Varicose veins are an extremely common disease.It affects the veins, increasing their diameter, thinning the walls and disrupting the functioning of the valves.Varicose veins can occur in any part of the body, but most often the veins of the lower extremities are affected.Almost half of women and about 25% of men suffer from it.Why are the veins of the legs so often affected by this disease?
Main reasons
The causes of varicose veins on the legs have not been fully identified, but the most common are the following:
- Physical inactivity.Due to insufficient mobility, the outflow of blood becomes slower and worse.This also explains the fact that the disease is rapidly becoming younger - if previously people suffered from it after 30 years, now they suffer from it after 20 years.People of the “computer” generation spend a lot of time motionless, in a sitting position.
- Heredity.Studies have shown that varicose veins develop more often in people whose relatives also suffered from them.Through genes, children are passed on, among other things, the structure of veins, and therefore a predisposition to the appearance of varicose veins.
- Obesity.Excess weight puts too much stress on the legs, and the blood in the veins often stagnates.
- Great load on the legs.It usually occurs in people who, due to their occupation (salespeople, teachers, hairdressers), spend a lot of time on their feet.
- Uncomfortable shoes and clothes.The leading cause of varicose veins on the legs is stiletto heels.Since girls are forced to balance on a small area of their feet, this creates a huge load on their legs.Likewise, skinny jeans, while making you visually more attractive, tighten the pelvis, disrupting the blood flow.
- Smoking and alcohol.Bad habits cause significant damage to our health and greatly affect the circulatory system.
- Diseases of the pelvic organs.Diseases of the intestines and genital organs provoke improper blood movement and stagnation, which also affects the legs.
- Pregnancy.Being a huge burden on a woman’s body, pregnancy provokes the development of varicose veins.Hormonal changes lead to a decrease in the tone of the veins, and an enlarged uterus often presses on the veins.In addition, the weight increases significantly.
Symptoms of varicose veins in the legs
- heaviness in the legs;
- swelling in the leg, which appears at night and goes away in the morning;
- burning vein;
- the vein swells and becomes more visible.
If you feel these symptoms and you have reasons for varicose veins on your legs, you should immediately contact a phlebologist.After the examination, he may prescribe some kind of research to determine the malfunction of the veins for sure.To do this, carry out the following procedures:
- Doppler ultrasound (shows how blood flows in the veins and whether there are any obstacles to its normal functioning)
- transillumination (with its help, veins are illuminated with a special light, which allows you to accurately determine their condition)
Treatment of varicose veins on the legs
In the initial stages, it is enough to use special ointments and gels that relieve pain and heaviness in the legs, and you also need to wear compression stockings or tights.
Patients are prescribed to take venotonics, which improve blood flow and tone the walls of the veins.They complement the effects of more serious drugs.
For advanced cases, sclerotherapy, ozone therapy, phlebectomy or endovasal laser coagulation are used.All these procedures help normalize blood flow in the legs.
Varicose veins: causes, symptoms, treatment constitute a whole branch of medicine, developing every day.Perhaps in the future there will be ways to treat affected veins without removing them and without serious intervention, but for now we advise you to take care of yourself and avoid the listed causes of varicose veins in the legs from a young age.