Varicose veins in the lower extremities are a chronic disease that manifests itself in a violation of the mechanism of blood flow in the veins. Because of this, the venous walls are under constant pressure, gradually thinning, forming nodular enlargements on the veins.
As a result of stagnation of blood in the veins of the lower extremities, varicose veins develop. It is manifested by swelling of the peripheral veins of the legs and their protrusion under the skin. The veins look meandering and get a bluish tint. There is severe pain in the legs.
Varicose veins develop without treatment, complicated by thrombophlebitis and trophic ulcers. Treatment of varicose veins should be started at the first symptoms to prevent the development of the disease.
First of all, for the treatment of varicose veins in the legs, doctors use conservative methods. If these do not give results, they resort to surgical treatment.
Physiotherapy treatment
In the treatment of varicose veins on the legs, a significant place is given to physiotherapy methods. The most important are as follows:
- Electrophoresis;
- Lymphatic drainage;
- Hyperbaric oxygenation;
- Galvanization;
- Magnetotherapy;
- Darsonvalization;
- Ultraviolet light exposure;
- UHF and others.
The most popular procedure is darsonvalization. It is performed with a special device that generates weak electrical discharges. Move it along the legs from bottom to top for 15 minutes for each limb. The course of treatment for varicose veins is about 20 sessions (depending on the degree of development of the disease). As a result, the vascular tone returns to normal, the lymph outflow and microcirculation in the legs are improved.
Pulse magnetotherapy is performed using a generator of magnetic fields, which induce eddy current in tissues of the lower extremities, which has a therapeutic effect. As a result of this effect, the muscle fibers in the vascular walls of the legs are stimulated and toned. This improves blood circulation in the extremities, reduces swelling and reduces pain. Depending on the degree of development of varicose veins, the session lasts from 10 to 20 minutes.
Pneumatic compression also helps restore the tone of veins and blood vessels through a kind of massage. A device resembling a boot is put on the patient's leg. It is put under pressure by the gas supply. However, the method should be discarded for those patients with varicose veins who are prone to thrombosis.
Balneotherapy is an effective method of treating varicose veins on the leg, which consists of leading baths with mineral water. Baths themselves are designated locally or generally. Hydrotherapy is a contrasting local bath. These methods are especially effective in the early stages of the disease. Manifestations of varicose veins to treat these methods at this stage are quite effective.
Oxygenation
In addition to local physiotherapy procedures, others are also performed that affect the whole body as a whole. For example, oxygen in a hot tub improves blood circulation and relieves the symptoms of varicose veins in the legs. Hyperbaric oxygenation is useful. During the session, the patient inhales pure oxygen at a pressure of more than one and a half atmospheres.
Ozone therapy is related to this method. Inhalation of ozone activates many processes in the patient's body: microcirculation is improved, metabolism is normalized, and regeneration is accelerated. In therapeutic doses, ozone also prevents thrombus formation, thinning the blood slightly. The course of treatment for varicose veins with ozone is 5 - 10 procedures with an interval of 2 days between them.
Physiotherapy is especially effective in the early and middle stages of the disease. Physiotherapeutic procedures should be prescribed by a phlebologist.
Drug treatment
Medicines to combat varicose veins on the legs are of secondary importance. They are the key to successful treatment and high efficiency of the main method. Drugs are prescribed during physiotherapy and other methods of conservative treatment and after surgery.
There are many drugs for the treatment of varicose veins. They can be used in combination or separately. A phlebologist should appoint an appropriate one. All medicines can be divided into several groups:
- Phlebotonics;
- Anticoagulants;
- Decongestants;
- Separators;
- Antioxidants
- Fibrinolytics.
Phlebotonics allow you to increase the tone of the walls of blood vessels and veins and are therefore effective in treating varicose veins on the leg. The walls become stronger and denser. The effect of treatment with other methods is fixed. The blood circulation in the legs is improved, the lymph outflow is improved. They are prescribed for preparation for surgery and as rehabilitation after that, relief of inflammation in the vein with varicose veins.
Anticoagulants are drugs that work to reduce the blood's ability to clot. This prevents the formation of blood clots, which is of great importance for varicose veins in the leg. They can be taken as pills or injections. It is dangerous to take them without consulting a doctor because they have a side effect - bleeding, which is difficult to stop.
Decongestants can be taken orally as pills or externally as gels and ointments. In the form of tablets, diuretics are mainly used. Such drugs significantly reduce soreness in the legs with varicose veins as well as additional pressure on the walls of the veins. Their use improves blood circulation.
However, separate drugs that also affect blood clots do not belong to anticoagulants. They stop the coagulation process only in the earliest stages and therefore do not belong to anticoagulants. They do not have a significant effect on the indicators of general coagulation. When used as an adjunct therapy for varicose veins, they have the same effect as anticoagulants.
Antioxidants work by detoxification. As a result of the restoration of chemical bonds in the cells, the tone of blood vessel and vein walls is strengthened. As a result, the cure for varicose veins in the leg is much faster.
Fibrinolytics prevent blood clots. This is due to the destruction of fibrin, which is part of the blood clot. The use of a drug from this group allows blood plasminogen (an inactive protein) to take the form of plasmin, causing the destruction of a blood clot. However, ingestion of this drug does not prevent further thrombosis with varicose veins.
The pharmaceutical company has developed a whole range of drugs that combine the properties of several described groups. Such drugs should be prescribed by a physician and taken strictly under his supervision. This is because they have a number of side effects.
Using drugs for varicose veins on the legs may not be the only goal. They are prescribed along with other treatments.
Laser therapy
This is an effective way to treat varicose veins in the legs. The principle of the function of the laser in this disease lies in its effect on hemoglobin. Hemoglobin absorbs laser light and heat is generated in the blood. As a result, the damaged vessel is "sealed". The laser also indirectly affects the tone of the walls of blood vessels and veins because it causes a spasm in these walls. The advantage of such an influence is its accuracy. It only affects certain tissues without affecting the surrounding in any way.
After exposure to the laser, the movement of blood through the treated area stops. The blood supply to this part of the limb will be produced by deeper veins. In the "non-working" part of the vessel, connective tissue is formed, which will dissolve over time.
The benefit of this method of getting rid of varicose veins is its minimal trauma. Patients experience no discomfort or tenderness after the intervention. In addition, there are other benefits:
- The method does not require skin incisions unlike surgery. Thus, there are no scars left after that. There are also no bruises after the procedure;
- The procedure is short and is performed under local anesthesia. In view of this, it is as safe as possible for health, as opposed to surgery performed under general anesthesia;
- From an economic point of view, laser treatment of varicose veins is similar to surgery. Although it seems more expensive, it should nevertheless be taken into account that the patient after that does not have to undergo a rehabilitation period and be on sick leave for a long time or spend money on recovery.
Many diseases can be cured with the laser. It has become a good alternative to many types of procedures. Minimal trauma, pain relief and efficiency - all this makes laser treatment preferable in many situations.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is a popular method of treating varicose veins on the legs, which is sometimes called physiotherapy. Essentially, special drugs are injected into the veins. The method is non-traumatic and effective, and therefore popular. This method is sometimes comparable in its effectiveness with a laser and even surgical procedure. After such a procedure, the walls of the tub are glued and strengthened, making it possible to defeat varicose veins in the legs. And the substance is absorbed into the body.
The main advantage of the method of getting rid of the disease is the absence of scars and bruises after the procedure. It is also important that it is not too painful and that it can be performed under local anesthesia. After the procedure, the integrity of the circulation is not violated because the veins are not removed. Such an intervention can be an ideal option both when it is dangerous to use surgical methods - with thrombophlebitis, periflebitis and in the treatment of relapse of the disease, when the veins are fragile and twisted.
The method has a number of contraindications. First and foremost, this is pregnancy and breastfeeding. Serious diseases of the cardiovascular system, diabetes mellitus, chronic liver and kidney diseases, allergies - all this will also be a contraindication to the use of sclerotherapy, it is better to think about how to cure varicose veins differently.
If the doctor prescribes sclerotherapy, he should be informed of possible contraindications. When a patient has chronic diseases of any kind, the possibility of using sclerotherapy remains questionable.
Surgery
Surgery is a traumatic and painful way to effectively treat severe varicose veins in the legs. However, only the efficiency reaches 100%. In addition, it sometimes takes significantly less time than anyone else. Among the disadvantages are large scars and scars, a long rehabilitation period. There are several types of surgery:
- Stripping involves removing a section of a vein with a thin probe. It is injected at the beginning of the vein and withdrawn at the end. In this case, the area attached to the probe turns in and out, and it becomes easy to remove;
- Phlebectomy is a traditional surgical method of treating varicose veins, which involves cutting the tissue with a scalpel. It is performed both when minimally invasive intervention is impossible, for example when significant areas are affected or severe inflammation is present, and for other indications;
- Microflebectomy is considered a minimally invasive procedure. Helps treat varicose veins effectively. According to the type of embodiment, it is similar to the previous method, only the incisions in the skin are made very small. Thus, it is less traumatic. It can be performed when the lesion is not so severe and it is not necessary to remove a large part of the vein.
This method has a number of both indications and contraindications. So pregnant women and those who have recently given birth can not be disturbed. After giving birth, wait at least a month and a half. In the early stages of varicose veins, you should also not use this method.
Surgical intervention is not a guarantee of the absence of recurrence of varicose veins on the leg. You need to be careful about your health.
Many methods of healing varicose veins on the legs allow the doctor to choose the best one for each case. But the more the disease is started, the more radical method must be chosen. Therefore, you should not delay in contacting a doctor if you observe the first symptoms of varicose veins on your leg.