Varicose veins

The rainy days of autumn are upon us—a period when we move less and sit more, wear heavy shoes all day long, and take hot showers more frequently and for longer periods of time. All of this does not have the best effect on our blood vessels, especially those with varicose veins.Take advantage of some of life's slower pace: Take care of your feet's health.

What are varicose veins?

It all seems very clear: these are dilated and visible veins in the legs.However, such changes are not just a cosmetic defect but a manifestation of occult varicose veins.

what happened?

The dilation of superficial veins in the lower limbs creates conditions for slowing blood flow and the formation of thrombi (blood clots) in the lumen of the blood vessels.

Danger

Due to a lack of nutrition and blood supply, trophic ulcers develop - long-term non-healing skin defects on the legs.The resulting blood clot may break off and travel with the blood throughout the body. What does it mean? Development of thromboembolism: sudden blockage of the blood vessel lumen, causing blood flow obstruction. Multiple organs are affected: acute cerebrovascular accident (stroke) or infarction (myocardium, kidney, lung) may occur. This complication is life-threatening and often leads to disability.

What else do we know about varicose veins?

The older a person is, the higher their risk of developing varicose veins. This disease has nothing to do with gender or age. The disease can even occur in children, although it is quite rare. Women are more likely to get sick than men.

Anatomy excursions

Our blood circulates through the systemic circulation and the lungs.

normal

The heart beats rhythmically, pushing blood through the blood vessels. Blood moves easily through the arteries due to gravity from top to bottom.After reaching the legs, the blood turns around and begins to flow back through the veins - from the legs to the heart. Without the additional anatomy, this procedure would be difficult because the blood would just flow back. To ensure normal blood flow, nature has provided valves in the veins that allow blood to flow in only one direction - upward.The heart, vein walls and valves all have helpers - the leg muscles. Due to the powerful work of the muscles, the blood vessels in the legs contract and relax, pushing blood up from one valve to the other.

for varicose veins

The vein walls weaken, dilate, and lengthen. In this condition, the valves stop closing and gaps form between them, causing blood flow to slow down. Over time, a vicious cycle develops: The slower the blood flow, the more the veins stretch, and the harder the valves work.

Our blood vessels are under attack

Varicose veins are thought to be a hereditary disease (98% of cases). A certain gene passed down to us from our ancestors causes weak vein walls and deterioration of vein valves. However, even in this case, the disease does not always progress.Other disadvantages:

• Being overweight or obese.
• A person does heavy physical work, lifts weights, and stands for long periods of time.
• Strenuous exercise, leg injuries.
• Sedentary lifestyle: A person is forced to sit for long periods of time - such as 6-8 hours a day in front of a computer or in a car.
• Women - wearing high heels, pregnancy and childbirth, taking hormonal contraceptives (blood thickening).
• Chronic constipation.
• Diet characteristics: increased carbohydrate content, lack of vegetables and fruits. Because the body is not receiving the substances it needs to restore the structure of the vein walls.

How to identify varicose veins? what to do?

The disease has several developmental stages, with new symptoms gradually added. Only doctors should understand this.You can independently assess the health of your veins and/or suspect the development of disease.

When to see a doctor

The first signs of the disease are swelling, heaviness, or pain in the legs, and sometimes calf muscle spasms. In this case, there may be no noticeable changes in the veins of the lower extremities.Of course, if you develop veins in your legs, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. Furthermore, it doesn't matter which vein or how visible it is. These may be dilated veins that form blue nodules. Sometimes, there are small changes in the pattern of blood vessels, known as "star-shaped" or "reticular" patterns, which are the first signs of varicose veins.

Correct diagnosis is the basis for successful treatment

Doppler ultrasound and dual vascular scan of the leg veins. Studies provide a wealth of information starting from the early stages of the disease: at this point there are only complaints and no obvious changes in the veins.

From pills and ointments to surgery

For varicose veins, please contactphlebologist. The sooner your doctor takes care of your foot health, the more effective the treatment will be.The "gold standard" is surgical removal of varicose veins, which has been performed for decades. The intervention is somewhat invasive and is performed through incisions and sutures under hospital anesthesia.However, modern medicine takes a gentle and comprehensive approach to solving this problem.The choice and combination of methods depends on the severity of the disease:

• Prescription venous tonics and venous protectants - drugs that improve the condition and tone of vein walls and increase the flow of blood out of the veins in the lower extremities.
• Use blood thinners, anti-inflammatories, and pain relievers.
• Wear therapeutic compression stockings (stockings/tights). Categories are chosen by the doctor based on the stage of the disease or for prevention purposes.
• Minimally invasive surgical intervention: sclerotherapy, intravenous laser coagulation, radiofrequency veno-occlusion. The altered veins are "glued together" or "sealed". The entire procedure lasts about an hour, and the patient goes home after some time. Advantages: No cuts, infections, or suppuration. Thanks to the technology, the risk of complications is close to zero.

Can varicose veins be cured?

No. If a person inherits a disease from his ancestors, no doctor can ever cure it.You can eliminate the consequences of the disease, prevent its further development and eliminate complications. However, the risk of recurrence remains quite high. Therefore, follow your doctor's advice and try to avoid situations that can negatively impact your vein health.

Flying Gait: Preventing Varicose Veins

Almost everyone is at risk of developing varicose veins, so it can't hurt for all of us to follow simple rules in some cases.

pregnancy period

Hormonal changes and compression of the inferior vena cava by the pregnant uterus cause blood to stagnate in the veins of the lower extremities.

how to proceed

Work with your doctor to choose compression stockings. When signs of illness appear, doctors prescribe intravenous therapy.

Lifting heavy objects in a standing or sedentary occupation

Blood circulation deteriorates and the load on the lower limbs increases.

how to proceed

Avoid tight clothing and socks with tight elastic bands. Do not wear shoes with heels higher than six centimeters. Move more when working, change postures, and do simple exercises.When sitting, avoid crossing your legs, crossing your legs, or placing one or both legs underneath you.

sedentary lifestyle

Blood stagnates in the veins of the lower limbs.

how to proceed

Play sports that put dynamic pressure on your calves. By contracting and relaxing, muscles improve the movement of blood in blood vessels. Suitable for swimming, running, walking and cycling.

genetically predisposed

Disease genes are likely to manifest themselves sooner or later. Furthermore, it didn’t matter which vein in our ancestors was weakened (hemorrhoids, legs, or groin).

how to proceed

Visit a phlebologist once a year for a preventive checkup. Try to be active and avoid situations that adversely affect your veins.Attached:Varicose veins are a "silent" disease. For a long time, the disease did not cause pain, cause no inconvenience, and did not interfere with life. Unless "grid" is considered an annoying cosmetic defect. At the same time, seeing a doctor promptly can help avoid many problems.