Varicose veins are a very insidious disease. It can hardly manifest itself for years, because in the early stages nothing bothers a person, and mild ailments are attributed to living conditions, but not to problems with veins. And then deterioration sets in, the disease progresses, and it becomes much more difficult to cure. In this case, varicose veins can affect various parts of the body that have veins. But the vast majority suffer from female legs, so the symptoms of varicose veins in women should be watched very carefully.
Varicose veins are a very insidious disease. It can hardly manifest itself for years, because in the early stages nothing bothers a person, and mild ailments are attributed to living conditions, but not to problems with veins. And then deterioration sets in, the disease progresses, and it becomes much more difficult to cure. In this case, varicose veins can affect various parts of the body that have veins. But the vast majority suffer from female legs, so the symptoms of varicose veins in women should be watched very carefully.
The disease mechanism
The main cause of varicose veins in the legs is the weakening of the walls of the veins and blood vessels, as a result of which they can no longer push the blood with optimal force.
Blood stagnates and stretches the veins further. Expanding, they lose their elasticity, become brittle, and finally stop providing normal blood flow. Due to the fact that blood is constantly in the veins, they swell, knots and blood clots form, clogging the lumen of the vessels. This leads to thrombophlebitis.
Skin cells that do not receive enough oxygen begin to die, tissue necrosis develops, trophic lesions and ulcers appear. This is called end-stage varicose veins of the lower extremities and is only treated with the help of surgery.
It is no longer possible to completely cure this stage of the disease, but it is likely to slow its course and achieve a more or less stable remission.
Important! Doctors believe that the main cause of the appearance of varicose veins of the lower extremities is a hereditary predisposition; therefore, if cases of the disease have been observed in the older generations of the family, special care must be taken with the vessel's health.
How not to miss the beginning of the disease?
It is very important to carefully monitor all diseases, even the smallest ones. If you take stage 1 of development, when the symptoms of varicose veins in the legs started to appear, in most cases it is possible to reverse the process and keep the veins healthy. So, the first signs of varicose veins of the legs are:
- increased swelling, which began to bother not only at night, but also at other times of the day;
- feeling of heaviness and "tired legs" syndrome, appearing in the middle of the day or even earlier;
- general weakness and a state of apathy resulting from insufficient oxygen supply of tissues;
- spider veins or mesh on the legs and thighs, which are often the first sign of varicose veins that people pay attention to.
In this case, with a timely visit to the doctor, the simplest methods of treatment can help: folk remedies, drugs for the prevention of varicose veins in the legs - venotonics in tablets and capsules, ointments, creams and gels.
If it is necessary to treat varicose veins in the legs, the phlebologist may prescribe drugs that thin the blood and prevent blood clots, in addition to wearing special compression underwear or using an elastic bandage.
Important! Although many drugs have few side effects and are prescribed, including for disease prevention, the decision on which one should be taken must be made exclusively by the phlebologist, but not by the patient himself.
What is the danger of the disease?
Firstly, varicose veins, at an advanced stage, threaten the formation of blood clots, which can block the flow of blood and oxygen to the most important arteries and veins located next to the lungs and heart. Pulmonary embolism often leads to a sad outcome.
In addition, varicose veins in the legs can be hidden, affecting the vessels that run deep in the legs. Such a condition is dangerous because the external signs begin to appear when the disease has already passed to the 2nd or even 3rd stage, in which surgery cannot be dispensed with. A visit to the doctor should not be delayed if:
- legs began to swell frequently, while the kidneys are completely healthy, diabetes is not diagnosed, fluid intake is normal;
- pulling or second sharp pains appear in Organs pelvic organs, groin and upper thighs;
- legs periodically cramp, especially at night;
- areas in the lower extremities along the veins began to swell after any load.
Internal varicose veins in the legs can seriously complicate a person's life, bringing constant pain and leading the situation to the intervention of a surgeon.
Important! Varicose veins during pregnancy are common. Most women are sure that this is temporary and will definitely pass after giving birth, but in reality this is not always the case.
Much more often, after the load experienced by the veins during childbirth, the disease begins to progress. Therefore, the signs of varicose veins during pregnancy should not be ignored in any case.
Can other parts of the body be affected?
Varicose vein symptoms can affect a variety of organs. In particular, varicose veins in the arms occur much less frequently than varicose veins in the lower extremities, but they cause just as much anxiety and sadness. If you notice symptoms on your hands similar to the manifestation of this disease, see a doctor as soon as possible:
- the veins become very visible, darken and swell;
- in the hands, including the fingers, swelling occurs;
- there is often a burning sensation and pain;
- doing the same actions for a long time becomes problematic due to the weight on the hands;
Varicose veins on the hands appear in both women and men with approximately the same frequency, but, nevertheless, this disease affects the stronger sex less often by 1. 5-2 times.
This is due to the fact that representatives of the beautiful half of humanity are more susceptible to fluctuations in the hormonal system, which is one of the main factors that provoke varicose veins in the arms.
Important! The first signs of varicose veins of the upper and lower limbs are very similar, but varicose veins of the legs present symptoms that are considered a consequence of flat feet, long walks or wearing high-heeled shoes, osteochondrosis and varicose veins of the hands characterize symptoms that many take for a physical characteristic of the structure of the veins.
intestinal injury
Almost as often as varicose veins of the legs, there are varicose veins of the rectum and their prolapse.
Under this name, the well-known hemorrhoids are hidden. Those who are not lucky enough to get this disease can tell you how unpleasant the signs of varicose veins manifest in such a delicate area:
- sudden attacks of sharp pain when walking;
- severe pain when sitting on inability to sit;
- the appearance of blood from cracks in the anal passage and its pronounced swelling, itching and burning;
- the act of defecating is also accompanied by pain, especially if combined with constipation, which often occurs with varicose veins in this area.
The symptoms of internal varicose veins are not as difficult to notice as the external ones, because there are usually no uncomfortable sensations in the anus.
However, when referring to a proctologist, he usually places 2nd degree varicose veins. It is not as easy to cure it as the first stage of the disease, but it is quite possible without the use of radical measures.
If varicose veins in the arms and legs are more common in women, varicose veins in the rectum affect the male body more. The main reasons for this are heavy physical exertion, serious sports, consumption of alcohol and a lot of junk food, as well as prostate diseases that contribute to the narrowing of the urethra.
Important! Having found the first symptoms of varicose veins of the rectum, you should start treating it as soon as possible, since the danger of the disease in this particular area lies in the fact that the intestines can suffer and the work of the gastrointestinal tract can be disrupted .
The disease develops gradually, without sudden jumps, but it can lead to intestinal neoplasms, both benign and oncogenic.
male problem
If varicose veins on the legs in men are quite rare, then varicocele is a purely male disease. It consists in the fact that the expansion of the veins of the spermatic cord and the testicles becomes one of the causes of infertility due to the male factor.
The ductus venosus with varicocele is filled with blood, which the vessels cannot move further into the renal or small vena cava. In most cases, this problem occurs in the left testicle, as two veins connect in this area: the renal and the seminal.
The symptoms of testicular varicose veins do not manifest at all until the couple has a problem with conception. Then both partners go to the doctors, the woman - to the gynecologist, the man - to the andrologist. And first of all, an experienced doctor will examine the varicocele.
This disease can be detected both with the help of ultrasound and Dopplerography, as well as by probing the veins during the patient's pressure pressure. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the man is required to have a spermogram to determine how far the disease has gone from the status of the sperm.
Important! It is possible to cure varicocele only with surgical intervention, and it is carried out, as a rule, to eliminate infertility in a man.
By itself, this phenomenon is not dangerous and usually does not cause discomfort, but sometimes the veins dilate so much that they cause discomfort or pain. In this case, the operation is also shown.
Conclusion
Varicose veins are caused by many factors, most of which can be corrected. And since this disease belongs to the category of dangerous and often causes serious complications, from which a person can become incapacitated, it will be much easier to take preventive measures in a timely manner to prevent the development of the disease:
- normalize nutrition, eliminating the abundance of fatty, spicy, salty and fried foods;
- stop smoking and alcohol;
- after consulting a doctor, take venotonic drugs, use ointments that strengthen the walls of blood vessels;
- don't stay too long in the same position, sitting too long is just as dangerous as standing;
- allocate enough time for sports;
- control weight, preventing the appearance of extra pounds, especially for women during the period of pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- choose comfortable shoes with low, wide heels that do not squeeze the legs and leave high heels for exceptional cases;
- taking a contrast bath daily, with special attention to the legs, arms and pelvic organs;
- stay in hot rooms, hot saunas and baths as little as possible;
- with a hereditary factor, it will be useful to wear compression stockings, tights or golf.
Having found the first signs of varicose veins, it is imperative to contact a phlebologist and, together with him, draw up a treatment plan.