The best treatments for varicose veins on the legs

Varicose veins are a serious disease that significantly impairs the quality of life and, without prompt treatment, makes it simply unbearable.

That is why it is important for everyone who faced such a problem to know the causes of varicose veins, their manifestations and, most importantly, to study the best methods of treating this disease.

the doctor examines the leg with varicose veins

general informations

Varicose veins are a chronic vascular disease that develops as a result of stagnant blood (usually in the lower extremities). This is due to the failure of the vascular valves, which normally move blood exclusively upwards from the lower extremities to the heart. Stagnant blood puts pressure on the walls of the blood vessels, making them thinner, losing elasticity and deforming, expanding considerably. On the legs of such a patient with the naked eye, wiggling "snakes" can be observed from blood vessels that rise above the skin and in places form varicose "knots".

Causes of varicose veins

There are several reasons for the development of this disease. In particular, varicose veins can lead to:

  1. "Bad" heredity. Varicose veins are encountered by people with congenital weakness of the valve system or venous walls.
  2. Increased venous pressure. Very often, factors that increase blood pressure lead to such a disease, namely pregnancy, obesity, constant vertical loads (when a person stands for a day), a sedentary lifestyle (sedentary work).
  3. Take hormonal drugs. Some hormonal drugs, such as the high estrogen birth control pill, cause blood clots and can lead to varicose veins.
  4. Violation of blood circulation. These disturbances can appear due to poor physical activity, smoking, wearing shoes that are too tight or chronic constipation.
  5. Hormonal disturbances associated with age-related changes in the body.
leg pain with varicose veins

Manifestations and complications of the disease

Doctors note that varicose veins are not as bad in themselves as their complications are dangerous. Indeed, in the early stages of the development of the disease, the expansion of the saphenous veins is an aesthetic problem for a person (from which women especially suffer). First of all, vascular networks appear on the skin - the so-called "spider webs". At the same time, a person begins to feel heaviness in the legs, notices swelling of the limbs and feels pain when walking. These are important symptoms of varicose veins, which should not be ignored in any way. If a person is in no rush to see a doctor and find out the cause of the condition, they are at risk of getting varicose veins and a problem that cannot be fixed without surgery.

With the development of varicose veins, the skin on the lower leg becomes denser and becomes bluish. The patient's calves begin to "moan" even with a short walk, and under the skin you can see swollen veins. In addition, over time, these veins become very painful.

But this is only the beginning of serious health problems. If a person does not begin to fight the existing disease, irreversible changes begin to occur in the skin surrounding the affected veins, as a result of which lipodermatosclerosis develops and subsequent trophic ulcers appear. In addition, without treatment, the inner walls of the veins become inflamed and cause blood clots. This is how thrombophlebitis develops. The blood clots grow larger and block the lumen of the vein, and at any time the clot can break off. And this condition is fraught with death.

So, it is quite clear that varicose veins need to be treated. And you need to start therapy as soon as possible. Next, we will consider the methods of treating this serious disease.

Medical treatment

In the complex therapy of varicose veins, drugs are necessarily used. Most of them are capsules or tablets, which have a versatile effect on the body. Specifically:

  • Phlebotonic. These drugs increase blood flow, preventing the development of thrombosis and at the same time increase the tone of the vascular walls. It will not be possible to remove varicose veins with such drugs, but they are quite capable of relieving swelling in the legs, eliminating the burning sensation and pain.
  • Anticoagulant drugs. These drugs thin the blood and promote better blood circulation, thus preventing the development of thrombosis. Medicines are prescribed only on an individual basis, and the time of application is set by the doctor.
  • Anti-inflammatory drugs. These include pills, ointments, and gels that relieve pain, relieve swelling, and prevent platelets from sticking to each other. Most importantly, these drugs prevent inflammation of the veins which leads to thrombophlebitis.
heaviness in the legs with varicose veins

Stockings and tights from varicose veins

The fair sex is much more often confronted with varicose veins than men. This is largely due to hormonal changes that occur in the female body (menopause, pregnancy). That is why the most optimal way for them to prevent varicose veins is to wear special tight-fitting stockings or tights. Such compression underwear compress the legs and prevent varicose veins, which makes it an excellent varicose vein prevention. And in the case of an already developed disease, such underwear protects the legs from pain, swelling and fatigue.

Hydrotherapy

Treatment of varicose veins with water has been known since time immemorial. At different temperatures, the veins narrow and widen, which helps to increase their elasticity. Knowing this, modern doctors use hydrotherapy in the early stages of the development of varicose veins, when the vascular networks are just beginning to appear on the skin. In addition, depending on the existing problem, the baths can be local (only for the feet), or general (for the whole body). The temperature of the water in such a bath varies from 20 to 40 ° C.

compression socks for varicose veins

Unconventional treatments

In the complex treatment of varicose veins, non-traditional methods can also be used. Here are some examples.

Potato juice

Affected veins should be lubricated with freshly squeezed potato juice in the morning, afternoon and evening, and dressings with a bandage soaked in this juice should be applied at night. In addition, 100 ml of potato juice should be drunk 3 r / day. Varicose veins should be treated with such a remedy for 3-4 months.

Apple vinegar

It's called "number 1 remedy" for varicose veins, and it's all because apple cider vinegar improves blood circulation, strengthens vascular walls, and improves skin tone. It is very simple to use: 2-3 r / day you need to lubricate the skin in the area of the affected veins with vinegar. And in parallel, you should drink a glass of water in which 1 teaspoon has been diluted. the vinegar. The duration of treatment is 2 months.

Kalanchoe leaves

This is another effective remedy for treating varicose veins. Fill a half-liter bottle with half-chopped Kalanchoe leaves and fill the raw material with 40% alcohol to fill the bottle. After letting the product infuse in a dark place for a week, filter it and use the tincture to rub the affected areas 2 r / day. The treatment should be completed with a light massage of the swollen veins. This treatment lasts 4 months.

Willow bark

White willow bark baths will be of great help in the fight against this disease. For such a procedure it is necessary to grind the bark, after which 2 tbsp. the. pour these raw materials with 400 ml of water and boil over low heat for 15 minutes. Add the finished product to buckets of water, then lower your feet and hold for 30 minutes. And immediately after the procedure, put on compression stockings and let your legs rest. Procedures should be performed every other day for 3 months. By the way, to enhance the effect, a decoction of willow bark can be diluted with a decoction of oak bark.

All of these methods are great ways to prevent this disease and provide good help in treating varicose veins at an early stage of the disease. However, practice shows that in 80% of cases, people with affected veins consult doctors with advanced disease. In such a situation, neither compression underwear, creams and ointments, nor folk remedies can in any way affect the development of the disease. Drastic measures are needed. Fortunately, modern medicine is ready to offer effective methods for solving this complex problem.

pain with varicose veins

Sclerotherapy

This is a non-surgical method of treating varicose veins, in which the doctor, using a thin needle, injects a special substance into the affected vein - a sclerosant. Such a substance sticks to the vein from the inside, which dissolves it, and blood flow begins to flow through healthy veins. The number of sclerosing sessions may vary depending on the severity of the injury. And throughout the treatment, the patient should wear compression underwear.

As a result of such therapy, a person almost forever forgets about bothersome varicose veins. Relapses only appear in 25% of cases, and they are usually associated with an advanced stage of the disease. Certainly, it should be understood that sclerotherapy is not practiced in pregnant women and obese people.

Laser treatment

It is one of the modern advances in medicine that helps get rid of varicose veins without surgery. The radiation generated by the laser "welds" the affected vein from the inside, shutting off its lumen and cutting off the path of blood flow, which begins to travel through the deeper veins. Over time, connective tissue forms from the bonded vessel, which then dissolves.

This method of solving the problem is more effective than sclerotherapy. It is minimally traumatic, the operation takes no more than 40 minutes and the patient can leave the clinic literally 2 hours after the operation. No wonder laser treatment for varicose veins is called "office surgery". In this case, skin incisions should only be made when the large veins are removed, while small varicose veins are removed without damaging the tissue. It is enough to remember that the cost of such an operation is quite high.

laser treatment for varicose veins

Radiofrequency ablation

More recently, in our country, they began to practice the most modern method of removing affected veins, called radiofrequency ablation. It is used to treat the main large veins affected by varicose veins. In this case, a radiofrequency catheter is inserted through a puncture in the skin in the affected vein, which, using microwaves, "stirs" the vein from the inside. In addition, the catheter has sensors that allow you to monitor the effectiveness of the procedure.

This method can compete with laser treatment, as it also does not require incisions on the skin, leaves no bruises, and is completed in just 30 minutes. On the day of the operation, the patient can resume his duties. However, the cost of such a procedure is high even in comparison with laser coagulation.

Surgical removal

It is important to understand that in the case of eczema, thrombophlebitis, as well as trophic ulcers, treatment with the above methods is not carried out. It is possible to remove neglected varicose veins only by surgical removal of the veins in conjunction with sclerotherapy. However, not everything is so critical here either. In the arsenal of modern surgeons, there are minimally traumatic microsurgical methods that allow you to remove a diseased vein through a small incision, and there will simply be no scarring after the procedure. In addition, new technologies allow painful veins to be removed in just 30 to 40 minutes.

There is no need to be afraid of varicose veins. Quite the contrary, the disease requires special attention to itself, and the sooner the better. Timely identification and a correctly selected method of treatment will allow you to eliminate the disease without problems and live fully.

Good health to you!