Varicose veins are a disease based on the irreversible expansion of the diameter of the veins and the loss of function of the venous valves.
Where is the second heart
To understand the causes of varicose veins, it is necessary to refer to the characteristics of the structure and function of the venous system.
Blood vessels are blood vessels that carry blood from tissues and organs. Unlike the arteries that carry blood from the heart and distribute it from top to bottom, most of the blood vessels in the body flow from the bottom up. The main driving force in the arteries is the energy of the heartbeat. On the way to the organs, it is almost completely consumed and can not provide a stable return of blood to the heart.
The structural features of the venous system help maintain full circulation. They can be divided into:
- center;
- peripheral.
The central ones are the residual blood pressure transmitted to the veins after the blood passes through the arterial system and the suction movement of the diaphragm. This is the muscular septum that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity. Large venous vessels pass through the diaphragm. When you breathe in, it goes down, the venous vessels constrict, and when you breathe in, it rises. These movements act as a pump and help the blood flow from the arteries to the heart.
Peripheral factors include:
- muscle-venous pump;
- venous valves;
- venous tone.
The role of these factors in the bloodstream is so great that they are called the second heart of the body.. . . Dysfunction of any of them can be a starting point in the development of varicose veins.
Muscle-venous pump
The main force that causes blood to flow from the organs to the heart is the contraction of the muscles surrounding the arteries. This is the so-called muscle-venous pump. During walking, muscle fibers contract during exercise, which leads to narrowing of the lumen of the venous vessels, resulting in blood being pushed to the upper parts.
Venous valves
When the muscle fibers relax, there are valves in the arteries to prevent the blood from flowing back. They are protrusions with a thin elastic plate on the inner surface of the vessel wall. The flaps are directed towards the heart.
Their working principle is as follows: when the muscle fibers relax and the blood tends to return downward under gravity, it enters the cavity formed by the valve leaf and the vessel wall. The pressure created by the blood in this area causes the valves to close, which prevents it from flowing back.
Venous tone
Venous tone provides maintenance and regulation of vascular capacity. It is provided by the connective tissue and muscle fibers that make up the venous wall. Special nerve cells located in the thickness of the blood vessels respond to blood pressure by sending signals to muscle cells and connective tissue fibers. The lumen of the vessel narrows, causing the blood to move to the heart.
Thus, the stable functioning of the venous system depends on the proper functioning of all its components. Understanding these mechanisms means making the treatment of varicose veins the most effective.
Between cause and effect
To date, there is no single theory of the development of varicose veins. The biggest difficulty is to identify the direct cause of the disease and the conditions that only contribute to its manifestation.
Varicose veins are a genetically determined disease that only manifests itself when exposed to certain adverse factors.
Congenital malformations of the vessel wall structure and a decrease in the number of valves have been found in people who are sensitive to varicose veins. As a result, the two most important mechanisms of blood flow from the organs to the heart suffer: venous tone decreases and the valve apparatus does not work.
In this case, the simplified development of the disease is as follows. Due to the contraction of the muscles, the blood pushed through the arteries tends to descend during the relaxation phase of the muscle fibers under the influence of gravity. When there are several venous valves or their valves cannot effectively close the lumen of the vessel, the blood flows back to the lower parts. With insufficient elasticity and resilience of the venous wall, an obvious dilation of the vessel diameter occurs. As a result, the ends of the valve move further away from each other, allowing a larger volume of blood to flow downward. A pathological vicious circle develops. These are varicose veins.
However, in a healthy body, even if there are congenital changes in the venous vessels, the disease does not develop. The operation of this mechanism requires the influence of one or more negative factors. These include:
- Life style;
- hypodynamics;
- obesity;
- hormonal imbalance;
- pregnancy.
Life style
Lifestyle features increase the pressure in the arteries, resulting in increased tension in the vessel wall.
This is most often observed when standing or sitting for long periods of time and during work involving constant lifting of weights. The development of varicose veins is stimulated by tight underwear, jeans, which compress the large veins at the level of the inguinal folds. Nutrition is also important: the consumption of refined foods, the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables in the daily menu - sources of fiber. Such a diet leads to the development of constipation, which increases intra-abdominal pressure.
Hypodynamics
As you know, muscles are the second heart for blood vessels, and because of their narrowing, the walls of the arteries constrict and blood moves. With a sedentary lifestyle, this circulatory mechanism is lost. The degree of muscle development also plays an important role - the better the muscle develops, the easier it will be to cope with the work of promoting blood. This is the reason why varicose veins rarely occur in athletes.
Obesity
Obesity is a reliable risk factor for the development of varicose veins in women. At the same time, no such dependence was found in men.
Hormonal imbalance
Female sex hormones - estrogens, progesterone - in excess of physiological norms, affect the vascular wall and reduce its tone. This is due to the gradual destruction of the connecting fibers that provide its strength and elasticity. Hormonal contraceptives, hormonal drugs for the treatment of menopause play an important role in the development of varicose veins.
Pregnancy
Increased circulating blood volume, constriction of large veins passing through its posterior wall by the uterus, increased intra-abdominal pressure make pregnancy one of the main causes of varicose veins in women.