Varicose veins are a disease based on irreversible enlargement of the venous diameter and loss of venous valve function.
Where is the second heart
To understand the causes of varicose veins, it is necessary to turn to the peculiarities of the structure and operation of the venous system.
Veins refer to blood vessels that carry blood from tissues and organs. Unlike arteries, which move blood from the heart and distribute it from top to bottom, most veins in the body flow from the bottom up. The main driving force in the arteries is the contractile energy of the heart. On its way to the organs, it is almost consumed and unable to provide a stable return of blood to the heart.
The structural features of the venous system help maintain full circulation. They can be divided into:
- center;
- peripheral.
The central one is the residual blood pressure, which is transmitted to the veins after the passage of blood through the arterial system, and the suction action of the diaphragm. It is the muscular septum that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdomen. Large veins pass through the diaphragm. When you inhale, it goes down, compressing the venous canal, and when you exhale, it goes up. This movement works like a pump, helping the blood to flow up towards the heart.
Peripheral factors include:
- muscle-vein pump;
- venous valve;
- nada vena.
The role of these factors in the bloodstream is so great that they are called the second heart of the body.. . . Dysfunction of any of them can be the starting point in the development of varicose veins.
Pam muscle-vein
The main force that causes blood to move from the organs to the heart is the contraction of the muscles that surround the veins. This is a so-called muscle-venous pump. During walking, exercising, muscle fibers shrink, this leads to narrowing of the lumen of the venous canal, as a result of which blood is pushed to the top of it.
Venous valve
To prevent blood from flowing back when the muscle fibers relax, there are valves in the veins. They are the result on the inner surface of the vascular wall, which is a thin elastic plate. The valve flap is directed towards the heart.
Their working principle is as follows: when muscle fibers relax and blood tends back down under the force of gravity, it enters the space formed by the valve leaf and the duct wall. The pressure created by the blood in this area causes the valve to close, which prevents it from flowing back.
Nada vena
Venous tone ensures the maintenance and regulation of vascular capacity. It is provided by the connective tissue and muscle fibers that make up the venous wall. Special nerve cells, located in the thickness of blood vessels, respond to blood pressure by signaling to muscle cells and connective tissue fibers. The venous lumen is reduced, as a result of which blood moves towards the heart.
Therefore, the stable functioning of the venous system depends on the proper functioning of all its constituent parts. To understand this mechanism means making the treatment of varicose veins the most effective.
Between cause and effect
To date, there is no single theory on the development of varicose veins. The greatest difficulty is the separation of the direct cause of the disease and the condition that only contributes to its manifestation.
Varicose vein disease is a genetically determined disease that manifests itself only when exposed to certain unfavorable factors.
In people prone to varicose veins, congenital disorders of the structure of the vascular wall and a decrease in the number of valves are found. As a result, the two most important mechanisms of blood flow from the organs to the heart suffer: decreased venous tone and dysfunction of the valve apparatus.
The simplified disease progression in this case is as follows. Blood, which is pushed through the ducts as a result of muscle contraction, tends downward during the relaxation phase of muscle fibers under the influence of gravity. If there is a small amount of venous valve or its valve is unable to block the lumen of the vessel effectively, blood flows back to the bottom. With insufficient elasticity and resilience of the venous wall, significant expansion of the vessel diameter occurs. As a result, the valve cusps move further away from each other, allowing larger amounts of blood to flow downward. A vicious circle of pathology develops. This is a varicose vein.
However, in a healthy body, even in the presence of congenital changes in the venous tract, the development of the disease does not occur. For this mechanism to work, the effect of one or several adverse factors is necessary. This includes:
- Lifestyle;
- hypodynamics;
- obesiti;
- hormonal imbalances;
- pregnancy.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle features lead to increased pressure in the veins, resulting in increased pressure on the vascular walls.
This is most often observed when standing or sitting for long periods of time and during work associated with constant weight lifting. The development of varicose veins is provoked by tight underwear, jeans, which squeeze the large veins at the level of the inguinal fold. Nutrition is also important: the consumption of refined foods, the absence of fresh fruits and vegetables in the daily menu-a source of fiber. Such a diet leads to the development of constipation, which increases intra-abdominal pressure.
Hypodynamics
As you know, a muscle is the second heart to a vein, because of its contraction, the walls of the blood vessels are compressed and the blood moves. With an inactive lifestyle, this circulatory mechanism disappears. The stage of muscle development also plays an important role - the better the muscles are developed, the easier it is to cope with the work of promoting blood. This is the reason for the rare occurrence of varicose veins in athletes.
Obesity
Obesity is a reliable risk factor for the development of varicose veins in women. At the same time, such dependence is not revealed in men.
Hormonal imbalances
Female sex hormones - estrogen, progesterone - in quantities exceeding physiological norms, affect the walls of the veins and reduce their tone. This is due to the gradual destruction of the connecting fibers that give it its strength and elasticity. Hormonal contraceptives, hormonal drugs for the treatment of menopause play an important role in the development of varicose veins.
Pregnancy
An increase in the amount of circulating blood, compression by the uterus of a large vein that passes through its posterior wall, an increase in intra-abdominal pressure makes pregnancy one of the main causes of varicose veins in women.