In non-professional settings, lower extremity varicose veins are considered “female.”This is wrong.Men also get varicose veins in the superficial veins of the lower limbs.Data from large statistical studies confirm this.The predominance of a fair half of the population in public hospitals only shows that women are focusing on varicose veins, and men are not.Most women seek help from a general surgeon or podiatrist for, in addition to medical or cosmetic purposes.As for men, they are often overlooked.
Therefore, in our country in general, the "male" form of chronic venous disease is characterized by late manifestations.As people often say, "until thunder strikes, people will not surpass themselves"...
Risk factors for varicose veins in men
It is generally accepted that the true cause of varicose veins is unknown.Risk factors include genetic predisposition and lifestyle.These risk factors are the same for men and women.
Main ones:
- sedentary lifestyle;
- work that requires standing and sitting for long periods of time;
- the difference between eating habits and actual energy expenditure, leading to obesity;
- smoke;
- Heavy work involving lifting and carrying heavy objects.
- Sports that involve lifting weights
Causes of severe varicose veins in men
In the early stages, the development of varicose veins in men and women is the same.The disease progresses according to the same principles and with similar stages.The reason for more severe forms of varicose veins when seeing a surgeon in men is the late presentation.Men, as a rule, do not care about the aesthetic component.Varicose veins are not painful in the early stages of the disease, so most men do not find it necessary to seek advice and help.When pain and swelling appear, men also steadfastly ignore these symptoms, demonstrating the magic of unconsciousness.The reason for this behavior is lack of information.The collapse of the health clinic system and the lack of medical information for the people leads to a low level of understanding among men about the possible harmful effects of varicose veins.
Another factor that prevents men from seeing a vein surgeon promptly is the reluctance to wear “female” compression stockings.This is also a consequence of medical illiteracy and is largely the fault of medical staff, not the people.
Long-term lack of treatment leads to the fact that when a man turns to a surgeon or general surgeon, he already has:
- Progressive main varicose veins with signs of severe chronic venous insufficiency,
- thrombophlebitis or venous thrombosis
- Nutritional ulcers of venous origin
- bleeding due to varicose veins
To avoid these complications, timely modern diagnosis is necessary.
Diagnosis of varicose veins in men
The optimal solution for men with symptoms of varicose veins is to contact a competent phlebologist.Ultrasound examination of the vessels at the time of treatment is a mandatory part of the consultation with the vein surgeon!We recommend that you do not have a venous ultrasound performed by a third-party doctor (no matter how highly qualified he is) but by the phlebologist you have contacted personally.The doctor who is committed to consulting you is responsible for both the correct diagnosis and the development of a treatment strategy.
Vascular ultrasound in duplex and triplex mode (venous ultrasound) is the basis for diagnosing and treating venous diseases.Therefore, this test must be performed by the doctor who will advise, treat or operate on you.Venous ultrasound should be performed in a standing position.For patients whose health condition does not allow ultrasound to be performed in an upright position, the examination can be performed in a lying position and with exertion but the diagnostic value will be lower.Especially when diagnosing deep vein thrombosis.After interviewing the patient, examining, palpating and ultrasound of the veins, the phlebologist must write his report, which includes a brief history of the disease, diagnosis and recommendations.A written ultrasound angiographic protocol indicating the date of the study is required.If necessary (complicated cases, congenital malformations, consequences of large deep vein thrombosis), the doctor recommends additional clarifying studies (magnetic resonance imaging, angiography or other methods).
Only this approach meets modern European standards. The examination by a specialist will take no more than half an hour and you will receive complete information about the venous system of the lower extremities.
Consultation with a phlebologist is completely safe and does not involve any traumatic examinations or procedures.No special preparation required. Timely diagnosis is extremely important to choose modern and effective treatment methods, avoiding complications and progression of the disease.
Symptoms of varicose veins in men
All patients should pay attention to the following signs:
- Varicose veins appear on the skin when standing.
- Feeling of heaviness in the legs, especially at the end of the work day.
- Feeling of discomfort along the course of varicose veins.
- Pain along the lines of varicose veins, especially at the end of the workday.
- Swelling in the legs and feet.The first symptom is that elastic bands on socks leave obvious marks and regular shoes become tight.
- Changes in skin color (brown or bluish pigmentation appears).
- Nutritional ulcers on the lower part of the leg along the inner surface.
Treatment of varicose veins in men
For most people, modern, high-quality treatments for varicose veins are now available.Professional specialists work only according to procedures recommended by the Association of Phlebotomists and in accordance with European recommendations.Clinics and medical centers use modern equipment for vascular ultrasound and laser varicose vein treatment.
The main methods of treating varicose veins used by specialists:
- Heat removal (laser and radio frequency).
- Removal of small veins.
- Sclerotherapy.
- Combination of these techniques.
Treatment at medical centers is completely outpatient, without the need for anesthesia, spinal anesthesia or hospitalization.All necessary medical documents are issued (consultation with a phlebotomist, vascular ultrasound protocol, discharge summary with recommendations, temporary disability certificate, tax deduction documents).
Many patients have appreciated the benefits of innovative methods of treating varicose veins.It should be noted that they all depend on the operator.That is, the success of treatment depends not only on the modernity and high cost of the equipment, but also on the practitioner, that is, the doctor working on it.The specialists have extensive experience in ultrasound diagnosis of diseases of the lower extremities (all specialists have a valid ultrasound diagnostic certificate), as well as extensive experience in lower limb vein surgery and thermal treatment of varicose veins (laser, radio frequency).