At least half of adults have some sort of problem with varicose veins. This common condition is a family problem for many people. Women are at least twice as likely to develop varicose veins as men. In both sexes, it affects 25% to 60% of adults depending on age.
Varicose veins don't always look like bulging bluish threads; sometimes varicose veins appear as a thin vascular network running just below the surface of the skin. It almost always affects the legs and feet. Visible swollen and tortuous veins—sometimes surrounded by patches of clogged capillaries that resemble cobwebs or cobwebs—are superficial varicose veins. Although they are often painful and disfiguring, they are mostly harmless. When inflammation develops, such veins become dense to the touch and can impede blood circulation to such an extent that ankle swelling, itching and pain develop in the affected limb.
In addition to the superficial network of veins, the legs have an internal or deep venous network. In rare cases, the deep veins of the legs are also affected by varicose veins. These deep varicose veins are usually not visible, but they can cause swelling or pain throughout the leg and – most dangerously – can be a site for blood clots.
To help circulate oxygenated blood from the lungs to all parts of the body, arteries have a thick muscular lining. For the reverse flow of blood through the venous system, the surrounding muscles are used, the muscle layer of the venous wall is thin and weak, but the veins are equipped with internal valves that allow blood to pass in only one direction - to the heart, the valves are necessary to preventthe reverse flow of blood.
In varicose veins, the valves do not work properly, causing blood to pool in the vein and making it difficult for the muscles to push the blood "up. " Instead of flowing from one valve to the other, blood continues to pool in the vein, increasing venous pressure and further damaging the valves, whichcauses the vein to bulge and twist Because superficial veins have less muscle support than deep veins, they are more prone to varicose veinsveins.
What contributes to the development of varicose veins?
Any condition that involves excessive strain and pressure on the legs or abdomen can lead to varicose veins. The most common factors that cause intra-abdominal pressure are pregnancy, obesity, and work that requires standing for long periods of time or lifting weights. Chronic constipation, prostate adenoma that requires straining during bowel movements and urination, and in rare cases tumors can also cause varicose veins. A sedentary lifestyle contributes to the development of varicose veins, because muscles that are not working do not pump blood well.
The likelihood of varicose veins increases with age as muscles and veins weaken. Previous trauma to the leg can damage the venous valves and contribute to the development of varicose veins. Genetics also play a role, so if other family members have varicose veins, you are more likely to have them too. Contrary to popular belief, sitting cross-legged does not cause varicose veins, although it can worsen an existing condition.
Can you prevent varicose veins?
Although genetics play a role in the risk of developing varicose veins, there are things you can do to prevent them:
- Exercise regularly because staying in good physical shape is the best way to keep your leg muscles toned, improve blood circulation and control your weight. It is believed that among all types of fitness, swimming and aqua aerobics have the greatest preventive effect;
- Maintaining a healthy weight; if you are overweight or even obese, then losing weight will reduce the risk of developing varicose veins, as a normal weight prevents excess pressure on the veins of the legs;
- Avoiding tight clothing. Tight clothing can restrict blood flow to the thighs, groin, and legs;
- Avoid wearing high-heeled shoes frequently and for a long time, as they can impede blood circulation. Shoes with completely flat soles are also undesirable, it is better to choose shoes with a low and stable heel or elastic elastic soles, as they improve blood circulation and improve the tone of the calf muscles.
- Movement! Prolonged sitting or standing should be avoided to stimulate blood circulation. If your daily routine requires you to be on your feet a lot, consider wearing a daily support leotard. Stretch your legs and exercise as often as possible to improve blood circulation and reduce venous pressure.
- Fight against smoking. Research shows that smoking can contribute to the development of varicose veins.
- During pregnancy, you should sleep on your left side, not your back. This will reduce the pressure of the uterus on the veins in the pelvic area and even improve blood supply to the fetus;
- If you have risk factors for the development of varicose veins, then ask your doctor to choose compression stockings for you - these can be special stockings, socks or pantyhose.
Spider veins and varicose veins
As we age, many of us discover bumps, bluish stars under our skin, or swollen ligaments that spread down our thighs and calves. These deformed blood vessels occur in 60% of adults after the age of 50.
What are spider veins?
Spider veins are small, curved blood vessels that are visible through the skin. They can be red, purple or blue in color and most often appear on the legs or face.
What are varicose veins?
These are larger blood vessels that have lost their elasticity, are swollen and have acquired a tortuous course due to changes in the venous wall. Such veins appear bluish and raised above the surface of the skin. Varicose veins can appear anywhere, but most often they develop on the legs, thighs and feet.
What causes spider veins and varicose veins?
Healthy veins collect blood from the capillary network and transport it from the periphery to the heart through a system of one-way valves. These valves direct blood flow in the desired direction from the superficial veins to the deeper veins and to the heart. The vessels are surrounded by muscles that contract and help pump blood to the heart. Normally healthy venous valves prevent backflow of blood. However, problems with the valves, muscles, or blood pressure can cause blood to pool in the vein. When blood collects in a vein, the pressure increases and the vein wall weakens. As a result, the vein becomes bulging and tortuous. As a result, depending on the caliber of the blood vessel and the degree of swelling, a network of spider veins or varicose veins is formed.
Who is at risk for varicose veins?
Spider veins or varicose veins of large veins can occur in any person, but women are prone to this problem twice as often as men. This problem is also familiar to those whose work requires them to be constantly on their feet, including nurses, hairdressers, lecturers and teachers. Other factors that trigger the development of varicose veins include aging, obesity, pregnancy, leg injury or surgery, and a family history of varicose veins.
What symptoms are accompanied by varicose veins?
Often, spider veins and/or varicose veins are not just an unpleasant cosmetic defect. Varicose veins are a disease that can cause unpleasant symptoms and dangerous complications, in particular pain or cramps in the legs, a feeling of heaviness, throbbing or tingling. Severely inflamed veins become hard to the touch and reduce blood circulation, leading to itchy and swollen ankles. Also, over time, trophic changes develop in the skin and subcutaneous tissue, such as thickening, pigmentation, and ulceration.
Complications of varicose veins
Although spider veins and varicose veins spoil the appearance of the legs and cause unpleasant symptoms, they rarely pose a serious threat to health. In some cases, however, complications can develop that require a visit to the doctor and even hospitalization.
The most common complications of varicose veins are trophic ulcers against the background of long-term venous insufficiency, and they most often form in the ankle area and are treated very poorly. The second common and more dangerous complication of varicose veins is thrombophlebitis - thickening and inflammation of the venous wall, which in turn can lead to venous thrombosis - a dangerous complication requiring hospitalization and intensive care. If thrombosis has developed in the deep venous system, then there is a danger of migration of the blood clot, the so-called thromboembolism, and as a result of thrombophlebitis, a chronic postthrombophlebitis disease can develop, which significantly affects the patient's quality of life and productivity.
Diagnosis of varicose veins of the lower limbs
It is easy to diagnose spider veins and varicose veins of the superficial veins - a visual examination is enough. However, the primary diagnostic complex always includes an ultrasound examination of the deep vein system, since superficial varicose veins may indicate insufficiency of the valves of the deep veins of the lower extremities, which requires a serious approach to treatment. During the examination, the doctor always pays attention to the swelling of the ankles, the symmetry of the swelling, if any, thickening of the venous wall and subcutaneous tissue, changes in skin color, pigmentation, pain and the presence of trophic ulcers.
Most cases of spider veins and varicose veins, unless accompanied by venous insufficiency, do not require surgical treatment, but can be removed for cosmetic purposes. If varicose veins are accompanied by complaints such as heaviness in the legs, pain, muscle fatigue or cramps, swelling of the ankles, then there are recommendations for treatment that will reduce the symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease.
Treatment of varicose veins
Therapeutic approaches to varicose veins can be conservative and surgical. The choice of therapy method can be made by a phlebologist based on examination and examination. The purpose of the examination for varicose veins is to determine the stage of the disease and the risk of developing possible complications. Such an examination, which includes a thorough examination, ultrasound examination of the veins of the lower extremities, and in some cases laboratory tests.
Who treats varicose veins?
A phlebologist treats diseases of the veins of the lower extremities. A phlebologist is a doctor with a surgical specialty that is based on training first in general surgery and then in cardiovascular surgery. Phlebology is a branch of vascular surgery that deals with the study and treatment of diseases and malformations of the venous system. A phlebologist surgeon must be proficient in a wide range of techniques used in the treatment of venous diseases.
Conservative treatment of varicose veins
Conservative therapy for varicose veins is aimed at slowing development and preventing complications. It usually consists of recommendations for lifestyle changes (weight loss, proper physical activity, elimination of static loads that contribute to the progression of the disease), selection of compression stockings, prescription of drugs that tone the walls of venous vessels and prescriptionon a course of physiotherapy.
Compression Tights - Support Socks, Socks and Tights
The easiest way to prevent the progression of varicose veins is to wear supportive stockings. Also called compression socks, they improve blood circulation and relieve pain and discomfort in the legs. They can be found in pharmacies and specialized medical supply stores. Such socks are especially necessary during pregnancy and during long flights.
A change in lifestyle can also help prevent the rapid development of varicose veins. First of all, you should normalize your weight and introduce physical activity into your life, such as walking or swimming; exclude the frequent wearing of high heels, static loads and a sedentary lifestyle.
Drug treatment - there are many drugs, both in the form of gels and creams, and in the form of tablets, which have a venotonic effect and affect the speed of progression of varicose veins, slowing down its development. However, their action can be effective only in combination with other preventive measures.
Physiotherapy - for varicose veins, both in the early stage and in advanced forms of the disease, pressotherapy is most often used - a course of physiotherapy with compression - successive compression of the veins with specialized circular pads, in which the pressure is spread from the legs to the thighs, improving blood flow, stimulating the vascular wall and normalizing the functioning of venous valves. This treatment is prescribed 2-4 times a year in courses of 10-12 procedures. It is also recommended to be carried out after sessions of sclero- and laser therapy for varicose veins. Such physiotherapy can be performed both alone and in combination with specialized electrical stimulation of the leg muscles, which are expected to mutually enhance the therapeutic effect.
Other situations in which physiotherapy gives good results are trophic changes in the skin caused by the advanced stages of varicose veins; that it is 100% contraindicated for physiotherapy for varicose veins is concomitant thrombosis or thrombophlebitis, therefore, before conducting a course of physiotherapy procedures, you should undergo an ultrasound examination of the veins of the lower extremities.
Surgical and minimally invasive treatment of varicose veins and their complications
Patients, most of whom are women and girls, since varicose veins most often affect the tender half of humanity, come to the phlebologist because of the external side of the disease - they are worried about ugly spots and ligaments on the legs. Treatment of varicose veins in this situation most often involves removing cosmetic defects. For this purpose, minimally invasive methods are used to treat varicose veins - sclerotherapy and endovenous laser coagulation (EVLC).
The term "minimally invasive" in terms of medical procedures means "less traumatic" and "sparing". In fact, such treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis, causes minimal pain, comparable to a simple injection, and allows you to achieve excellent results. This treatment consists in destroying the inner wall of the vein with a drug (sclerosant) or a laser, which leads to the adhesion of the lumen of the vessel and the disappearance of the cosmetic defect.
In any case, the decision on the method of treatment is made by the doctor based on the examination and examination. In case of complicated varicose veins, surgical treatment is applied, which is carried out in hospital conditions.