Varicose veins of the lower extremities are a chronic disease, accompanied by the phenomenon of varicose veins in the legs. The main causes of varicose veins are genetics, too much exercise or a sedentary lifestyle. Women are more susceptible to this disease, especially after giving birth. In representatives of the male extremities, varicose veins in the legs may be due to the presence of arterial-venous messages.
When the first signs of varicose veins appear, including visible nodular changes in blood vessels, and pain and swelling in the legs and feet, you should consult your doctor. After an accurate examination and diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe the treatment for varicose veins of the legs for each case.
Conservative therapy
Conservative therapy for varicose veins is quite diverse, and can only reduce the manifestations of this disease but cannot cure the cause.
Diet and compression
Special exercises for varicose veins that anyone can do at home. They are aimed at strengthening the muscles of the legs, helping to keep the veins in good shape. Among the most effective are:
- Cycling: lying on your back, alternately moving your legs in a circle.
- Roll a tennis ball or baseball with your feet on the floor. If you use a special massage ball, you can improve microcirculation.
- When standing on tiptoes, well-exercised calf muscles compress varicose veins.
- Swimming with a board will keep all the leg muscles in excellent physical condition with minimal stress.
An overweight, high-fiber diet and limited intake of animal fats and carbohydrates helps reduce stress on the legs and can be successfully applied at home to treat varicose veins.
Knitted garments (knee high, stockings) for the treatment of varicose veins vary in degree of compression. To install it correctly at home, you often have to use special equipment. Underwear should be worn throughout the day, only taken off at night. The principle of operation is based on external compression on the dilated vessels of the legs and improves blood flow out. Instead of a medical shirt, to treat varicose veins, you can use a regular elastic bandage, wrapped in a spiral from fingertips to mid-thigh with heel clip. It is important that the new turn overlaps the previous turn by at least half.
Pneumatic massagers, which are a series of cuffs in which air is delivered under pressure, can be effective in treating varicose veins in the early stages of the disease. In this case, the compression method is used, as a result of which blood circulation is improved and edema is reduced. You can use this device at home.
Medicine
Varicose veins of the legs should be treated with ointments and pills only in the early stages of the disease, or when complications have developed.
The main groups of drugs include:
- Intravenous tonics increase venous tone, reduce edema and improve peripheral blood flow.
- Drugs that improve microcirculation are effective when taken orally or as drops.
- Antiplatelet drugs prevent blood clots.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain and swelling in varicose veins.
The use of all drugs must be approved by a doctor, because of the possibility of side effects.
It is not possible to cure varicose veins by traditional methods; you can only slow down the process and delay the appearance of serious complications, such as thrombophlebitis.
When surgery is indicated
Surgical treatment of varicose veins does not always involve open surgery. Thanks to modern advances, it is possible to treat varicose veins in the legs as an outpatient. The following radical treatments are most commonly used:
- Sclerotherapy is based on the introduction of a substance into the lumen of the affected vein, which sticks together and shuts it off from the circulation. This method is suitable for small-diameter vessels in the early stages of the disease. The relapse rate is 30%.
- Radiofrequency ablation and laser ablation are modern and effective treatments that destroy the inner lining of veins. It is performed under local anesthesia and leaves no marks on the skin.
- Veinectomy - direct removal of a vein, done through small incisions. This method allows you to cure varicose veins, but gradually it will gradually lose its condition, due to the rather traumatic surgical procedure and a long rehabilitation period.
How Traditional Medicine Can Help
Varicose veins of the legs are a fairly common problem, including among pregnant women, who are contraindicated to conventional treatment. That is why a lot of folk remedies have been created to relieve the manifestations of this disease at home:
- A decoction of ordinary hops is drunk in a glass three times a day. To prepare it, you need to take a spoonful of crushed conifer leaves and pour boiling water on top.
- When treating with apple cider vinegar, you need to rub your feet with them daily for a month and at the same time drink a teaspoon dissolved in water.
- Green tomatoes or sliced raw potatoes can be applied to hard shoots overnight.
- The substances that make up horse chestnut have a tonic effect on the blood vessels. To prepare a liter of tincture, you need to pour 50 g of inflorescences with vodka for two weeks. Drink 2 tablespoons three times a day.
- To make an effective ointment, you need to take a teaspoon of St. John's wort, coltsfoot, chamomile, betel nut and chicory, pour 100 ml of water, bring to a boil and mix with badger fat. Apply three times a day for a week under a plastic bandage.
Our grandmother's recipes don't always work, but they allow for the treatment of varicose veins at home, when there are no other options. This should not be abused, it is better to contact a vascular surgeon for examination and treatment.
In the development of varicose veins, an important role is played by genetic factors, improper lifestyle and excessive stress on the legs. Exercise and diet can help reduce the likelihood of this condition occurring and slow the onset of symptoms. But varicose veins can only be cured by surgery after a full examination.