Prevention of varicose veins in the legs

It is necessary to start the prevention of varicose veins in the legs when the first signs of stretching of vascular walls are detected. If treatment is neglected, the disease will continue to develop, leading to serious complications. Lifestyle changes are crucial to prevent the development of varicose veins. The patient needs to balance the daily routine, revise his wardrobe and nutrition system. We will tell you about all the methods to prevent varicose veins further.

The causes of varicose veins

Prevention of varicose veins affects all people because every 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 negatively affects the work of the muscle apparatus. Therefore, people who are thinking about how to protect their legs from varicose veins are required to incorporate daily gymnastics into their schedule. The causes of the development of the disease include:

• abuse of fatty and sweet foods;
• significant excess body weight;
• severe leg injuries;
• bad habits;
• taking hormonal medications;
• excessive strain on the legs.

Before you start preventing varicose veins in your legs, you should determine the degree of your risk of developing the disease. There are certain groups of people who are most likely to experience this disease. They should visit a phlebologist 1-2 times a year to prevent the occurrence of varicose veins.

Most vulnerable groups of people

Prevention of varicose veins begins with determining whether you are a person with a tendency to develop this pathology or not. Only a phlebologist can answer this question accurately after assessing the condition of the veins, but you can try to classify yourself. The following people are at high risk of developing varicose veins:

• with an inherited predisposition to vascular diseases;
• women who have given birth and are pregnant;
• people who are involved in heavy physical work and stay on their feet almost all day;
• women who constantly walk in high heels;
• lovers of spicy and overly salty food;
• alcohol abusers;
• people who like to take very hot baths, go to the sauna;
• women with dyshormonal disorders;
• persons suffering from increased swelling of the legs.

How to prevent varicose veins

How to avoid varicose veins by 100%, doctors will not be able to tell, tk. such is not the case. You can follow all the doctors' recommendations, but you are still facing this disorder. On the other hand, the implementation of preventive measures contributes to the normalization of bodily functions and blood flow, which significantly slows the development of the disease. The most effective means of preventing the progression of varicose veins are:

• sports;
• wearing comfortable shoes;
• balanced diet;
• normalization of body weight;
• gymnastics;
• wearing compression stockings;
• performing a foot massage;
• choice of work with more normal working conditions.

Of course, not all recommendations can be immediately implemented in practice, but everyone can eat less fatty foods and exercise for 20 minutes a day. Do not be too fanatical about the prevention of the disease, because the pursuit of improving the condition of blood vessels, you can seriously injure yourself.

Moderate activity

Working with free weights and very intense physical activity will not be able to help in the fight against varicose veins. On the contrary, they provoke 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 be held at a fast pace and not make you painful. Sports methods for the prevention of varicose veins include:

• water aerobics and swimming;
• run go;
• easy running;
• extent.

Quality shoes

To prevent varicose veins, many doctors recommend wearing orthopedic insoles. They contribute to an even distribution of the load when walking. An important aspect is the shoes themselves. To prevent varicose veins on the legs at home, you can wear sneakers with ankle supports. The type of insole and the height of the incline should be chosen by the doctor. The purchased footwear must meet the following characteristics:

1. Do not wear a flat sole and heel that is more than 6 cm high.
2. Sit well on the leg. Loose shoes on your feet increase the likelihood that you will injure your ankle and that pressing down will cause poor circulation.
3. The sole / heel must be stable. Even summer shoes must have a non-slip coating.

Appropriate job

When it comes to preventing varicose veins in the legs, doctors recommend normalizing work and rest. For many patients, it is due to a shift in job or specialization. Not everyone agrees to take such a radical step, but if you are now engaged in employment, try to take the following recommendations into account when choosing a new job:

1. Work should not be associated with hard physical work.
2. You can not stay in one position for 7-8 hours. Look for companies where employees have to get up every 2-3. hour and allowed to do light heating.

In general, any work can be made suitable by doing a warm-up every hour. If you do not want to change field of activity or specialty, then you can just play sports in the workplace. The most important thing is not to allow an increase in blood in the lower part of the legs, caused by immobility in the lower leg.

Proper nutrition

If you have thoughts 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, ford more likely to experience high cholesterol and obesity. To normalize bowel function, eat plenty of fiber-rich vegetables. If you have practically not eaten raw carrots or cabbage by this time, you should not immediately consume them in kilograms. It is enough to eat 300 grams of such vegetables a day.

People with a tendency to varicose veins should take care to maintain water balance. At least 1. 5 liters of clean water must be consumed per day. Juices, soups, teas are not included in this norm. 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 to prevent varicose veins. Simple physics works here. The more weight a person has, the stronger the pressure on the vessels. Of course, it is necessary to compare body weight with muscle volume, height and your own physique. At the same height, the difference in the weight of the mesomorph and ectomorph can reach 15 kg.

If you decide that the amount of fat in your body dominates over muscle, then cut back on the calories in your daily diet. This approach will allow you to lose weight without experiencing strong cravings for food. If you change your diet drastically, it will lead to breakdown and regain mass. To reduce calories in your daily diet, you should introduce more vegetables that contain fiber. They not only help you lose weight but also help normalize your 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 detrimental effect on blood vessels. This also includes a state of constant stress. Although it is relatively easy to cope with overeating, a strong addiction to alcohol and smoking requires medical attention. A hobby or group therapy session can help relieve stress.

Reading gymnastics

To prevent varicose veins in the legs, it is imperative to perform exercises that help relieve excessive tension from the muscles of the lower extremities. The maximum duration of such workouts is 5-10 minutes. Doctors recommend doing them at least once a day, but preferably twice a day. The following physical activities are considered useful:

• Exercise bike. Lying on a firm surface, lift your legs, and then begin performing movements similar to riding a bicycle. If you can not immediately interact with your legs one by one, then just take turns pulling them to the body.

• Flexion / extension of the foot. The exercise is performed in a sitting position. It is necessary to perform 20 movements with each foot.

• Rolls from heel to toe. They contribute well to the spread of blood if a person has been in a sitting position for a long time.

• Rise up to the toes. First, the actions are performed simultaneously with two legs and then alternately. At the highest point, hang for 10-15 seconds, then lower yourself to the starting position.

Foot massage

If you are unsure how to prevent varicose veins in your legs, try a gentle massage. In itself, the reflex effect on the skin and blood vessels has a strengthening effect on the whole body. Due to short manipulations, the flow of blood and lymph increases, the nutrition of the epithelium is normalized. Foot massage can be performed independently or left to a specialist. With a disposition for varicose veins, pressure and squeezing movements should be avoided during the procedures. Self-massage is performed as follows:

1. The patient should sit on the floor or on a bed / sofa, slightly bending at the knee.
2. Rubbing movements should be performed from the toes to the lower leg.
3. The foot should be wrapped around the toes so that the thumb is on the back of the foot and the rest is on the inside.
4. The segment wrapped around your hands should be squeezed lightly, slowly moving towards the upper part of the leg.
5. The lateral surface of the heel should be wrapped with the fingers on both sides and then squeezed for a few seconds. Next, move up from the Achilles tendon to the knee.
6. The procedure ends with stroking the feet.

Compression clothing

Varicose veins prevention means are different. Compression therapy is also one of them. If you wish, you can participate in specialized physiotherapy procedures when the influence of pressure is performed using specialized devices, but it is easier to buy medical stockings and tights.

Compression stockings should be selected individually. In the absence of an outline, it is sufficient to wear underwear with an initial degree of compression. If you have symptoms of varicose veins, then the doctor should take care of the choice of sweater. Recommendations for choosing medical linen are as follows:

1. It must be comfortable. If you feel uncomfortable at the first adjustment, this underwear is not suitable for you.
2. The compression class must be in accordance with the doctor's recommendations. If you have been told to wear premium compression stockings, then you can not buy knee-high pants in zero class.
3. The products must be of high quality. It is better to buy compression stockings in specialty stores and not in the market or any sale, fordider is highly likely to run into a fake which will stretch over time and cease to have a therapeutic effect on the legs.

Additional recommendations

Measures for the prevention of varicose veins include the use of specialized external cosmetic products (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 in the legs should avoid overloading the muscles of the lower extremities. Hygiene is important to prevent the onset of disease. It is recommended not only to clean the skin on the legs well, but also to take a contrast shower. It also has a local irritating effect on the blood vessels, which improves the skin tone.

How to stop varicose veins

Prevention and treatment of varicose veins are closely linked. The spread of the disease can be stopped in the early stages with the help of medication and alternative treatment, but with a rapidly progressing disorder, only surgery can help. A phlebologist should develop a treatment plan for a patient with varicose veins. It is impossible to independently choose medicine and engage in any oriental practice. Any rash can aggravate the condition of the blood vessels.

Drug therapy

Medicine is able to stop the development of varicose veins in the initial stage. As a rule, the disease begins to form because the vessels do not have enough nutrients to keep the walls elastic. In this case, an increased accumulation of blood is often observed in the extremities. Venotonics / phlebotonics - drugs that improve the outflow of fluid from the legs. They also help restore vascular walls. They are:

• natural;
• combined;
• synthetic;
• based on rutoside.

With high blood viscosity, patients are prescribed drugs containing heparin. They help improve blood flow, but are contraindicated in people with a tendency to bleed.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help reduce pain in the second stage of varicose veins. They also help relieve the itchy and burning sensation that often accompanies this disease. External agents promote skin healing. The duration of use of medication should be determined by the doctor, but often the standard course of treatment is 6-8 months, so do not expect all symptoms of the disease to disappear within 2 weeks after using the medication.

Traditional therapy

In the initial stages, the disease is not considered life-threatening, but it should also not be allowed to drift. Sclerotherapy is a traditional minimally invasive method to prevent 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 wraps should only be cold. Warming the veins with varicose veins is very harmful to the body. Ayurveda helps get rid of chronic stress that causes stretching of blood vessels. This is one of the variants of alternative medicine, built on the Hindu philosophical system. Various plants are used as medicine. Non-traditional methods of treating varicose veins include:

• yoga;
• homeopathy;
• naturopathy;
• Tibetan gymnastics.

Surgery

Having varicose veins in the lower extremities is the most effective way to normalize blood flow in a specialized surgery. Perfect methods of surgical treatment of the disease are characterized by minimal invasiveness and a rapid return of the patient to normal life activity. They allow you 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;
• video endoscopic surgery;
• microphlebectomy;
• laser coagulation;
• venectomy;
• safenectomy.

These methods are most often used to treat varicose veins. The method of surgery to remove the vessel is chosen by the doctor based on the size of the vein and its general condition. Sometimes it is necessary to cut off only part of the vessel, and sometimes it is necessary to completely eliminate it and create an alternative 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 that the cause of the development of varicose veins was the high number of platelets, the use of various tinctures should be postponed, because they contain decoctions of plants that help to dilute the blood. Effective external remedies for varicose veins:

• Conifer salt baths. 300 grams of dry matter are added to hot water and then lowered there. If pine salt is not sold in your area, you can substitute baking soda with it. It is recommended to take such baths 2-3 times a week.
• Apple cider vinegar compresses. The product is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 1 and then applied to the skin. From above, the leg is wrapped with bandages, and 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, use seeds with the skin of the plant. 400 grams of dry product is poured with 1, 5 liters of vodka and then infused for a week in a dark place. After the tincture is ready, they begin to dry the parts of the legs that are damaged by varicose veins.

Prevention forecast

In women with low predisposition to the development of the disease, while preventing varicose veins on the legs, it develops in only 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. More often it is a mild to moderate form of the disease. With a pronounced tendency to varicose veins, the disease quickly develops into an average form. Without prevention, the disease quickly becomes serious, which greatly complicates further treatment.

Clinical study of the population

All citizens can undergo a free medical examination. In general, not all medical examination is important, but only a visit to the surgeon and the results of a general blood test. The surgeon may notice the first changes in the vessels, and then refer you to a phlebologist. You should also be careful if platelets dominate in the printout of a general blood test, visit a phlebologist. This may indicate vascular thrombosis.

How to avoid varicose veins during pregnancy

During the carrying of a baby, the load on a woman's internal organs increases a lot. During pregnancy, the risk of developing varicose veins in the legs, the small pelvis and the external genitalia increases. In particular, the risk increases in the II and III trimesters when the fetus begins to grow actively. A phlebologist can tell you in detail how to prevent varicose veins on the legs of pregnant women. All preventive measures should be started with a consultation with him. Doctors recommend a woman in a 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 place my legs during the day;
• wear compression and supportive sweater.

Why disease prevention is important

It is much easier to think about how to prevent varicose veins on the legs than to deal with the treatment of an already formed disorder. Many people who suffer from this disorder have a genetic predisposition to develop it. The main objective of preventive measures is to maintain the normal condition of the ship. This can be done in different ways. All preventive measures can be divided into 2 types:

• aimed at people with a hereditary predisposition to the disease or faced with unfavorable working conditions;
• aimed at patients suffering from any stage of varicose veins.

About 80% of phlebologists believe that preventing a disease is much easier than treating it, so all conscientious citizens should set aside at least 10-20 minutes a day to care for their feet.