissue repair.
- Good cosmetic result.
With sclerotherapy, a positive effect can appear several weeks after the procedure. It only takes a few minutes. The patient is injected into a protruding vein to inject a sclerosing agent.
The process is absolutely painless. The gluing of the vein occurs under the action of the medication and does not require the surgeon to cut the tissue. To avoid relapse, the patient must wear a compression brace.
The advantage of modern methods is that they have no negative effect on the surrounding tissues, eliminate skin incisions and almost never cause complications.
Hirudotherapy
For many vascular diseases, hirudotherapy is popular. Despite being an unconventional treatment method, it does require compliance with certain rules. It is not recommended to put leeches on your own. For this procedure, only healthy worms are suitable, which are used only once.
The secret of the medicine secreted by the leeches helps to strengthen the blood vessels and make the blood thinner. It helps to reduce edema, eliminate blood stagnation, normalize microcirculation and restore vein structure.
Home treatment
Many patients try to cure varicose veins in their hands with folk remedies. As monotherapy, they are suitable only in the first stage of the disease.
If varicose veins are severe enough, traditional recipes can only be used in addition to the basic scheme prescribed by the doctor.
Chestnut-based remedies help well against varicose veins. The healing properties of this plant are also recognized by official medicine, since the chestnut is part of many venotonic ointments.
You can make your own cream at home. For this, the nuts are crushed and mixed with the melted pork fat. The agent is used externally, with the aid of light rubbing on the affected area.
Compresses made from cabbage or wormwood leaves have a positive effect on the treatment of varicose veins. They are crushed in a blender with the addition of a small amount of oil or kefir so that the beneficial substances penetrate deeper into the skin. The mixture is impregnated with gauze and applied to the enlarged areas of the veins.
One of the popular methods to get rid of any disease is a bath.
Prevention of varicose veins in the hands
To prevent varicose veins in the arms, doctors recommend:
- Limit physical activity in the upper limbs. Girls must not lift weights, and male athletes must wear compression clothing during training.
- Change the type of activity. People with sedentary keyboard work need to take breaks to raise their hands and stretch their joints.
- Eat right. Antioxidants and vitamins are useful for strengthening blood vessels, especially C and PP. In the daily diet, you need to include more fresh fruits and vegetables, in addition to at least 1. 5 liters of clean water.
- Taking a contrast bath, don't forget your hands. Cold water trains blood vessels, prevents the formation of nodules and allows you to achieve the desired vein tone.
- Control your weight. Excess body weight creates a constant load on the vessels and, over time, their strength decreases.
- Minimize negative factors. Alcohol, smoking, stress - all of these have a negative effect on blood vessel elasticity and tone.
Possible complications
The veins in the hands are not only a cosmetic defect, but also a dangerous medical condition.
Blood stasis forms in areas of expansion, which leads to insufficient nutrition in adjacent tissues.
An area with poor microcirculation eventually becomes the focus of an inflammatory and even infectious process.
In the future, this may cause thrombophlebitis or blockage of the vascular lumen by a thrombus.
The formation of a blood clot is facilitated by slowing blood circulation in the area of expansion, increased coagulability and disturbance of the structure of the vascular wall. Most often, thrombosis occurs in the lower extremities, however, prolonged tightening of the hand or an uncomfortable position can cause the formation of venous arms and a thrombus.
Thrombophlebitis can be suspected if the patient complains of pain and swelling in the hands, while cyanosis increases with a tightening of the wrist. The severe interruption of blood flow in a certain area causes necrosis of the adjacent tissues and leads to the need for limb amputation.
Male varicose veins are less common due to the fact that strong sex is emotionally more stable. However, in addition to stress, other triggers can cause venous dilation even in young men.
Feeling of heaviness in the hand, night fatigue and the appearance of nodules are some of the first symptoms of varicose veins in the upper limbs. Taking care of your health and having regular medical examinations will help you maintain your health and look beautiful.