Varicose veins in the legs, the initial stage of how to treat

Today, such a disease as varicose veins is the most common. As a rule, a sedentary lifestyle leads to the development of disease, and the untimely reaction of the body's signals leads to quite serious consequences, which in turn is detrimental to health. In this article we will look at such a topic as varicose veins in the legs, photos, the initial stage of how to treat. I would like to note that it is common to call varicose veins a disease characterized by stagnation of blood in the blood vessels of the lower extremities, which causes swelling of the peripheral veins. The swollen vessels have a dark blue color, in the absence of adequate treatment they acquire a purple tinge, the formation of blood clots and ulcers begins and severe pain appears.

Symptoms of the disease in the early stages of development

Varicose veins of the legs is a very insidious disease - this is due to the fact that this disease is very difficult to diagnose in the early stages of development. The symptoms of the disease are similar to many other diseases, such as osteochondrosis or flat feet. Often patients with varicose veins seek professional medical help when there is severe swelling and soreness of the limbs.

However, there are some common symptoms, noting which you should immediately contact a specialist to find out the cause of the disease and find out what are varicose veins in the legs, photos, the initial stage of the way oftreatment. The initial symptoms of the disease include an increase in the venous pattern, but as a rule in this case there is no swelling, soreness and swelling of the vessels.

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 spasms of the limbs during sleep;
• the appearance of a feeling of fatigue and swelling of the legs;
• the skin changes color, the skin in the problem areas acquires a bluish tinge, becomes drier;
• bulge of the veins above the surface of the skin and the appearance of characteristic spider veins.

Why varicose veins are dangerous

Keep in mind that, as mentioned above, such a topic as varicose veins of the legs photo at the initial stage of the method of treatment is very suitable for many. This is due to the fact that varicose veins are quite a dangerous disease and the cosmetic defect in the form of swollen veins is just the tip of the iceberg. The disease can lead to quite serious complications, so the treatment of varicose veins is mandatory!

As you can see in the picture of the initial stage of the disease, its characteristic symptoms are swelling of the veins, which is far from harmless, let's list the diseases that can provoke varicose veins.

• Phlebitis- this disease suggests the beginning of an inflammatory process in the venous walls. As a rule, patients with phlebitis constantly experience quite severe pain. In addition, painful seals appear in the affected area.
• Thrombophlebitis- the disease is characterized by the formation of blood clots in inflamed and varicose veins. Keep in mind that thrombophlebitis occurs due to the lack of adequate treatment for phlebitis. In addition to pain in the limbs, the patient feels general weakness, loses his appetite.
• Trophic ulcers- this is another complication of varicose veins, which occurs due to lack of nutrition of the epidermis, which leads to dermatitis, which makes it difficult to treat trophic ulcers.

Preparations for varicose veins

Ointments

Today, the pharmaceutical market offers a wide range of drugs to treat diseases, including varicose veins and ointments for varicose veins deserve special attention.

Anticoagulants. These drugs to treat varicose veins are the most popular. The main task of the ointment is a complex effect that helps reduce blood viscosity, resorption of emerging blood clots, reduce the inflammatory process and reduce pain symptoms. The drugs provide the maximum positive effect when applied in the initial stage of the disease, improving blood circulation and strengthening the walls of blood vessels.

Ointment based on sodium heparin, prevents the formation of blood clots and reduces blood clotting.

Venotonics help to effectively deal with the symptoms of varicose veins by strengthening blood vessels and inhibiting inflammatory processes.

Creams

Varicose vein creams are also effective, as are ointments because of the active ingredients they contain, which can effectively combat the unpleasant symptoms of the disease.

Creams based on ketoprofen actively suppress inflammation in the vessels of the lower extremities. These drugs belong to the non-steroidal group, which shows its effectiveness in relieving swelling and eliminating pain.

Creams based on natural ingredients that effectively help get rid of varicose veins. The advantage of the cream is that it has no negative effect on the patient with varicose veins.

Rutin-based creams are effective at the cellular level, which is why the inflammatory process is quickly suppressed. 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 increase such properties of blood vessels as elasticity and tone, which in turn improves blood circulation and prevents the formation of blood clots. Thanks to the intake of these drugs, such a phenomenon as venous congestion, the permeability of the venous vessels is eliminated.

Effective folk remedies for varicose veins

Cabbage.Even our ancestors used various 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 is able to quickly relieve inflammation due to its vitamins and trace elements. As a rule, white cabbage leaves are used to treat varicose veins in the form of compresses. To make a medical compress, you will need a cabbage leaf, which must first be properly weaned. Then one side of the leaf is smeared with vegetable oil and applied to the inflamed area for a day (attached with a bandage). The course of treatment is 1 month.

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

Kalina.Like ginger, viburnum can be used to treat varicose veins as an fortified drink and as an effective compress. To prepare the compress, the fruit should be ground to a mushy state, placed 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

Today, varicose veins are one of the most common dangerous diseases, both among women and men. According to WHO statistics, varicose veins of the lower extremities can lead to death from thrombophlebitis, trophic ulcers and related cancers.

Every patient should know the causes, symptoms and stages of the disease to prevent serious consequences of this pathology.

Causes and stages of development

Varicose veins occur as a result of pathologies of the venous walls and malfunction of the venous valves, whose task is to carry carbon dioxide-enriched blood from the lower extremities to the lungs for gas exchange.

As a result of improper blood flow and valve dysfunction, blood accumulates in the vessels, the pressure in the veins in the legs increases, leading to swelling of the weak venous wall. This is how varicose veins develop.

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

1. Heredity.
2. Obesity.
3. You have bad habits.
4. Pregnancy.
5. Taking hormonal drugs for a long time.
6. Cardiovascular diseases leading to blood clots.
7. Sedentary lifestyle that provokes blood stagnation.
8. Long-term professions.
9. Walking in high heels.

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

• early stage varicose veins, pictured above, passesvirtually asymptomatic. One has only 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;
• varicose veins grade 1, which is also shown in the photo, is characterized by frequent spasms of the calf muscles, a burning sensation that spreads from the lower leg to the sole of the footand swelling of the ankles;
• for second degreecharacterized by an abundance of arachnoid veins, severe edema, constant pain in the legs, increased area of ​​bulging veins;
• third degreeshows the involvement of the skin in the disease process: it becomes scaly, thin, often pigmented near the ankle. The risk of thrombosis is very high. the veins are greatly dilated and dilated. The patient, in addition to pain, is haunted by a constant burning sensation, eczema and dermatitis on the skin of the lower extremities, deep ulcers form when the skin is injured.

IMPORTANT! If treatment is not started in the early stages, the disease is very difficult to conservatively treat in the future and threatens the patient with mortal danger!

The first symptoms of varicose veins

The first symptoms of varicose veins in the legs are difficult to diagnose.The patient confuses them for a while with fatigue and muscle strain. With such sensations, especially if there has not been a serious load on the legs before, you should contact a specialist, because. you can cure the disease at an early stage, without resorting to surgery and grueling procedures. Phlebologists and surgeons treat varicose veins.

The following symptoms indicate the first signs of varicose veins:

1. Constant weight in the legs. This is due to impaired circulation in the legs due to venous valve dysfunction. As a result, the pressure in the vein rises sharply, stretches even more and causes pain.
2. Swelling of the lower limbs. The symptom occurs as a result of a large load on the venous system. If the pain in the vein and the redness of the skin above it join the swelling, we can talk about the development of thrombophlebitis - an extremely dangerous complication of varicose veins.
3. Increasing the circumference of the lower legto 1 cm in the evening is associated with swelling.
4. The pain sensationsintensify with effort and disappear by the next morning.
5. Spider veinson the legs and thighs. Some patients consider them a cosmetic defect. Their appearance indicates the pathology of the great varicose vein that feeds them. Only ultrasound can confirm or deny this.
6. Presence of bulging veins.

Initially, the first signs of varicose veins in the legs quickly disappear if the legs are left to rest in a comfortable position. However,should alert the patient because this is a sure symptom of an incipient disease.

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

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

Diagnosis and treatment

As a rule, varicose veins in the initial stage, which is illustrated in the picture,are painless. The patient, and according to statistics women suffer from varicose veins twice as often as men, seeks help from a doctor about the vascular network. The doctor conducts an examination and prescribes the necessary tests to assess the degree of impaired venous circulation.

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

Indicates vascular wall pathology. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient is referred for an X-ray phlebography, which determines the location of the venous lesion.

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

This is the main disease- endocrine, cardiovascular and others. Then the risk factors are eliminated, only then the patient is offered to change his lifestyle, diet and give up bad habits.

Medical treatment in the early stage of varicose veinsis ​​not provided. Experts believe that it is enough to usecompression underwear - or special socks and tights, or elastic bandages, which should be placed on the feet when waking up and worn throughout the day. This therapy can evenly distribute the load on the legs and improve blood circulation.

Forms of the disease

The type of vascular insufficiency depends on the veins that affected the disease, the spread of the process and the location. He has varicose veins:

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

Each type of varicose vein has its own characteristics in terms of external manifestations. The presence of complications depends on the stage of the disease.

Reticular form

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

In the picture of varicose veins in the initial stage, the reticular shape can be determined only by strengthening the vascular model. This is a bluish network of small venous fragments with a diameter of not more than 3 mm. It is more often localized on the thighs in the area of ​​the lateral surfaces. First, several star-like fragments appear, then larger areas are affected.

This form of varicose veins is often called cosmetic, is not dangerous for blood flow, but provides women with aesthetic inconvenience. Reticular varicose veins of the legs can cause:

This form is the most treatable form. One of the most effective methods of treating such varicose veins is microscopic sclerotherapy. It is not dangerous and painless. But 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. May cause bleeding from superficial vessels.

The reticular form of varicose veins requires mandatory medical consultation. This will prevent complications.

Segment shape

This type of varicose veins can appear in the early stages of the disease. In the segmental form, larger vessels with a diameter of 3 mm or more are affected. But the disease is focal, only one or more inflow veins lose their tone. This type of pathology is characterized by the absence of reverse blood discharge, which facilitates therapy.

If you look at the picture of varicose veins in the legs in a segmental shape, you can see the swollen branches of the main vein of the lower leg. These are the tributary ships.

Treatment of the disease is conservative. Miniphlebectomy may be used for late treatment and nodule formation. Segmental varicose veins are located in the temporal and posterior surface of the leg and in the popliteal fossa.

Trunk

This pathology affects the great and small main veins. Large, suffers several times more often than small. The photo of varicose veins in the legs clearly shows the bulge of the large vessels in the lower leg, side thighs and feet. The vascular wall of the legs is tense and nodules are visible.

The disease has characteristic symptoms of chronic circulatory failure. Due to the defeat of the vascular valves, reflux (reverse discharge) occurs. Usually the blood moves in one direction. If the valves are insufficient, they do not close completely and the vessels are overloaded. For this reason, the veins stretch and lose their elasticity.

Varicose veins of the trunk require serious treatment. Small operations and conservative methods are more commonly used.

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

Perforating shape

There are deep veins and saphenous veins in the legs. They are connected to each other by vessels called perforating vessels.

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

• photo of varicose veins in the legs with lesions of the perforating veins clearly shows the presence of swollen vessels;
• bumps and bruises are seen in places; the skin becomes darker;
• rash and scratching may occur.

The location of this form is different and depends on the location of the affected vein. These are the shins, thighs and ankles. Sometimes the vessels swell even in the Achilles tendon and below the knee. Treatment is often surgical, but minimally invasive methods are possible in single outbreaks.

Stages of varicose veins of the legs

Phlebologists from all over the world hold annual forums and seminars dedicated to varicose veins. 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 latest approved classification contains seven grades:

• First or Null. It does not manifest itself with external signs. Patients complain only of heaviness, fatigue and swelling. Sometimes this can irritate recurrent seizures.
• Second. In the photo of the second stage you can clearly see the vascular network in the patella and thighs. The symptoms do not change.
• Third. The protrusions of the vessels are clearly visible, especially during training or in a sitting position. In addition to the veins, blue nodules can be seen on the legs. Patients feel pain and tension.
• Fourth. The appearance of edema is added to the swollen veins. By evening, the legs become full and in the morning everything returns to normal. Swelling can cause numbness or tingling in the legs.
• Fifth. Metabolic processes are disrupted. There is not enough nutrition in the tissues and trophic changes are formed on the skin. They can appear as dry spots, redness and scratching. The skin around the veins becomes darker in color. Thrombophlebitis may develop.
• Sixth. The photo at this stage is different from the others. Shows pronounced trophic ulcers in the veins of the lower extremities. As a result of massive treatment, the wounds heal as originally intended.
• Seventh. The last stage. In other classifications this is called decompensation. The most negative result of the disease. Non-healing ulcers form on the legs. They can get wet and purulent. This degree requires urgent inpatient treatment. It can be complicated by sepsis and thromboembolism.

Types of varicose veins on the legs, complicated by disruption of skin integrity and the addition of a secondary infection, can be life-threatening.

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

• Compensation. Manifested only with local symptoms (pain, convulsions, heaviness). External changes in blood vessels are not observed.
• Subcompensation. 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, venous blood rises from the legs to the heart under the influence of pressure, which in a normal state is quite sufficient to overcome gravity. When this mechanism is disrupted, the body is forced to increase the pressure to push the blood up.

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

Causes of varicose veins of the lower extremities:

• Increased levels of progesterone in a woman's body. This hormone has a negative effect on the condition of the venous walls and valves, making them weak and unprotected.
Congenital malformations of the valves or walls of the veins, lack of connective tissue, poor patency of the deep veins, genetic predisposition.
• Neoplasms located on the legs, in the abdominal area.
• Lower limb injuries.
• Diseases of the endocrine system.
• Thrombophlebitis.
• Joint diseases - osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
• Long-term use of hormonal contraceptives.
• Sedentary lifestyle, which often leads to stagnant processes in the legs.
• Increased intra-abdominal pressure. It usually occurs in lung diseases or in frequent constipation.
• Overweight.
• Wearing tight clothing and shoes.
• The presence in the diet of a large amount of high-calorie and fatty foods, lack of plant fiber.
• Smoking, frequent alcohol consumption.

During pregnancy BPVD occurs especially often, because during this periodthere are global changes in the hormonal background, as well as weight gain.

Men suffer from this disease iftheir lifestyle is associated with heavy physical laboror prolonged stay on their feet - machine operators, loaders and others. Varicose veins of the legs can also occur as a result of certain sports activities.

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