It is necessary to start the prevention of varicose veins in the legs when the first signs of stretching of the vascular walls are detected. If treatment is neglected, the disease will continue to develop, leading to serious complications. Lifestyle changes are essential to prevent the development of varicose veins. The patient must balance the daily routine, revise his wardrobe and his nutritional system. We will tell you about all the methods to further prevent varicose veins.
Causes of varicose veins
Prevention of varicose veins concerns everyone, sinceevery person is exposed to negative factors that provoke the development of the disease. First among them is physical inactivity. Most modern people spend 80% of their time in the office. Being in a sitting position interferes with the work of the muscular system. Therefore, people who are thinking about how to protect their legs from varicose veins are forced to introduce daily gymnastics into their schedule. The reasons for the development of the disease include:
- abuse of fatty and sugary foods;
- significant excess body weight;
- severe leg injuries;
- bad habits;
- take hormonal drugs;
- excessive loads on the legs.
Before you start preventing varicose veins in your legs, you need to determine the degree of your risk for developing the disease. Certain groups of people are most likely to suffer from this disease. They should consult a phlebologist once or twice a year to prevent the appearance of varicose veins.
The most vulnerable groups of people
The prevention of varicose veins begins with determining whether you are a person with a tendency to develop this condition or not. Only a phlebologist can answer this question exactly after assessing the condition of the veins, but you can try to rank yourself. The following people are at high risk of developing varicose veins:
- with a hereditary predisposition to vascular diseases;
- women who have given birth and are pregnant;
- people engaged in heavy physical labor and remaining on their feet most of the day;
- women who constantly walk in high heels;
- lovers of spicy and too salty foods;
- alcoholics;
- people who like to take very hot baths go to the sauna;
- women with dyshormonal disorders;
- people with increased swelling of the legs.
How to prevent varicose veins
How to avoid varicose veins 100%, doctors won't know how to tell, tk. there is no such way. You can follow all the recommendations of doctors, but still cope with this disease. On the other hand, the implementation of preventive measures contributes to the normalization of body functions and blood circulation, which significantly slows down the development of the disease. The most effective ways to prevent the progression of varicose veins are:
- physical education;
- wear comfortable shoes;
- Balanced diet;
- normalization of body weight;
- gymnastic;
- wear compression stockings;
- perform foot massage;
- choice of a job with more normal working conditions.
Of course, not all of the recommendations can be implemented immediately in practice, but everyone can eat less fatty foods and exercise for 20 minutes a day. Do not be too fanatical about disease prevention, in order to improve the condition of blood vessels, you can seriously injure yourself.
Moderate activity
Working out with free weights and very intense physical activity will not help fight varicose veins. On the contrary, they cause the destruction of the valves and the stretching of the vascular walls. Prevention of varicose veins involves performing specialized exercises that normalize blood flow. Classes should take place at a steady pace and not make you painful. Sports methods for the prevention of varicose veins include:
- water aerobics and swimming;
- running;
- easy run;
- elongation.
Quality shoes
To prevent varicose veins, many doctors recommend wearing orthopedic insoles. They help to distribute the load evenly when walking. An important aspect is the shoes themselves. In order to avoid varicose veins on the legs at home, you can wear sneakers with instep supports. The type of sole and the height of the climb must be chosen by the doctor. The shoes purchased must meet the following characteristics:
- Not have a flat sole and a heel more than 6 cm high.
- Sit well on the leg. Loose shoes on your feet increase the likelihood of your ankle injury, and pressing down will cause poor circulation.
- The sole / heel must be stable. Even summer shoes should have a non-slip coating.
Appropriate employment
As for the prevention of varicose veins in the legs, doctors recommend normalizing work and rest. For many patients, this is due to a change in job or specialization. Not everyone agrees to take such a drastic step, but if you are now engaged in a job, try to consider the following recommendations when choosing a new job:
- Work should not be combined with hard physical labor.
- You cannot stay in one position for 7-8 hours. Look for companies where employees are allowed to get up every 2 to 3 hours and do light warm-ups.
In general, any work can be accommodated by doing a warm-up every hour. If you don't want to change your line of business or specialty, you can simply engage in workplace physical education. The main thing is not to allow an increase in blood in the lower legs, caused by immobility of the lower leg.
Adequate nutrition
If you have any ideas on how to avoid varicose veins on your legs, pay attention to your diet. People who abuse fatty, salty and very sweet foods are more likely to suffer from this disease because they are more likely to have high cholesterol and excess weight. To normalize bowel function, you need to eat a lot of vegetables that contain fiber. If you have hardly eaten raw carrots or cabbage until now, then you should not immediately consume them in kilograms. It is enough to eat 300 grams of these vegetables per day.
People with a tendency to have varicose veins should take care to maintain fluid balance. At least 1. 5 liters of clean water should be consumed per day. Juices, soups, teas are not included in this standard. They are perceived by the body as food, so they are quickly excreted by the kidneys and intestines. It is undesirable to use non-carbonated water. If you are prone to varicose veins, carbonated and sugary drinks should be excluded. A similar rule applies to drinks with a high caffeine content.
Weight normalization
Maintaining a normal body mass index is important for the prevention of varicose veins. Simple physics works here. The more weight a person has, the greater the pressure on the vessels. Of course, it is necessary to compare body weight with muscle volume, height and your own physique. At equal size, the difference in weight of the mesomorph and the ectomorph can reach 15 kg.
If you decide that the amount of fat in your body predominates over muscle, cut back on calories in your daily diet. This approach will allow you to lose weight without having a strong craving for food. If you drastically change your diet, it will lead to blackouts and mass recovery. To reduce calories in your daily diet, you should introduce more vegetables containing fiber. They will not only help you lose weight, but also normalize digestion.
Rejection of bad habits
Prevention of varicose veins on the legs affects all areas of human life. Bad habits are also on this list. Smoking, alcohol and the tendency to overeat have a bad effect on the blood vessels. It also includes a state of constant stress. Although it is relatively easy to cope with overeating, heavy addiction to alcohol and smoking requires medical attention. A hobby or group therapy session can help relieve stress.
Unloading gymnastics
In the prevention of varicose veins of the legs, it is imperative to perform exercises that help relieve excessive tension in the muscles of the lower extremities. The maximum duration of these workouts is 5 to 10 minutes. Doctors recommend doing them at least once a day, but preferably twice a day. The following physical activities are considered useful:
- Training bike. Lying on a firm surface, raise your legs, then begin to perform movements similar to those of a bicycle. If you cannot immediately interact with your legs one by one, take turns pulling them towards the body.
- Flexion / extension of the foot. The exercise is performed in a seated position. It is necessary to perform 20 movements with each foot.
- Rolls from heel to toe. They well contribute to the dispersion of blood if a person has been sitting for a long time.
- Go up to the toes. First, the actions are performed simultaneously with two legs, and then alternately. At the highest point, you need to linger for 10-15 seconds, then come back down to the starting position.
Foot massage
If you don't know how to prevent varicose veins in your legs, try a gentle massage. On its own, the reflex effect on the skin and blood vessels has a tonic effect on the whole body. Due to short manipulations, blood and lymph flow increases, the nutrition of the epithelium is normalized. Foot massage can be performed independently or entrusted to a specialist. With a predisposition to varicose veins, pressure and pinching movements should be avoided during procedures. Self-massage is carried out as follows:
- The patient should sit on the floor or on a bed / sofa, slightly bending the knee.
- The rubbing movements should be done from the toes down the leg.
- The foot should be wrapped around the toes so that the thumb is on the back of the foot and everything else is on the inside.
- The segment wrapped around your hands should be lightly squeezed, moving slowly to the upper part of the leg.
- The side surface of the heel should be wrapped with your fingers on both sides, then squeezed for a few seconds. Then you need to pass from the Achilles tendon to the knee.
- The procedure ends with caressing the feet.
Compression garments
The means of preventing varicose veins are different. Compression therapy is also one of them. If you wish, you can undergo specialized physiotherapy procedures, when the pressure impact is carried out using specialized devices, but it is easier to buy medical stockings and tights.
Compression stockings must be selected individually. In the absence of predisposition, it is enough to wear underwear with an initial degree of compression. If you have symptoms of varicose veins, the doctor should take care of the choice of bikini line. The recommendations for the choice of medical linen are as follows:
- It should be comfortable. If you feel uncomfortable the first time you try on, then this underwear is not for you.
- The compression class should be in accordance with the doctor's recommendations. If you've been told to wear premium compression stockings, you can't buy zero quality knee highs.
- The products must be of high quality. It is better to buy compression stockings in specialized stores, and not on the market or on sale, since there is a high probability of stumbling upon a fake, which over time will stretch and cease to have an effect. therapy on the legs.
Additional recommendations
Varicose vein prevention measures include the use of specialized external cosmetics (gels, creams, etc. ). They cool the surface of the legs, which contributes to the natural contraction of blood vessels. People with a tendency to varicose veins of the legs should avoid overloading the muscles of the lower limbs. Hygiene is important to prevent the onset of the disease. It is recommended not only to thoroughly clean the skin of the legs, but also to take a contrast shower. It also has a local irritant effect on the blood vessels, which improves the skin tone.
How to stop varicose veins
The prevention and treatment of varicose veins are closely linked. The spread of the disease can be stopped at an early stage with the help of drugs and alternative therapy, but with rapidly progressing disease, only surgery can help. A phlebologist should develop a treatment plan for a patient with varicose veins. It is impossible to independently select drugs and engage in oriental practices. Any reckless action can worsen the condition of the blood vessels.
Drug therapy
Medicines are able to stop the development of varicose veins at the initial stage. As a rule, the disease begins to form because the vessels do not contain enough nutrients to maintain the elasticity of the walls. In this case, an increased accumulation of blood in the extremities is often observed. Venotonics / phlebotonics - drugs that improve the flow of fluid from the legs. They also help restore the vascular walls. They are:
- Natural;
- combined;
- synthetic;
- based on rutoside.
With high blood viscosity, patients are prescribed drugs containing heparin. They help improve blood circulation, but are contraindicated in people with a tendency to bleed.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help reduce pain in the second stage of varicose veins. They also help relieve the itching and burning sensation that often accompanies this disease. External remedies promote healing of the skin. The duration of drug use should be determined by the doctor, but standard treatment often lasts 6-8 months. You should therefore not expect all symptoms of the disease to go away within 2 weeks of using the medicines.
Traditional therapy
At first, the disease is not considered to be life threatening, but it should not be allowed to drift either. Sclerotherapy is a traditional, minimally invasive method of preventing the further development of varicose veins. It can be used to remove stars and small vessels. Traditional therapy includes:
- echosclerotherapy;
- microsclerotherapy;
- thermocoagulation;
- electromagnetotherapy;
- darsonvalization;
- electrical stimulation;
- manual lymphatic drainage;
- the use of elastic compression of the legs;
- hydrotherapy;
- balneotherapy;
- pressotherapy.
All of these techniques help prevent the further development of the disease. They activate the natural process of vascular regeneration.
Unconventional methods
You can improve the condition of the legs with the help of mud therapy. The patient should remember that the envelopes should only be cold. Warming up the veins with varicose veins is very harmful to the body. Ayurveda helps to get rid of chronic stress which causes stretching of blood vessels. It is one of the varieties of alternative medicine, built on the Hindu philosophical system. Various plants are used there as medicines. Non-traditional methods of treating varicose veins include:
- yoga;
- homeopathy;
- naturopathy;
- Tibetan gymnastics.
Surgery
With varicose veins of the lower extremities, the most effective way to normalize blood flow is a specialized operation. Perfect methods of surgical treatment of the disease are characterized by minimally invasiveness and a rapid return of the patient to normal activity of life. They make it possible to completely get rid of the affected veins, which slows down the development of the disease. Modern methods of surgical treatment of varicose veins include:
- short stripping;
- endoscopic video surgery;
- microflebectomy;
- laser coagulation;
- venectomy;
- safenectomy.
These methods are most often used to treat varicose veins. The surgical method of removing the vessel is chosen by the doctor depending on the size of the vein and its general condition. Sometimes it is necessary to cut only part of the vessel, and sometimes to eliminate it completely and create an alternate channel for blood flow.
Folk method
Folk remedies that improve the condition of the veins are divided into external and internal. If you are not sure whether the cause of the development of varicose veins was the high number of platelets, the use of various tinctures should be postponed, as they contain decoctions of plants that help thin the blood. Effective external remedies for varicose veins:
- Salt baths of conifers. 300 grams of dry matter are added to hot water and then immersed. If pine salt isn't sold in your area, you can substitute it with baking soda. It is recommended to take such baths 2-3 times a week.
- Apple cider vinegar compresses. The product is diluted with water in a 1: 1 ratio and then applied to the skin. From above, the leg is wrapped in bandages, then everything is fixed with plastic wrap. You can simply apply apple cider vinegar 2-3 times a day. It irritates the veins.
- Rub with horse chestnut. A ready-made tincture based on this plant can be purchased at a pharmacy or you can prepare it yourself. In the latter case, you will need almonds with the skin of the plant. 400 grams of dry product are poured with 1. 5 liters of vodka, then infused for a week in a dark place. After the tincture is ready, they begin to wipe the parts of the legs damaged by varicose veins.
Prevention forecast
In women with a low predisposition to the development of the disease, when preventing varicose veins on the legs, it develops only in 5% of cases. The disease is mild, so it can be treated quickly. With a moderate predisposition to the disease, the disease occurs in 30% of patients. Most often this is a mild to moderate form of the disease. With a pronounced tendency to varicose veins, the disease quickly progresses to an average form. Without prevention, the disease quickly worsens, making it very difficult to continue treatment.
Clinical examination of the population
All citizens can undergo a medical examination free of charge. In general, not all medical examinations are important, just a visit to the surgeon and the results of a general blood test. The surgeon may notice the first changes in the vessels, then refer you to a phlebologist. In addition, you should beware if platelets predominate in the impression of a general blood test, you should consult a phlebologist. This may indicate vascular thrombosis.
How to avoid varicose veins during pregnancy
While carrying a baby, the load on the internal organs of a woman increases significantly. During pregnancy, the risk of developing varicose veins of the legs, pelvis and external genitalia increases. In particular, the danger increases in the II and III trimesters, when the fetus begins to actively develop. A phlebologist can tell you in detail how to prevent varicose veins on the legs in pregnant women. All preventive measures should begin with a consultation with him. Doctors recommend a woman in the position:
- wear comfortable shoes with low heels (completely flat soles are also harmful);
- try not to drink too much fluid;
- go to water aerobics for pregnant women;
- more often I position my legs during the day;
- wear a compression and support jersey.
Why disease prevention is important
It is much easier to think about the prevention of varicose veins on the legs than it is to treat the treatment of an already formed disease. Many people with this disease have a genetic predisposition to develop it. The main objective of preventive measures is to maintain the normal condition of the vessel. This can be done in different ways. All preventive measures can be divided into 2 types:
- intended for people with a hereditary predisposition to the disease or facing unfavorable working conditions;
- intended for patients with any stage of varicose veins.
About 80% of phlebologists think it is much easier to prevent a disease than to treat it, which is why all conscientious citizens should spend at least 10-20 minutes a day taking care of their feet.