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 practically do not make themselves felt, but then they can quickly lead to the development of venous insufficiency, thrombophlebitis or the formation of trophic ulcers.To avoid this, it is necessary 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 that is larger than expected in a given area.As a result, it stretches and becomes tortuous.The blood flow in this vessel becomes turbulent, causing stagnation, inflammation and the formation of blood clots.
Varicose veins can appear almost anywhere in the body where these vessels have valves that prevent the backflow of blood.
Varicose veins in the legs: stages of the disease.
The first stage of varicose veins (compensation).The veins on the legs practically do not change in appearance;Only spider veins may be seen or the characteristic tortuosity of individual vessels may appear.At the end of the day, sometimes you are worried about slight swelling of the legs, their fatigue, fatigue and a feeling of discomfort.
The duration of this stage is many years.If you start treatment at this time, you can significantly delay or completely prevent the progression of the disease.This stage is the 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 limbs periodically ache.Swelling in the ankle joints is observed almost constantly, but disappears in the morning.The skin in the shin area takes on a purplish-brown hue.
This stage also lasts for years.Conservative treatment measures are no longer as effective as in the first stage, so doctors are increasingly recommending various surgical interventions.Preventive measures are aimed at ensuring that the disease does not enter the decompensation stage for as long as possible.
The third stage of varicose veins (decompensation).The veins swell even more, the swelling may not go away 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 dislodges from the lower extremities and is carried by blood flow to the lungs and then causes respiratory arrest and death in 5 to 8 out of 10 people);
- chronic venous insufficiency (swelling and fatigue of the legs even when the problem of varicose veins 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 appeared, minimizing their consequences.
What doctor treats varicose veins?
Phlebologist.This is a vascular surgeon who has limited specialization in treating diseases of the veins.He is the one who treats varicose veins.
However, if there is no phlebologist in your locality or it is extremely problematic to consult with him, you can seek help from a vascular surgeon or, in his absence, simply from a general surgeon who performs outpatient visits.This is much better than simply letting the disease take its course.
How to treat varicose veins?
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 stage, the main emphasis is on changing lifestyle, abandoning bad habits that aggravate varicose veins and normalizing body weight.In this case, patients, as a rule, are allowed to use folk remedies, undergo leech treatment, and take herbal remedies.If the disease continues to progress, medications that increase the tone of the veins and improve the rheological properties of the blood are prescribed, in addition to wearing compression garments.
In the second stage, drug therapy and compression garments become mandatory, and if necessary, surgical intervention is performed.To prevent complications, annual courses of planned therapy in a hospital are recommended.
In the third stage, the choice of the method is dictated by the presence of complications and the general clinical picture of the disease.If serious complications occur, the patient should be hospitalized in 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 to 50 minutes.
Habits.As you know, blood flows through the veins from the heels to the heart.Anything that squeezes or pinches the vessels and surrounding tissues impedes the natural flow of blood and contributes to the progression of varicose veins.Therefore, already in the first stage of the disease, it is worth saying goodbye to habits such as:
- sitting in the "legs on legs" position (impaired blood flow at the level of the popliteal fossa, so it is better to change it to the American posture of "legs on legs" or "legs on the back of a chair");
- wear tight belts, stockings, stockings, belts, too tight jeans, tight underwear (they partially pinch the veins in the groin, knee or, due to the tight waist, do not allow breathing from the "belly", which almost excludes the diaphragm from the act of breathing, that is, facilitates the movement of blood to the heart);
- overeating (overeating always leads to extra kilos and any excess weight alone can cause varicose veins);
- Walking in high heels for a long time (in this case, the load on the legs increases and the knee area, which facilitates the upward movement of blood, becomes almost unusable).