Varicose veins (VV) are one of the most common diseases.The insidiousness of this disease lies in the fact that for many years all pathological changes in the vessels are practically not felt, but they can quickly lead to the development of venous insufficiency, thrombophlebitis or the formation of trophic ulcers.To avoid this, you need to take care of your veins without waiting for serious symptoms of the disease to appear.
What are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are an expansion of the lumen of a vein larger than expected in a given area.As a result, it stretches and becomes crooked.Blood flow in such a vessel becomes turbulent, which leads to stagnation, inflammation and the formation of blood clots.
Varicose veins can appear in almost any part of the body where these vessels have valves that prevent the backflow of blood.
Varicose veins on the legs: stages of the disease
The first phase of varicose veins (compensation).The veins on the legs remain practically unchanged in appearance;only small vessels may be observed or the characteristic tortuosity of individual vessels may appear.At the end of the day, sometimes you are worried about slight swelling in your legs, tiredness, tiredness and a feeling of discomfort.
This phase lasts for many years.If you start treatment at this time, you can significantly delay or completely stop the progression of the disease.This phase is most favorable for conservative treatment.
The second stage of varicose veins (subcompensation).At this stage, cramps may appear in the calf muscles at night, the veins protrude more noticeably, and the extremities periodically hurt.Swelling in the ankle joints is observed almost constantly, but disappears in the morning.The skin in the shin region takes on a brownish-purple hue.
This phase also lasts for years.Conservative treatment measures are no longer as effective as in the first stage, which is why doctors here increasingly recommend various surgical interventions.Preventive measures aim to ensure that the disease does not enter the decompensation phase for as long as possible.
The third stage of varicose veins (decompensation).The veins swell even more, the swelling may not disappear in the morning, the skin in the shin area becomes thinner and wounds appear that do not heal for a long time.As a rule, it is at this stage that the most dangerous complications develop:
- thrombophlebitis (thrombosis and inflammation of the veins);
- trophic dermatitis, ulcer;
- pulmonary embolism (the most dangerous complication, when a blood clot breaks off in the lower extremities and is transported to the lungs through the bloodstream, leading to respiratory arrest and death in 5 to 8 out of 10 people);
- chronic venous insufficiency (swelling and tiredness of the legs even when the varicose veins problem has already been resolved).
At this stage, all therapeutic and preventive measures are aimed at preventing the development of complications and, if they have already arisen, at minimizing their consequences.
Which doctor treats varicose veins?
Phlebologist.This is a vascular surgeon who has received a narrow specialization in the treatment of venous diseases.He is the one who treats varicose veins.
However, if there is no phlebologist in your locality or it is extremely problematic to get an appointment with him, you can ask for help from a vascular surgeon or, in his absence, simply a general surgeon who provides outpatient care.This is much better than simply letting the disease run its course.
How to treat varicose veins?
The treatment of varicose veins largely depends on the stage of the disease, the presence of complications and the specific clinical picture of the disease.
In the first phase, the main emphasis is on changing your lifestyle, abandoning bad habits that aggravate varicose veins and normalizing body weight.In this case, patients, as a rule, can use folk remedies, undergo leech treatment and take herbal remedies.If the disease continues to progress, medications are prescribed that increase the tone of the veins and improve the rheological properties of the blood, as well as the use of compression garments.
In the second stage, drug therapy and compressive clothing become mandatory, with surgical intervention performed if necessary.To prevent complications, annual courses of planned therapy in a hospital are recommended.
In the third stage, the choice of method is dictated by the presence of complications and the general clinical picture of the disease.If serious complications occur, the patient must be admitted to the surgical department.
Varicose vein treatment: what should you change in your lifestyle?
Exercise.More than anything, our veins love it when we walk a lot.Standing or sedentary work contributes to the development of varicose veins.Therefore, if you are forced to stand or sit for a long time, you should perform special exercises every 40-50 minutes.
Habits.As you know, blood flows through the veins in the heels towards the heart.Anything that compresses or tightens the vessels and surrounding tissues impedes the natural flow of blood and contributes to the progression of varicose veins.Therefore, already at the first stage of the disease, you should say goodbye to habits such as:
- sitting in the “leg over leg” position (impaired blood flow at the level of the popliteal fossa, so it is better to switch to the American “legs on legs” or “legs on the back of a chair” posture);
- wear tight belts, stockings, stockings, belts, very tight jeans, tight underwear (partially compressing the veins in the groin, knee, or due to the tight waist, do not allow breathing through the “belly”, which almost excludes the diaphragm from the act of breathing, that is, it facilitates the movement of blood to the heart);
- overeating (overeating always brings extra pounds, and any excess weight in itself can lead to the appearance of varicose veins);
- Walking for a long time in high heels (in this case, the load on the legs increases and the knee area, which facilitates the upward movement of blood, becomes almost incapacitated).