Problems with blood vessels are a fairly common phenomenon, occurring more and more frequently in modern society.Nowadays, varicose veins of the extremities are not only diagnosed in the elderly.The disease affects young people and even children.
What are the symptoms of varicose veins in the legs, arms and other parts of the body?It is very important to know the first signs of the disease.Since the effectiveness of all subsequent treatment depends on a timely diagnosis.
This article will be devoted to the symptoms of varicose veins in the legs and other parts of the body.We will also talk about the causes of diseases and the preventive measures necessary to prevent the development of the pathological process.And, of course, we will pay attention to all kinds of methods of treating varicose veins in the legs, arms or other organs.
This disease is believed to only affect the limbs of the human body.However, this is not true.Recently, doctors are increasingly diagnosing varicose veins of the small pelvis in women.The pathology is also found in the veins of the esophagus and other internal organs.How to identify and treat such anomalies?Let's find out.
Definition of disease
Before knowing what the disease is, it is necessary to obtain general information about the structure of the human circulatory system.
As you know, the blood in our body circulates through the vessels.Arteries are vessels through which blood flows from the heart to various organs and tissues.Veins are also vessels, but blood flows through them in the opposite direction - from organs and tissues to the heart.
For this process to occur in the right direction, there are one-way valves inside each vein.They provide the necessary blood circulation in the right direction.What else can be achieved with these valves?Blood does not accumulate in one place, but circulates and enriches the body.
Varicose veins are characterized by damage to intravascular valves or even their complete absence.As a result, the general flow of blood is disturbed and it accumulates in the place where the pathology is detected.Because of this, the veins increase in volume and dilate abnormally.
There are several types of veins in our body - superficial (located immediately under the skin), deep (hidden deep in muscle tissue) and communicating (connecting the first two types).
Most often, varicose veins are diagnosed in superficial veins, for example in the legs, knees, calves or thighs.However, the disease can also affect vessels located in the pelvic or rectal region.
Lower limbs
First, let's pay attention to varicose veins of the lower extremities.Externally, the disease manifests itself in the form of purple, blue or bluish-green veins under the skin that curl and protrude outward.Similar manifestations can be seen in the photo below.
Causes of varicose veins in the legs
The main cause of the disease, as mentioned above, is pathological processes occurring in the blood vessels themselves.What could trigger such changes?
The main provocateurs of the disease include a hereditary predisposition to deformation of the veins.In addition, excessive loads on the legs can have a negative impact on blood vessels, for example, when a person, due to his professional employment, constantly stands or walks.It is not surprising that teachers, athletes and hairdressers are predisposed to this disease.
Other negative factors that affect the elasticity of blood vessels are excess weight, hormonal changes and cardiovascular diseases (e.g. thrombosis).
Don't forget about bad habits that have a negative impact not only on your veins, but on your entire body as a whole.It is clear that smoking and alcohol abuse can provoke the development of a pathological process in the blood vessels.
Often, the development of the disease can be triggered by pregnancy, which represents a great stress and burden on the woman's entire body.In addition, carrying a baby affects the hormonal background of the expectant mother, which can also cause pathological processes occurring in the circulatory system.However, it is worth remembering that, as such, pregnancy is not the cause of varicose veins.Carrying a fetus may be the reason or one of the reasons for the manifestation of the disease.
It's no secret that the disease is most often diagnosed in women and is not always associated with pregnancy or hormonal changes.Wearing uncomfortable shoes (very narrow or with very high heels) is another of the main reasons for the development of varicose veins in the lower extremities.
An important factor in the development of abnormal expansion of blood vessels can be various damage to the veins.This may include injuries or inflammatory processes occurring in the vessels, as well as the formation of blood clots.
How to identify the disease early to initiate timely and quality treatment?Let's find out.
Details about symptoms
The first sign of a problem is pain in the legs, particularly where the valve disorder occurred.It is also very important to pay attention to unpleasant sensations in the lower extremities, as if the leg were heavy.This sensation is an important sign of vascular deformation.
Abnormal protrusion of the veins is another sign of the development of pathology.Dark purple veins appear under the skin, curl and swell.
The skin in the area of the affected vessel becomes dry, may peel and darken, itch and itch.At the site of development of the pathological process, edema forms, the skin swells or swells.
If you do not pay attention to these manifestations in time, the symptoms may intensify.The person begins to feel cramps and open ulcers form in the region of the varicose veins, which can bleed and cause pain.Wounds are a possibility of infection, so you should see a doctor as soon as possible so as not to complicate an already difficult situation.
Identification of the disease
What will they say at the hospital?Most likely, a specialist will refer you for the necessary tests to diagnose the disease and rule out other possible illnesses.
The most important diagnostic step is the physical examination of the patient.The patient will be asked to stand, sit and swing their legs.It is based on an external examination that the diagnosis will be made.
After that, the doctor may recommend a Doppler ultrasound, based on which it will be possible to examine the blood flow and, if present, detect a blood clot.
An angiogram may also be prescribed by a specialist.This study involves injecting a certain dye into the vein, thanks to which the structure of the vessels and their pathological changes will be clearly visible on the x-ray.
General recovery principles
Is it possible to cure varicose veins at home?Yes, especially when it comes to the early stages of the disease.
The first thing your doctor will advise is to adjust your weight and nutritional program.In other words, if the patient has extra pounds, he must go on a special diet to normalize body weight.If the patient's weight is normal, he still needs to monitor his diet, avoiding fatty and salty foods, which can negatively affect blood vessels and also cause obesity.
Also, a therapeutic diet may involve the rejection of strong coffee (and sometimes even tea), smoked foods and canned foods.Alcoholic drinks are also a 100% contraindication for people suffering from varicose veins.It is very important to eat more vegetables and fruits (including natural juices), grains and soy.And, of course, don't forget the greens.Parsley, dill and lettuce are what will help you face any ailment!
Your doctor may also prescribe the use of compression garments, such as stockings or even tights.
Many men may have doubts about such an unusual treatment for varicose veins in the legs.However, you should not worry about this issue.Compression garments are a fairly common method for treating vascular pathologies of the lower extremities.Its judicious use will not only relieve the patient from unpleasant symptoms and pain, but also help prevent the progression of the disease.In some cases, such a piece of clothing will be recommended to the patient for constant use throughout their life.Often, compression stockings are prescribed to pregnant women to alleviate their condition during pregnancy, when the body cannot be helped in any other way.
The essence of this therapeutic underwear is that it compresses the leg in the ankle area, gradually weakening the impact on the skin of the leg.This encourages proper blood circulation towards the heart.
Nowadays you can find various compression socks and tights on sale, differing from each other not only in size, but also in the degree of compression (pressure exerted on the leg).
Another way to treat varicose veins is to prescribe special exercises for the legs.The specialist recommends the patient some exercises that will help normalize blood flow in the extremities.
Let's move on to drug treatment
To help combat the disease, special ointments and oral medications can be prescribed, the aim of which is to thin the blood and improve its circulation.Additionally, these medications can strengthen blood vessel walls, relieve inflammation, and relieve pain.
Most often, doctors prescribe phlebotonics (or venotonic medications).They improve lymphatic drainage, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, give them elasticity and reduce capillary permeability.
The patient may also be prescribed antiplatelet agents that dissolve clots and improve blood fluidity by inhibiting platelet aggregation and suppressing their adhesion.
During an exacerbation of the disease, it is very important to take medications that prevent blood clotting.To this end, the attending physician may prescribe medications based on heparin or its derivatives.
According to experts, it is best to use non-steroidal medications against inflammation.
And, of course, we shouldn't forget about ointments.Local medicines are presented in large quantities on the pharmacological market.
More radical treatments
The methods described above do not always achieve the desired result.
In these cases, your doctor may recommend non-invasive treatment options.What do they include?Let's discuss each method.
laser treatment
One of the gentlest methods of treating varicose veins is the use of a laser on the surface of the epidermis.A small flash of light illuminating the vein walls promotes the development of sclerosis, causing the affected vein to disappear, as if it had been removed.
Intravenous laser coagulation is another procedure for treating varicose veins.However, it involves making a small incision in a location just above or just below the affected vein.Then a catheter is inserted into the vessel and ultrasound is sent.The laser action lasts approximately one minute, after which the patient feels heat in the region of the affected vein, which, after a certain time, disappears, becoming part of the connective tissue.
As the patient receives local anesthesia before the procedure, the person feels absolutely nothing.After manipulation, a feeling of heaviness in the lower extremities and bruising may occur.However, this does not in any way affect the recovery period.The next day the patient can go to work and carry out their usual activities.
Radio frequencies
Along with the laser, the ablation method can also be used, which is carried out in almost the same way as the laser coagulation described above.The only difference is the equipment used.Instead of a laser, the specialist uses radiofrequency energy, which enters the affected vessel through a catheter, heats it until the walls of the vein collapse and it closes.After that, the blood is directed in another direction - to a healthy vessel.
Surgical intervention
It involves complete or partial removal of the affected vessel.Surgery for varicose veins is only prescribed as a last resort when other treatment methods have failed.To combat varicose veins, surgeons use different surgical techniques.Some of them will be listed below:
- Crossectomy.
- Vein extraction.
- Miniphlebectomy.
- Endoscopy.
The essence of these manipulations boils down to the following: small incisions are made on the leg in several places (most often below and above the affected area), after which a thin flexible thread is inserted into the vessel, which removes the diseased vein.These operations are performed quite frequently and almost always go without complications, but they carry certain risks and inconveniences.
For example, such surgical interventions are performed under anesthesia (general or spinal).The use of anesthesia can cause allergic reactions to the medications used, bleeding and breathing problems.
Other negative factors that may occur after surgery include the possibility of infection, bruising and swelling in the affected area, nerve damage, irritation of the veins or formation of blood clots within the vessels.We must also not forget that surgical intervention does not guarantee the absence of relapses in the future.
The post-operative period doesn't last long.Within a day or two the patient can begin their daily tasks.He will be advised to wear compression garments for a week.
Sclerotherapy
This is one of the treatment methods for varicose veins, which should also be paid attention to, and can be carried out directly in the doctor's office, without hospitalization.During the manipulation process, a special chemical solution is injected into the diseased vein, which acts as an irritant, causing the vein to thicken and close.After that, blood circulation is carried out through healthy vessels.
This procedure is applicable when a small vein located in the knee region is affected.Sclerotherapy is often combined with other varicose vein treatment methods.
Various medicines are used as a chemical solution.After the procedure, the patient must wear compressive bandages soaked in a sclerosing agent.The duration of use will be determined individually by the attending physician.
Side effects of such injections include the following negative manifestations:
- The appearance of blood clots in other vessels of the lower extremities.
- Headaches.
- Painful sensations in the lower back.
- Temporary visual impairment.
- Fainting.
- Irritation of the epidermis around the injection site.
Still, most patients tolerate sclerotherapy well.If contraindications are taken into account and the manipulation is carried out correctly, a positive result in the treatment of varicose veins is guaranteed.
First aid kit for people
Is it possible to cure a disease using alternative medicine?In some cases - yes, especially when it comes to the primary manifestations of the disease and if treatment using grandmother's methods is carried out with the permission of the attending physician.
So, what components should you stock up on to start effective treatment of pathology?First of all, let's take apple cider vinegar.Mix two teaspoons of the product in a glass of water, add a little honey and drink it in the morning on an empty stomach.
Apple cider vinegar can also be used for topical application in the form of friction, after dissolving in water (ratio of 1 to 10).Gently rub the affected area at night - in the morning the unpleasant symptoms should subside.
Often chestnut tincture is used against varicose veins.To do this, collect beautiful, intact fruits and grind them in a meat grinder.Then fifty grams of raw materials are placed in a half-liter bottle of vodka and placed in a dark place for two weeks.After that, the tincture is filtered and taken orally, thirty to forty drops per tablespoon of water, half an hour before meals, three or four times a day.The course of such treatment is one month.Then take a break for two weeks and, if necessary, repeat again.
This tincture can also be used to rub the affected area at night.
An ancient method of getting rid of varicose veins is the use of leeches.The amount of hirudotherapy required in each individual case is up to the patient and his doctor to decide.
Therefore, we pay close attention to varicose veins of the lower extremities.Now let's talk about other types of diseases.
Pelvic vessels
This pathology is easily confused with gynecological diseases in women.
Varicose veins in the pelvic region can be considered hormonal disorders, pathologies of the genitourinary system or even common radiculitis.However, it is very important to identify the disease as early as possible.Varicose veins in the pelvis in women can cause disruptions in the functioning of the ovaries and the entire circulatory system.
What are the causes of this intimate illness?
Disease provocateurs
The main reasons for the development of the disease include difficult pregnancy, regular high-intensity physical activity, a sedentary lifestyle, some gynecological diseases, long-term use of hormonal medications, dissatisfaction with sex life, and so on.Most often, varicose veins of the pelvic veins occur against the background of an increased amount of estrogen.And, of course, don't forget that excess weight and bad habits don't improve, they only make the situation worse.
How to identify such a disease?
This important symptom
Firstly, pelvic varicose veins are manifested by pain of varying intensity, which worsens after or during sexual intercourse, physical activity or prolonged stay in the same position.The disease is also characterized by bleeding, frequent urination, accompanied by pain, swelling, redness of the vulva or perineum, burning or itching in this region.
A few words about treatment
How to get rid of pathological dilation of the pelvic veins?First of all, you should contact a specialist.He may recommend the use of compression clothing and special gymnastics (exercises performed in a supine position are known - “birch”, “scissors” and “bicycle”).
Among folk methods, decoctions of dandelion or chaga root, as well as chestnut tinctures have proven to be the most effective.
What can be said about another type of varicose veins - pathology of the gastrointestinal tract?
Digestive organs
Esophageal varices are not considered a very common disease;Most of the time, the disease is a concomitant symptom of some more serious illness.
Why does such a pathology occur and how to determine it?
Briefly about the causes and symptoms
The main causes of dilation of the esophageal veins are congestion of the liver vessels, caused by thrombosis or cirrhosis.This pathology is most often diagnosed in men, as well as in patients with serious chronic diseases, especially those over fifty years of age.How to identify the disease?
Varicose veins in the esophagus are most often asymptomatic, manifesting themselves in rare attacks of heartburn, heaviness in the abdomen, difficulty swallowing and belching.Sometimes patients may have external signs of a pathological process - protrusion of blood vessels and veins in the anterior wall of the abdomen (abdominal cavity).
Most of the time, the disease is diagnosed during a crisis, that is, when the wall of a vein ruptures and bleeding occurs.In most cases, bleeding is accompanied by vomiting (with blood), low blood pressure, general weakness, increased heart rate and bloody discharge (or impurities) in the stool.
If these symptoms appear, you should definitely take a blood test and an x-ray (with the introduction of special contrast solutions).
Treatment of esophageal pathology
Most often, treatment of this disease is carried out in intensive care.In conditions of bleeding, the initial task of doctors is to eliminate it.For this purpose, astringents, colloidal solutions and hemostatic agents can be used.In some cases, doctors recommend a transfusion of blood or its main components (or blood substitutes).
If the methods listed above do not produce results, experts may consider it advisable to perform surgery or esophageal sclerosis.After recovery, the patient will need to follow a very strict diet for the rest of their life.Proper nutrition will include split meals, avoiding fatty, smoked, salty and fried foods, excluding hot or very cold foods, and so on.
Prevention
It is known that the disease is easier to prevent than to treat.What measures should be taken to prevent the occurrence of a pathological process in the veins?
First of all – a healthy lifestyle!Reasonable nutrition, moderate physical activity, getting rid of bad habits, wearing comfortable shoes and clothes - all this will help not only improve your well-being, but also avoid many serious diseases.Good health to you!