Varicose veins: symptoms and treatment in the legs

Varicose veins are a common pathological process associated with varicose veins, joints and blood stasis. Varicose veins in the legs are characterized by the nodular structure of venous vessels in the epidermis. In the initial stage of the disease, there are no symptoms. Many people have a question about what the treatment of this disease should be.

What is this disease?

Varicose veins of the lower extremities are a very dangerous disease that can be fatal. This is a pathological damage to the organs of the circulatory system. With the complication of the disease, an irreversible process of stretching and stretching of the veins is observed.

Nodes begin to form in the capillaries that impede normal blood flow. With varicose veins of the deep veins, the vessel walls dilate so much that the functioning of the valves deteriorates. For this reason, the blood begins to stagnate in the legs.The disease mainly affects people in their 30s and 40s.

Reasons for development

The causes of this disease can be very different. Among them are:

• hereditary factors (possible congenital anomaly or venous cell weakness);
• is ​​more common in females (in women, the disease is observed much more often due to the use of hormonal drugs, the risk also increases due to delayed birth);
• increased intravenous pressure (this is due to an inactive lifestyle, in the presence of excess weight);
• presence of neuroendocrine changes; mechanical obstruction to normal blood circulation (this can be facilitated by constant compression of the limbs);
• presence of allergic reactions;
• changes in the immune system;
• disorders in the functioning of the valves of the venous system;
• this pathology can start to develop due to cellulite or dermatitis.

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to determine the root cause of the disease. An experienced phlebologist will help you do this.

Symptoms and manifestations of internal varicose veins

It is important to see a doctor in time,if varicose veins of the lower extremities appear. The symptoms of this disease in the early stage of varicose veins will be as follows:

• has swelling of the extremities by the end of the day(this symptom is seen in the ankle and foot, edema may also appear in the lower half of the lower leg);
• the patient develops a severe sensation in the calf muscle area(a feeling of satiety occurs after a long walk or walk, this symptom may appear after a long stay in one positionsitting).

A characteristic feature of this disease is the fact thatafter rest, all symptoms disappear without a trace.Also shrinks after a long break.

During the period of gradual development of varicose veins, the following symptoms will begin to appear:

• in the calf muscle area, moderate pain begins to appear, such pains are dull and aching;
• local burning sensation and fatigue;
• excessive skin dryness appears, pigmentation spots and skin induration begin to appear;
• cramps very often at night;
• spider veins begin to appear on the epidermis;
• the internal veins of the legs, pictures of which are presented below, begin to dilate considerably, in their appearance they look like bunches of grapes;
• it is possible to form delicate wounds that heal over a long period of time.

Important!Early treatment of this disease for the patient can bring a number of complications. In some cases, a fatal outcome is possible.

After a period of time, eczema and trophic ulcers begin to appear. Such symptoms turn very easily into gangrene. All of this can cause limb amputation, sepsis or death.

The most dangerous consequence is the appearance of a thrombus, with its subsequent division. This becomes the death of the patient.

Symptoms and treatment of varicose veins is the question that worries patients the most.

Treatment methods

Treatment for varicose veins is performed conservatively and quickly. Treatment of internal veins in the legs, the symptoms of which can appear in different ways, is carried out only after the preliminary diagnosis.The following techniques may be used:

• compression;
• scleropathy;
• medicine;
• surgical.

Compression methodscures help to cope with the disease in its initial stage. This method of therapy involves the daily wearing of special compression footwear.

In the case of scleropathy, a vein becomes blocked. This is due to the introduction of sclerotherapy preparations in it. After such actions, the blood can move easily through the capillaries without difficulty.

Conservative treatment is effective only if the first signs of the disease appear. Of the medicines, venotonics is prescribed to patients. They help strengthen the walls of blood vessels as much as possible.

Self-treatment of internal varicose veins is prohibited, the symptoms of which may be mild and vice versa.

Prevention

To prevent the formation of varicose processes, it is necessary to know the main causes of this disease and prevent their development. Preventive measures are as follows:

• constant physical activity is essential (People who lead an inactive lifestyle are much more susceptible to illness. Take occasional breaks, get up and exercise so that blood can circulate normally. );
• when sitting, it is forbidden to cross your legs;
• give up all bad habits;
• pay attention to your diet, refuse too fatty and salty;
• to take therapeutic measures in connection with endocrine diseases, they lead to the development of varicose veins;
• use only loose, non-tight shoes (it is necessary to ensure free blood circulation, as well as to be limited to shoes with heels);
• take sea baths, but it is necessary to eliminate solar overheating.

Conclusion

It should be noted that if at least one symptom of this disease manifests itself, it is necessary to urgently consult a specialist. The doctor will prescribe diagnostic procedures and indicate the appropriate treatment. Delay threatens complications.

From the above, we can summarize that varicose veins are a very dangerous disease that can have undesirable consequences. Strong for this reason that if at least one symptom appears, it is necessary to seek help from a doctor. Only a specialist will be able to choose the treatment needed.

Varicose veins in the legs: symptoms and treatment

The geography of the spread of varicose veins covers almost all countries of the world, it is one of the most ancient diseases known to mankind. According to medical statistics, varicose veins of the lower extremities and pelvic organs occur in 15-17% of the population. Today, patients with this diagnosis make up approximately 4% of all patients in surgical clinics. According to scientists, this disease is a kind of payment to mankind for the ability to walk. Let us examine what are internal varicose veins, the main symptoms of the disease and effective treatment.

Explain the occurrence of the disease

The development of varicose veins in the legs is one of the most dangerous types of the disease, which is manifested in the pathological dilation of blood vessels located deep under the skin in the tissues.

This disease, unfortunately, often affects young people of working age, and in women, the symptoms are much more common. Veins with internal varicose veins are often accompanied by an external one in the form of tuberous veins that protrude strongly with a pronounced cyanotic nuance.

These varicose vein symptoms make it difficult to treat. The appearance of varicose veins in the legs is presented in numerous photos from medical sites.

Dilation of venous vessels in the leg can be an independent pathology, but is most often caused by other diseases, and therefore in modern medicine it is customary to divide varicose veins into primary and secondary. The cause of primary varicose veins of the deep veins of the legs is the weakness of the venous wall or its functional pathologies, these reasons also cause varicose veins of the pelvic organs. Among the main causes of the disease stand out:

• Pregnancy.
• Overweight, overweight morbid.
• Prolonged load on the lower extremities, continuous work on foot or accompanied by continuous heavy lifting.
• Hereditary or congenital weakness of the connective tissue of various organs.
• Long walk in high heels and wearing socks with tight elastic bands.
• In elderly patients, the formation of veins with internal varicose veins can be caused by hormonal changes in the body.

The development of veins with secondary internal varicose veins is a consequence of changes in the process of venous outflow in various diseases:

Post-thrombophlebitic syndrome.

Deep vein valve failure.

Tumors of organs of various etiologies.

Injuries to limbs and other organs.

Treatment of veins with primary and secondary varicose veins is different.

Key Features

The consequences of veins with undetected internal varicose veins in time can be very serious, so it is necessary to pay attention to the first symptoms of the disease, especially since, compared to other forms of the disease, they manifestvery clearly visually. The main symptoms of varicose veins of the lower extremities are as follows:

• The pain in the calf muscles is very strong, often intolerable so much that the patient is forced to regularly take strong painkillers. These symptoms are the reason for immediate medical attention.
• The venous pattern in the lower extremities in the thigh area becomes pronounced, the vessels become strongly convex and tuberous, they are easily identified by palpation.
• The venous model acquires a cyanotic color, sometimes turning black, sometimes purple-red.
• The lower extremities are very swollen and the swelling does not subside after a night's sleep.
• In the evening, after a day of work on foot, the patient experiences frequent cramps in the calf muscles.

All these symptoms significantly worsen the patient's quality of life and require immediate medical attention, sometimes it is just surgical treatment of the veins.

Clinical presentation

The severity of the symptoms of varicose veins depends on the stage of the disease.

In the initial stage, pathological changes in the walls of blood vessels are not detected, patients have swelling of the legs by the end of the working day and heaviness in the legs, but after a night's rest, these unpleasant sensations disappear.

Some patients have a mild pastiness, this stage of the disease is called "intradermal varicose veins". If treatment begins at this stage of the disease, then the prognosis is very favorable, as the venous valve system has not yet changed and is facing the load, the pathological symptoms will disappear quickly.

In the second stage of the disease, edema of the lower extremities becomes permanent, patients complain of constant weight on the legs and increased fatigue. Manifestations of internal varicose veins at this stage of the disease are also indicated by persistent cramps of the calf muscles and cold limbs.

A photo in medical publications shows that blood vessels begin to appear on the skin on the inside of the thigh, but the areas of their appearance are not painful to the touch. At this stage, the formation of varicose veins begins, there may be bleeding from them.

These symptoms worsen very quickly and if left untreated, the disease progresses to the next stage.

The third stage of varicose veins of the legs is already well defined visually, this can be seen in the picture from various medical sources.

Varicose veins and saccular enlargements caused by severe circulatory disorders are already well defined under the skin in calves and inner thighs.

At this stage, in addition to the appearance of joints, the patient has brittleness and hair loss, dry skin, constant cramps in the calf muscles.

The fourth stage of the disease already involves serious complications (bleeding, ulcers, etc. ), which can be fatal. You need to start treating the disease right away, without waiting for scary symptoms.

Complications

These include the following:

Trophic ulcers of the skin of the feet.

This is a very painful complication for the patient, as trophic ulcers heal very slowly and the patient experiences constant itching and burning at the sites of their localization.

The picture clearly shows that the ulcers are round, brightly colored and with different types of secretions: purulent discharge, hemorrhagic or serous. They appear on the calves and on the inside of the thigh.

With competent and timely therapy, ulcer scarring begins, but if there is no help or qualified provision, the patient can develop gangrene followed by limb amputation. Death is also possible.

Traumatic bleeding.

Massive bleeding may be due to rupture of the vessel due to thinning of the venous wall under ever-increasing blood pressure, or due to a minor trauma. This syndrome is especially dangerous because bleeding can lead to the death of the patient.

Thrombosis is a consequence of congestion and inflammation in the veins of the lower extremities. Thrombosis can appear visually only in swelling of the legs and severe pain in it.

With the formation of external venous nodes, thrombosis is accompanied by severe pain in the area of ​​thrombus formation, tenderness of the affected veins and fever in the area of ​​thrombosis.

Thrombosis is very life-threatening for the patient and requires hospitalization and urgent treatment, as it can provoke a heart attack and blockage of the pulmonary artery in the patient.

Principles of Therapy

It is very difficult to treat varicose veins in the legs, and the effectiveness of therapy depends mainly on the stage of the disease.

General principles of treating the disease include normalizing hormone levels, optimizing physical activity, and adhering to a diet.

If the patient is obese, it is necessary to develop a method of weight loss and monitor its implementation. To normalize the tone of the vessels of the lower extremities, it is recommended to use compression stockings.

The most effective method of treatment is surgery, the technique of which is well developed in modern surgery. A possible complication of surgery is venous bleeding, but the risk is low.

If for any reason surgical intervention is impossible, for example, if the patient is afraid that life-threatening bleeding will start, treatment is performed medically using the following groups of medicines:

1. Antiplatelet agents - to dilute the blood and prevent blood clots.
2. Phlebotonics - to normalize blood circulation and prevent edema.
3. Nitrates - to relieve pain symptoms.
4. Angioprotectors - to normalize vascular tone.
5. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - to reduce the possibility of platelet aggregation and pain relief.

Many sources recommend treating varicose veins with folk remedies, on the internet you can find many pictures of calves and thighs in the style "before" and "after" on sites that advertise traditional medicine and guarantee 100% cure. Doctors are very wary of such drugs and warn that they can only be used as part of complex therapy.

Varicose veins in the lower extremities are a serious systemic disease that requires timely and qualified treatment. The first alarming symptoms can not be ignored. The sooner the patient seeks a doctor, the more effective the treatment will be.

Main characteristic symptoms

Specialists distinguish three stages of varicose veins of the lower extremities - compensation, undercompensation and decompensation.

Respectively correspond to the light, medium and heavy course. In some cases, more than a year passes between the onset of the disease and the onset of symptoms.

There is practically nothing to worry about when compensating. During a severe overload of the body, minor pain in the limbs is possible. Distal swelling that subsides after sleep.

Some people report feeling like spiders or dives crawling on their feet. This is a consequence of impaired blood flow and tissue trophism.

The deep vein valve apparatus is largely intact. Visible superficial changes in the skin and veins are usually not noticed.

Undercompensation is characterized by a more severe clinical picture. Pain comes more and more often. They wear sharp dagger pain. A common touch can turn out to be a whole lot of hard work.

Patients can not walk normally. Ordinary shopping trip is debugged to the last.

The feet are swollen to a great extent, exceeding the normal volume of the foot by one and a half times. Often, such swelling does not subside even after prolonged sleep. Depressed fingerprints remain on the pins. Many people notice cramps in the calf muscles.

During decompensation, there are often signs of bleeding, thrombophlebitis and thrombosis, trophic ulcers.

Complications arising from the development of internal varicose veins

The most common complication of varicose veins is bleeding. If not diagnosed in time, it can be fatal. Even minor bleeding from varicose veins of the lower extremities can cause irreparable damage. Stopping such a defect with a conventional pressure bandage often fails. Many surgeons come to ligate the vessels or to clot them.

The second most common complication is the increase in infections with the development of trophic ulcers. Due to a decrease in tissue trophism, abscesses do not heal for a long time, a chronic purulent focus is formed.

Associated with general intoxication of the body, feverish fever, profuse sweating. Such wounds take a long time to heal. Depends on the degree of tissue trophism concern and the depth of the lesion.

The ulcer should not be bandaged often, as this can lead to the formation of crusts that have begun to form and lead to the re-formation of an open wound.

The next most common complication is deep vein thrombosis. With poor motor function, blood stagnates and the risk of blood clots increases, which in turn can cause pulmonary embolism.

Vascular surgeons are more afraid of a floating thrombus, as it is its extremity that tends to rupture and lead to embolism.

Treatment methods

Treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities occurs in several stages.

Medication therapy is the most popular direction, which can be used in all stages of varicose veins, as well as for the prevention of vascular problems.

The basis of conservative treatment is taking venotonic drugs. They help strengthen the vascular wall, increase its elasticity and reduce blood stagnation. It is best to apply them inside as well as outside to the wound site.

There are several internal classes used for different stages of the disease. Many models will be able to fulfill the individual desire of each person, I have only positive reviews.

When wearing under clothing, do not cause any discomfort or irritation.

Proper and balanced nutrition is one of the important points in the treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities. It is necessary to radically limit yourself to the consumption of salt and large amounts of fluids. The use of natural fruit drinks and juices is desirable.

Food should exactly correspond to human energy consumption and contain fewer calories in order to avoid overweight. You need to limit yourself to consuming fatty and fried, spicy and sour foods. You should give priority to vegetables and fruits. Include seafood, fermented milk dishes and products containing soluble carbohydrates in the diet.

In case of ineffectiveness of conservative therapy methods, they use surgical techniques. These include invasive and minimally invasive treatments.

Prevention of pathology

Knowing how dangerous deep vein varicose veins are, many want to prevent its occurrence in advance. To do this, you do not need to follow strict rules, you just need to return your lifestyle to normal.

The main preventative measure is regular physical activity possible.

You can do gymnastics, yoga, walking, swimming, or even dancing to reduce the risk of developing many diseases.

Furthermore, it is advisable to give up bad habits completely or at least in part. It is recommended to adjust your work and rest schedule in order to give your body at least a short break.

It will be helpful to adjust your diet, with the exception of fried, fatty, smoked, pickled, overly spicy or salty foods. You need to eat more vegetables and fruits.

Regular contrast showers and relaxing foot baths are good preventative measures.