Varicose veins are popularly called varicose veins – a disease which is characterized by deformation of the veins, reduces their elasticity and impaired blood flow.
Cause of varicose veins
The disease occurs in about 10% of the world's population, and most women after 30 years.
Women are more susceptible to varicose veins than men because of the hormonal changes, often in a natural way. The most dangerous periods: puberty, during pregnancy and after childbirth, menopause.
Mainly affects the lower extremities, namely, that the rear surface of the knees, calf muscles.
Causes of swelling of the veins of the legs can be the following:
- Obesity (in most cases). This is due to the fact that the pressure of excess weight on blood vessels of the lower extremities;
- Pregnancy. Excessive load during this period can lead to illness;
- A long stay on his feet. For this reason, the disease develops in those who are forced to stand for long periods of time, for example, sellers, hairdressers, etc.;
- Tumors of the pelvic organs. They can compress the iliac veins, as to prevent blood flow;
- Disease of the venous wall is accompanied by the growth of connective tissue, to seal the walls, deterioration of blood flow and the formation of blood clotting;
- Congenital insufficiency of venous valves, a reverse blood circulation in the legs.
Symptoms of varicose veins of the lower extremities
This disease can develop for a very long time, even decades. In the early stages is often asymptomatic. Only sometimes a person may feel heaviness after a long time, aching and cramps in calves.
In the later stages symptoms:
- A bluish, bulging through the skin, knotted veins;
- Swelling of the calf in the evening;
- Pain, burning, heat in the course of the affected vessels;
- Seizures at night;
- Hyperpigmentation and thinning of the skin;
- Itching.
How to cure varicose veins in the legs?
The earlier you start treatment, the better is the result. Approach to the treatment of disease a comprehensive: treatment includes physical therapy, medications, and diet.
Massage
This procedure effectively improve the blood circulation in the veins. Perform massage should only be a specialist, because the wrong actions can only aggravate the disease.
Get rid of the knots will help the following exercise: stand on your toes lifting off the floor one inch, and then sharply down on the heels. Repeat up to 50 times and perform up to 5 times a day. Exercise strengthens blood vessels, clean them. During his run straining muscles of the lower leg, respectively, the blood is squeezed through the veins of the above.
Bandaging
Affect varicose veins of the limbs are wrapped in special bandages. Thus, you can prevent disease progression and reduce the symptoms. With the same purpose, there are special elastic stockings.
Drug therapies
The complex treatment includes painkillers, anti-inflammatory, blood-thinning medications and vitamins. Drugs can be prescribed only by a doctor. Haphazard use of drugs can harm the body.
Phlebotonics is venotonic remedies. They restore the tone of blood vessels, which increases blood flow; relieve burning, swelling, heaviness, cramping. They can be used for prevention, but tablet use is prohibited during pregnancy and lactation.
Blood thinners reduce the risk of blood clots.
Varicose veins requires a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory.
Special creams
Without a prescription in virtually every pharmacy you can buy products for external use: ointments, gels, creams veins. These complement the complex treatment. It should be noted that they are not the most important part of the treatment.
Surgery
In severe cases, when the disease has gone too far, they resort to surgical procedures: varicose vein surgery.
Treatment diet
Patients shown to eat foods that are rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals and low in cholesterol. Useful substances, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, increases their elasticity. It is advisable to enter the menu more seafood (shrimp, squid, sea fish, seaweed), fermented milk, fresh fruit. To limit or not to exclude from the diet is soups, marinades, meat, alcohol and coffee.
Weight management
Obesity – a common cause of deformation of the veins. If you don't lose weight, then the treatment will not give long lasting results.
The correct alternation of work and rest
Patients, it is useful to have a pillow under your legs. When the lower limb above the frame, they are easier to bleed. Of course, you can use other than lack of exercise also affects the body the best way.
How to treat varicose veins: folk remedies
The use of herbs
At home, you can use many recipes. For example, a very effective herbal baths: they improve blood flow, tone the blood vessels. It is best to use for these purposes, oak bark, chamomile, series, st. john's wort, plantain.
If the disease is complicated with eczema or venous ulcers, we can make compresses with essential oils of olive and sea buckthorn, honey, aloe Vera juice. Pack has a healing effect.
Horse chestnut varicose veins
The infusion of horse chestnut is probably the most well-known folk remedy for varicose veins in the legs. It is easy to prepare it at home: pour 50 grams of flowers in ½ liter of alcohol and leave for 14 days, shaking daily. Then the infusion is filtered and taken orally thrice a day after meals. During the course of treatment is 7 days, then a break for 2 weeks.
Use green tomatoes
Before bedtime to the affected areas of the veins to make green tomato slices and secure them with a bandage. In the morning they are removed. If you make such packs throughout the year, venous lump becomes softer, and then disappear completely.
The secret of green tomatoes hidden in lycopene – a powerful antioxidant, which reduces the stroke / heart attack, improve elasticity of blood vessels and protects from free radicals. Lycopene prevents atherosclerotic plaque, clogged arteries.
Treatment of varicose veins of the lower extremities nutmeg
Nuts ground into a powder. One small spoonful dissolved in 200 ml of hot water, add a little honey and leave for 30 minutes. Drink a glass one hour before Breakfast and the same after 2 hours.
The first results are visible already after a month. Nutmeg has analgesic properties, prevents stagnation and improves the healing of venous ulcers.
Because complications can cause varicose veins in the legs
Although the disease progresses slowly and responds well to early treatment, it can be complicated. The stagnation of the blood leads to malnutrition of the skin, the result is a pathological change appears eczema, trophic ulcers, necrosis.
If not treated varicose veins of the lower extremities, the rash becomes chronic, the foot covered with sores not healing; ships have a lot of bulge becomes knotted, "public stones" — calcification of the thrombus.
Nodes can rupture, causing bleeding. Swelling in the legs can grow and lead to the "elephant disease".
Prevention of varicose veins
Prevention is the whole complex of methods. These can prevent the development of disease.
- Alternating work and rest. It is especially important for those who have a hereditary predisposition to pathology;
- If you want to sit a lot, have to frequently change the position of the body;
- You can sit with one leg over the other;
- The closet should be left out of things, which compresses the legs, groin area, waist;
- Looks like a long slow walk comfortable shoes. Heels are allowed to use as rarely as possible;
- To avoid constipation, as they increase the pressure of blood in the pelvis;
- Cycling improves heart function and blood vessels;
- Swimming;
- Morning or evening exercise;
- Hirudotherapy, if necessary;
- Normalization and weight control;
- A balanced diet;
- Avoiding harmful habits;
- A contrast shower;
- Compliance with drink about 1 ½ liters of water a day;
- Exercises that promote blood flow;
- Increased tone of the venous wall. For these purposes, using traditional recipes and medicines prescribed by the doctor.
Don't skip the first, while the subtle symptoms of the disease. It is better to appeal to phlebologist and treatment. Otherwise, the disease takes a lot of effort.
The material on this page is provided for informational purposes only and is intended for educational purposes. Website visitors should not use their doctor's advice. Definition diagnosis and choice of treatment is still the exclusive prerogative of the doctor.