This is a deformation and alteration of the normal functioning of the veins in the legs.In a normal state, blood in the veins moves from bottom to top;This is achieved thanks to the contractions of the heart, the coordinated work of the elastic walls of the vessel, the muscles surrounding the vessel and the valve of the vein.This valve allows blood to flow upward and prevents it from flowing in the opposite direction.When there is a violation, the walls of the vessels expand, the valve space diverges, and blood can partially move in the opposite direction, creating a counterflow, further expanding the walls of the vessels and weakening the valve.Varicose veins appear.The disease is extremely common among people over 30 years of age, with women being the most affected.
Causes and prevention of varicose veins of the lower extremities.
The causes of varicose veins in most cases lie in a sedentary lifestyle: we spend a lot of time in a static position (especially sitting) and do not give the necessary tension to our muscles.The following risk factors may also affect:
- excessively tight clothing (pants, socks),
- uncomfortable shoes (especially high heels),
- alterations in hormonal balance,
- Frequent hot baths, visits to the sauna,
- intense and prolonged physical activity, lifting heavy objects,
- obesity.
The main prevention of varicose veins is to maintain a healthy lifestyle.Even if you have a sedentary job, try not to sit still for several hours in a row: get up, stretch your legs, walk more;and don't forget about a balanced diet, which, together with moderate physical activity, will protect you from many diseases.
Pregnancy is also one of the serious risk factors for varicose veins.But genetic predisposition is still being studied, and there are even a number of studies that refute it.
Symptoms
The disease can develop very slowly: years or even decades.The symptoms of the initial stage are varied, but for convenience they are combined into a certain complex under the general feeling of heaviness in the legs:
- leg fatigue without serious exercise,
- sore veins,
- night cramps in the calves,
- Pulling sensation in the legs.
If you do not keep track of varicose vein symptoms in the early stage, the vein will become more and more deformed.At night, swelling will begin to appear in the feet and ankles, which will disappear in the morning;Spider veins will become visible and then swollen veins and nodules will be felt.If you do not consult a specialist at this stage, in addition to the obvious decrease in quality of life and obvious pain, the person is at risk of skin pigmentation and trophic ulcers.The further course of varicose veins brings complications such as bleeding from the venous nodes and the risk of developing a disease as serious as thrombosis, which can be fatal without contacting a specialist.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of varicose veins is quite simple: it consists of an examination, an examination of the patient and an ultrasound that will show the affected area of the vein and the extent of the damage to select the optimal treatment.If for some reason (for example, when the damaged veins are deep) ultrasound does not provide all the necessary information, the specialist will perform an additional examination - phlebography, injection of a contrast agent into the vein, which, under X-ray, will show the smallest changes in the vein along the blood flow.
Treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities.
Non-surgical treatment of varicose veins (special physical exercises, massage, wearing compression garments, taking medications to strengthen the walls of blood vessels) will help only at the initial stage.But, unfortunately, at the moment very few patients turn to a specialist.Perhaps due to such a wide prevalence of the disease, many rely on traditional treatment methods, which have not proven effective, and waste precious time, or resign themselves to the expansion of the veins to unbearable pain syndrome, which indicates an advanced stage.
The surgical treatment of varicose veins, like any other surgical intervention, requires a highly qualified medical team to treat the patient.After all, serious contraindications to the operation can be found, so entrust your health only to experienced specialists in well-equipped medical centers.
We are ready to offer our patients all known and clinically proven methods of treatment: from conservative (non-surgical) to surgical.Among the most effective are:
- laser coagulation (laser removal, that is, by thermal exposure of areas of dilated vessels) - this method is suitable for small vessels and for removing spider veins located near the surface of the skin;
- sclerosis (injection of a special substance into a vein that safely obstructs it) - this method is suitable only for peripheral small vessels;
- Phlebectomy is the surgical removal of the affected area of a vein, used in advanced stages of the disease in large veins;
- radiofrequency coagulation.
The choice of treatment method depends on many factors (the extent of varicose veins, the patient's condition, contraindications to manipulation).Specialists try to provide the patient with the most detailed information about his condition, listen to his wishes and decide on the treatment method appropriate to the specific situation.