Varicose veins (VV) are one of the most common diseases.The insidiousness of this disease lies in the fact that all pathological changes in the vessels are practically not noticeable for many years, but then they can quickly lead to the development of venous insufficiency, thrombophlebitis or the formation of trophic ulcers.To avoid this, you need 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 certain area.This causes it to stretch and become twisted.Blood flow in such a vessel becomes turbulent, leading to stagnation, inflammation and the formation of blood clots.
Varicose veins can occur in almost any part of the body where these vessels have valves that prevent the backflow of blood.
Varicose veins on the legs: stages of the disease
The first stage of varicose veins (compensation).The veins in the legs look virtually unchanged;Only spider veins or the characteristic twisting of individual vessels can be observed.At the end of the day, people sometimes worry about a slight swelling of the legs, their tiredness, exhaustion and a feeling of malaise.
This phase lasts many years.If you start treatment at this time, you can significantly delay or prevent the progression of the disease.This stage is most favorable for conservative treatment.
The second stage of varicose veins (subcompensation).At this stage, cramps in the calf muscles may occur at night, the veins become more prominent, and the extremities ache regularly.Swelling in the ankle joints is observed almost constantly, but disappears in the morning.The skin in the shin area takes on a brownish-purple hue.
This phase also lasts years.Conservative treatment measures are no longer as effective as in the first stage, which is why doctors are increasingly recommending various surgical interventions.Preventive measures are aimed at ensuring that the disease does not enter the decompensation phase for as long as possible.
The third stage of varicose veins (decompensation).The veins bulge even more, the swelling may not go away until 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 arise:
- thrombophlebitis (thrombosis and phlebitis);
- trophic dermatitis, ulcer;
- Pulmonary embolism (the most dangerous complication when a blood clot in the lower extremities breaks off and is carried by blood flow to the lungs, causing respiratory failure and death in 5-8 out of 10 people);
- Chronic venous insufficiency (swelling and fatigue of the legs, even if the problem with 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 occurred, minimizing their consequences.
Which doctor treats varicose veins?
Phlebologist.This is a vascular surgeon who specializes in the treatment of venous diseases.He is the one who treats varicose veins.
However, if there is no phlebologist in your area or it is extremely problematic to get a consultation with him, you can contact a vascular surgeon for help or, in his absence, simply a general surgeon who conducts outpatient visits.This is much better than simply letting the disease take its course.
How do you treat varicose veins?
The treatment of varicose veins largely depends on the stage of the disease, the presence of complications and the specific clinical picture.
In the first phase, the emphasis is on lifestyle changes, giving up bad habits that aggravate varicose veins, and normalizing body weight.In this case, patients are usually allowed to use folk remedies, undergo treatment with leeches and take herbal remedies.As the disease progresses, medications are prescribed that increase the tone of the veins and improve the rheological properties of the blood, as well as wearing compression clothing.
In the second stage, drug therapy and compression stockings are mandatory; if necessary, surgical intervention is carried out.To prevent complications, annual, planned therapy cycles in the hospital are recommended.
At the third stage, the choice of method is determined by the presence of complications and the general clinical picture of the disease.If serious complications occur, the patient must be hospitalized in the surgical department.
Treating varicose veins: what should be changed in your lifestyle?
Exercise.Our veins especially love it when we run a lot.Standing or sitting 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 40-50 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 tissue impedes natural blood flow and contributes to the progression of varicose veins.Therefore, you should say goodbye to the following habits already in the first stage of the disease:
- Sit in the “leg over leg” position (impaired blood flow at the level of the back of the knee, so it is better to change it to the American pose “legs on legs” or “legs on the back of the chair”);
- Wear tight belts, stockings, stockings, belts, too tight jeans, tight underwear (partially pinching the veins in the groin, knee or not allowing breathing from the “belly” due to the narrow waist, which almost excludes the diaphragm from breathing, namely facilitating the movement of blood to the heart);
- overeating (overeating is always fraught with extra pounds and any excess weight in itself can lead to varicose veins);
- Walking for a long time in high heels (in this case, the load on the legs increases and the knee area, which facilitates the upward movement of blood, is almost incapacitated).