Varicose veins on the legs, the initial stage of treatment

Today a disease like varicose veins is the most common. A sedentary lifestyle, as a rule, leads to the development of a disease, and an early response to the body's signals leads to serious consequences, which in turn are harmful to health. In this article we will consider a topic such as varicose veins on the legs, photos and the initial stage of treatment. I want to point out that varicose veins are usually referred to as a disease characterized by stagnation of blood in the blood vessels of the lower extremities, which causes the peripheral veins to swell. Swollen vessels are dark blue in color, if not treated properly, they turn purple, blood clots and ulcers begin to form, and severe pain occurs.

Symptoms of the disease in the initial stages of development

Varicose veins of the legs are quite an insidious disease - this is due to the fact that at the initial stage of development this disease is very difficult to diagnose. The symptoms of the disease are similar to many other diseases such as osteochondrosis or flat feet. Patients with varicose veins often seek professional medical help when there is sufficient limb swelling and pain.

Even so, there are several common symptoms that you should immediately contact a specialist to find out the cause of the disease, what are varicose veins on the legs, photos, the initial stage of treatment. The first symptoms of the disease include an increase in the venous pattern. But usually in this case there is no swelling, pain and swelling of the blood vessels.

Let's consider the most obvious symptoms that indicate the presence of such a disease as varicose veins:

• the appearance of pain in the legs, which can occur at any time, also often such symptoms are accompanied by itching and cramping of the limbs during sleep;
• the appearance of a feeling of tiredness and swelling in the legs;
• the skin changes color, the skin in problem areas becomes bluish, becomes drier;
• Bulging of the veins above the surface of the skin and appearance of characteristic spider veins.

Why varicose veins are dangerous

Note that, as mentioned above, a topic such as varicose veins on the legs is very relevant to the initial stage of treatment for many. This is due to the fact that varicose veins are quite a dangerous disease, and a cosmetic defect in the form of swollen veins is just the tip of the iceberg. The disease can lead to serious complications, so treating varicose veins is a must!

As you can see in the photo of the initial stage of the disease, the characteristic symptomatology is swelling of the veins, which is anything but harmless. Let's list the ailments that varicose veins can cause.

• Phlebitis- This disease implies the beginning of an inflammatory process of the vein walls. Patients with phlebitis usually experience severe pain all the time. In addition, painful seals appear in the affected area.
• Thrombophlebitis- The disease is characterized by the formation of blood clots in inflamed and dilated veins. Note that thrombophlebitis occurs due to the lack of adequate treatment for phlebitis. In addition to the pain in the extremities, the patient feels general weakness and loses his appetite.
• Trophic ulcers- This is another complication of varicose veins, which manifests itself in poor nutrition of the epidermis, leading to the appearance of dermatitis, the consequence of which is trophic ulcers difficult to heal.

Preparations for varicose veins

Ointments

Today the pharmaceutical market offers a wide range of drugs for the treatment of diseases with varicose veins and ointments for varicose veins, which deserve special attention.

anticoagulants. These drugs used to treat varicose veins are the most popular. The main task of the ointment is a complex effect that helps reduce blood viscosity, the absorption of the blood clots that have appeared, reduce the inflammatory process and reduce the symptoms of pain. The drugs provide the maximum beneficial effect when used in the initial stages of the disease, improve blood circulation and strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

Ointment based on sodium heparin prevents blood clots and reduces blood clotting.

Venotonics help effectively cope with the symptoms of varicose veins, strengthen blood vessels and suppress inflammatory processes.

Creams

Creams against varicose veins are just as effective as ointments due to the active ingredients they contain, which can effectively combat the unpleasant symptoms of the disease.

Creams based on ketoprofen actively suppress inflammatory processes in the vessels of the lower extremities. These drugs belong to the non-steroid group, which indicates their effectiveness in relieving swelling and pain relief.

Creams based on natural ingredients that effectively help to get rid of varicose veins. The advantage of the cream is that it does not negatively affect the patient with varicose veins.

Rutin-based creams are effective at the cellular level, which quickly suppresses the inflammatory process. The drug has a decongestant effect, improves vascular tone, regulates intravenous pressure and quickly eliminates pain.

pills

The main effect of tablets based on bioflavonoids is to improve the properties of blood vessels such as elasticity and tone, which in turn improves blood circulation and prevents blood clots from forming. Thanks to the use of these drugs, a phenomenon such as venous stasis, the permeability of the venous vessels is eliminated.

Effective folk remedies for varicose veins

cabbage.Even our ancestors used a variety of folk remedies to treat such a disease as varicose veins. One of them is the treatment with cabbage leaves. The effectiveness of this vegetable lies in the fact that cabbage, due to the vitamins and microelements it contains, can quickly relieve inflammatory processes. Cabbage leaves are usually used to treat varicose veins in the form of compresses. To make a medical compress, you need a cabbage leaf, which must first be properly knocked off. After that, one side of the leaf is smeared with vegetable oil and applied to the inflamed area for a day (fixed with a bandage). The duration of treatment is 1 month.

ginger.This herb, used in cooking, can be used as an external and internal medicine to treat varicose veins. Ginger tea helps with almost any disease at any stage of its development, including varicose veins. You can also make ginger compresses. To do this, you need to rub a piece of ginger root, mix it with natural honey and apply it to the affected area for 3-4 hours.

Kalina.Like ginger, Viburnum can be used as a fortified drink and an effective compress to treat varicose veins. To prepare the compress, the berries should be ground to a mushy state, put on a prepared bandage or gauze and applied to the problem area. It is best to do such a compress at night.

The initial stage of varicose veins - the first symptoms

Varicose veins are one of the most common dangerous diseases today, both in women and in men. According to WHO statistics, lower extremity varicose veins can kill a person from thrombophlebitis, trophic ulcers and related cancerous tumors.

Every patient needs to know the causes, symptoms and stages of the disease in order to avoid serious consequences of this pathology.

Reasons and stages of development

Varicose veins are caused by pathologies of the vein walls and malfunctions of the venous valves, the task of which is to transport blood enriched with carbon dioxide from the lower extremities to the lungs for gas exchange.

As a result of incorrect blood flow and a malfunction of the valves, blood accumulates in the vessels, the pressure in the veins in the legs increases, which leads to a bulging of the weak vein wall. This is how varicose veins develop.

There are a number of factors that can cause disease. These include:

1. inheritance.
2. obesity.
3. have bad habits.
4. pregnancy.
5. Taking hormonal drugs for a long time.
6. Cardiovascular diseases that lead to blood clots.
7. Lack of exercise, which leads to blood stagnation.
8. long-term occupations.
9. Walk in high heels.

Under the influence of these factors, a leg disease develops, which runs in several stages. Each of them is characterized by specific clinical manifestations.There are 4 stages of varicose veins in medical practice:

• Varicose veins in the early stages, as shown above, runwith practically no symptoms. A person only has a predominant feeling of heaviness in the legs, slight swelling, and pain. Small spider veins begin to appear on the skin of the thighs and legs;
• 1st degree varicose veins, which can also be seen in the photo, are characterized by frequent cramps in the calf muscles, a burning sensation that spreads from the lower leg to the sole of the foot, and swelling of the ankles;
• for the second degreecharacterized by an abundance of spider veins, severe edema, constant pain in the legs, an increase in the area of ​​protruding veins;
• third degreeindicates the involvement in the process of the skin disease: it becomes scaly, thin, often pigmented near the ankle. The risk of thrombosis is very high. Veins are greatly enlarged and dilated. The patient, in addition to the pain, is afflicted by a constant burning sensation, eczema and dermatitis on the skin of the lower extremities. Deep ulcers form if the skin is damaged.

IMPORTANT! If treatment is not started at an early stage, the disease will be very difficult to treat conservatively in the future and poses a mortal danger to the patient!

The first symptoms of varicose veins

The first symptoms of varicose veins on the legs are difficult to diagnose.For a while, the patient confuses it with tiredness and muscle strain. With such sensations, especially if the legs have not previously been seriously strained, you should contact a specialist, becauseyou can cure the disease at an early stage, without resorting to surgical interventions and strenuous interventions. Phlebologists and surgeons specialize in treating varicose veins.

The following symptoms indicate the first signs of varicose veins:

1. Constant heaviness in the legs. This is due to an impaired blood flow in the legs due to a malfunction of the venous valves. This increases the pressure in the vein, expands even more, and causes pain.
2. Swelling of the lower extremities. The symptom manifests itself in a heavy load on the venous system. If pain in the vein and reddening of the skin above it are accompanied by the swelling, then we can talk about the development of thrombophlebitis - an extremely dangerous complication of varicose veins.
3. An increase in the circumference of the lower legup to 1 cm in the evening is associated with edema.
4. Pain sensationsincrease with exertion and disappear the next morning.
5. Spider veinson legs and thighs. Some patients consider it a cosmetic defect. Their appearance indicates the pathology of the large varicose vein that feeds them. Only ultrasound diagnostics can confirm or reject this.
6. protruding veins.

First of all, the first signs of varicose veins on the legs disappear quickly when the legs are allowed to rest in a comfortable position.However, this should alert the patient as it is a sure symptom of the onset of the disease..

Then the patient may feel a burning sensation in the veins. If you do not pay enough attention to these symptoms, the patient may experience cramps in the calf muscles and tiredness in the legs below the knees at night.

WARNING! The symptoms of early varicose veins are similar to those of other diseases - flat feet and osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. This is why it is so important to seek advice from a phlebologist to rule out other diagnoses and to start treatment on time!

Diagnosis and treatment

As a rule, varicose veins arepainlessin the early stages, as shown in the photo. The patient, who, according to statistics, women suffer from varicose veins twice as often as men, asks a doctor for help with the vascular network. The doctor will conduct an examination and prescribe the necessary studies to assess the degree of impaired venous blood flow.

A general blood test can be prescribed for this purpose, which shows the presence or absence of thrombocytopenia, a biochemical blood test to detect liver problems and vascular ultrasound.

It shows the pathology of the vessel wall. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient is referred for x-ray phlebography, which will determine the location of the venous lesion.

After the examination, the doctor prescribes a treatment that can prevent the transition from the initial stage of varicose veins to the subsequent ones.

For this, the underlying disease is treated- endocrine, cardiovascular, etc. Then risk factors are eliminated, only then is the patient offered to change his lifestyle and diet and to give up bad habits.

Early medical treatment ofvaricose veins is not intended. Experts believe that it is enough touse compression underwear - either special stockings and tights or elastic bandages that must be put on the legs when you wake up and worn throughout the day. This therapy can distribute the load evenly across the legs and improve blood circulation.

Forms of the disease

The type of vascular insufficiency depends on the veins that invaded the disease, the prevalence of the process and the localization. There are varicose veins:

• reticular (small vessel);
• segmental (focal);
• perforation (lesion of the connective veins);
• main (pathology of a small or large vein under the skin).

Each type of varicose vein has characteristic features in terms of external manifestations. The presence of complications depends on the stage of the disease.

Reticular shape

Of all known types of varicose veins, this is the simplest. The disease mainly affects female legs, men are rarely affected by this pathology.

In the photo of varicose veins in the initial stage, the reticular shape can only be determined by strengthening the vascular pattern. This is a bluish network of small venous fragments no more than 3 mm in diameter. More often it is localized on the thighs in the area of ​​the lateral surfaces. At first several fragments similar to asterisks appear, then larger areas are affected.

This form of varicose veins is often referred to as cosmetic. It is not dangerous to blood flow, but it is an aesthetic inconvenience for women. Reticular varicose veins of the legs can cause:

This shape is the most treatable shape. One of the most effective methods of treating such varicose veins is microscopic sclerotherapy. It's not dangerous and painless. However, often patients do not consider the manifestations of spider veins as a serious reason to contact a phlebologist. In this case, the disease becomes a chronic pathology. It can cause bleeding from superficial vessels.

The reticular form of varicose veins requires mandatory medical advice. This prevents complications from occurring.

Segment shape

These types of varicose veins can appear in the early stages of the disease. In the segment shape, larger vessels with a diameter of 3 mm or more are affected. But the disease is focal, only one or more secondary veins lose their tone. This type of pathology is characterized by the absence of reverse blood discharge, which makes therapy easier.

If you look at the photo of the varicose veins in the legs in segmental form, you can see the swollen branches of the main vein in the lower leg. These are the aisles.

Treatment of the disease is conservative. A miniflebectomy can be performed for later treatment and formation of tributary nodes. Segmental varicose veins are localized in the anteromedial and posterior surfaces of the leg, as well as in the hollow of the knee.

Trunk

This pathology affects the major and minor major veins. Big, suffers several times more often than small. In the photo of the varicose veins on the legs, the protrusion of the large vessels in the lower leg, on the lateral thighs and on the feet is clearly visible. The vessel wall on the legs is tense, and nodular formations are visible.

The disease runs with characteristic symptoms of chronic circulatory failure. Backflow occurs due to damage to the vascular valves (reverse discharge). Usually the blood moves in one direction. If the valves are not sufficient, they will not close completely and the tanks will be overloaded. Because of this, the veins stretch and lose their elasticity.

Trunk varicose veins require serious treatment. Smaller operations and conservative methods are used more often.

In the absence of adequate therapy, the main varicose veins on the legs become complicated by thrombophlebitis and thrombosis.

perforation shape

There are deep veins and saphenous veins on the legs. They are connected to one another by vessels called perforation vessels.

These veins are no less important than the trunk veins. Their defeat leads to insufficient blood supply to the legs. The blood is not completely passed into the bloodstream. This contributes to stagnation and thrombus formation.

• A picture of varicose veins on the legs with lesions of the perforation veins clearly shows the presence of swollen vessels.
• Bumps and bruises are visible in some places. the skin becomes darker;
• Skin rash and scratches may occur.

The localization of this form varies and depends on the location of the affected vein. These are the legs, thighs, and ankles. Sometimes the vessels even bulge in the Achilles tendon and under the knee. Treatment is often surgical, but minimally invasive methods are possible for individual foci.

Stages of varicose veins of the legs

Phlebologists around the world hold forums and seminars on varicose veins every year. The types and forms of the disease are constantly changing. Experts describe the stages of varicose veins in different ways. Their number is constantly changing. The final approved classification contains seven grades:

• First or zero. Does not manifest itself through external signs. Patients only complain of severity, tiredness and swelling. Sometimes it can interfere with the recurrence of seizures.
• Second. In the photo of the second stage, you can clearly see the vascular network in the hollows of the knees and thighs. The symptoms do not change.
• Third. The protrusions of the vessels are clearly visible, especially during exercise or in a sitting position. In addition to the veins, there are blue nodules on the legs. The patients feel pain and tension.
• Fourth. The appearance of edema is added to the swollen veins. In the evening your legs get full and in the morning everything returns to normal. Swelling can cause numbness or tingling in the legs.
• Fifth. Metabolic processes are disrupted. There isn't enough tissue nutrition and trophic changes form on the skin. They can appear as dry spots, redness, and scratches. The skin around the veins becomes darker. Thrombophlebitis can develop.
• Sixth. The photo of this stage is different from the others. It shows pronounced trophic ulcers in the veins of the lower extremities. As a result of massive treatment, wounds primarily heal.
• Seventh. The last stage. In other classifications it is called decompensation. The most negative result of the disease. Non-healing ulcers form on the legs. They can get wet and festering. This degree requires urgent inpatient treatment. It can be complicated by sepsis and thromboembolism.

Types of varicose veins on the legs, complicated by a violation of the integrity of the skin and the addition of a secondary infection, can put the patient's life at risk.

There is another classification that provides three stages of varicose veins:

• compensation. It manifests itself only with local symptoms (pain, cramps, severity). External changes in the blood vessels are not observed.
• undercompensation. External signs of moderate varicose veins develop. Spider veins and signs of segmental lesions appear.
• decompensation. Severe consequences of chronic venous insufficiency. Trophic lesions, ulcers and thrombosis.

General characteristics and causes of varicose veins

In a healthy person, under the influence of pressure, venous blood rises from the legs to the heart, which in normal conditions is completely sufficient to overcome gravity. When this mechanism is disturbed, the body has to increase the pressure to force the blood upwards.

As a result of this process, valve regurgitation occurs, which is characterized by the flow of blood from the deep to the superficial veins. As the pressure in the vessels increases, their walls lose elasticity, stretch and decrease, which leads to the formation of visible bluish subcutaneous nodules.

Reasons for the development of varicose veins of the lower extremities:

• Increased levels of progesterone in a woman's body. This hormone negatively affects the condition of the vein walls and valves, making them weak and unprotected.
• Congenital anomalies of the valves or vein walls, lack of connective tissue, poor patency of deep veins, genetic predisposition.
• neoplasms on the legs in the abdominal cavity.
• Injuries to the lower extremities.
• diseases of the endocrine system.
• thrombophlebitis.
• Joint diseases - osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
• Long-term use of hormonal contraceptives.
• A sedentary lifestyle that often leads to stagnant processes in the legs.
• Increased intra-abdominal pressure. It usually occurs with lung conditions or with frequent constipation.
• overweight.
• Wear tight clothes and shoes.
• The presence in the diet of a large amount of high-calorie and fatty foods, the lack of vegetable fiber.
• Smoking, frequent consumption of alcohol.

During pregnancy, BPVD is particularly common, since during this periodglobal changes in the hormonal background and an increase in body weight occur.

Men suffer from this disease when theirlifestyle involves hard physical workor prolonged standing on their feet - machine operators, loaders, etc. Some sporting activities can also cause varicose veins in the legs.

Varicose veins need urgent treatment, the absence of which can have serious consequences: the development of thrombophlebitis, bleeding from the venous nodes and a trophic ulcer, which can provoke amputation of the leg.