Varicose veins on the lower leg is a chronic systemic pathology that develops against the background of dysfunction of the valves that control blood flow.
This leads to the accumulation of an excessive amount of fluid in the vessel, which gradually stretches, loses elasticity and strength.Varicose veins are characterized by the formation of large nodes under the skin of the legs, but this is not the only symptom of the disease.Patients complain of pain and heaviness in the legs, burning and itching, dryness, and skin irritation.In advanced cases, non-healing purulent ulcers form on the skin, which are very difficult to heal because of the irreversible necrotic process that develops in them.In order for the treatment of varicose veins on the legs to be effective and help prevent recurrence, it is necessary to first know the cause.
Causes of varicose veins in the legs
The tendency to develop such a serious vascular disease is often inherited, and in most cases this pathology is inherited by women.Therefore, if there is a case of varicose veins in your family, girls and women will be at risk.
Common causes of other diseases:
- Poor nutrition.If the diet is dominated by fatty foods, weight rich in animal fat, the risk of developing varicose veins on the lower legs increases significantly.
- Heavy physical activity.Certain types of work, for example, cooks, waiters, surgeons, office workers, hairdressers, create conditions for a gradual increase in pressure in the veins.With normal pressure, blood vessels and valves become deformed;due to constant high pressure, the vein walls become thinner, become fragile, and varicose veins develop.
- Wearing uncomfortable high-heeled shoes.Such shoes reduce the amplitude of muscle contraction and compress blood vessels, which in turn contributes to impaired blood flow and the development of varicose veins.
- Sedentary lifestyle.In the absence of at least a minimal load on the muscles, blood begins to stagnate in the venous bed, because the vein walls do not contract on their own.Gradually, the vessels stretch, valve function is disturbed, and varicose veins and nodes are formed.
- Excess body weight.The more overweight a person is, the greater the load on the lower limbs, and, therefore, the blood vessels.In addition, obese people move very little and mostly eat poorly, doubling the chances of getting varicose veins in the legs.
- Pregnancy.When the fetus grows, the amount of blood in the pregnant mother's body increases, which creates additional pressure on the veins.In addition, the growing uterus and fetus compress the pelvic canal, which prevents normal venous outflow.During pregnancy, the hormone progesterone is produced in excess, which relaxes the walls of blood vessels, promoting the development of varicose veins.In most cases, varicose veins during pregnancy can be reversed, so after giving birth a woman can get rid of the problem completely.
- Age.As the body ages, the walls of the veins, as well as the valves, completely stop performing their functions, becoming weak.Elasticity and strength are lost, causing vessels to stretch.
The mechanism of the development of varicose veins on the lower leg
Varicose veins on the lower legs develop according to a complex mechanism:
- In the early stages, with the presence of hereditary tendencies and provoking exogenous and endogenous factors, a slowdown in venous blood flow occurs.The process of long-term stagnation causes the development of an inflammatory process in the vein walls and valves.
- When the valves are inefficient and the walls of the venous vessels are weak, blood begins to flow through the veins in both directions.This leads to an increase in intravenous pressure, which in turn leads to excessive stretching and deformation of the vessel wall.
- Further stagnation of blood and the development of the inflammatory process contribute to the spread of pathology, the development of ischemia, and the formation of trophic ulcers.
Gradually, the function of the affected veins is affected.Varicose veins cause stagnation of blood in the vessels, which leads to local toxic wounds, as well as increased pressure.At an advanced stage, the vessel can no longer withstand excessive pressure, resulting in rupture, which leads to profuse bleeding.
symptoms
This disease is dangerous because in the early stages it can be said to be asymptomatic.The first sign that indicates the development of varicose veins is fatigue in the legs, which is often ignored by patients and is not a reason to seek advice from a specialist.However, as the pathology progresses, fatigue in the legs makes itself felt more often, especially appearing in the evening, after a working day.Other symptoms of vascular disease:
- Pain, tears.Such signs begin to appear from the second stage, when the pathological process begins to develop.The pain mainly occurs in the evening after a day's work, and disappears in the morning.If a person ignores the discomfort and there is no treatment, the pain syndrome becomes chronic and always worrying.
- Swelling of veins and vascular network.At first, the affected veins are stronger than usual, but then they begin to bulge, bulge, form nodes.The vascular network is most often localized on the thighs and legs.
- Cramps.A characteristic sign of varicose veins, the cause is blood stagnation in the veins.The process of stagnation leads to an increase in pressure in the vessel, as a result of which the muscles begin to contract spontaneously.
In addition, vascular disease is accompanied by significant external changes.With the development of ischemia, patients complain of constant itching.Excessive stretching and thinning of veins leads to the formation of hematomas and bruises.At an advanced stage, when the atrophic process develops, the following external symptoms appear:
- red spots on the skin;
- exfoliate;
- the formation of dark pigmented spots;
- hair loss
If the patient has trophic ulcers, accompanied by blackness on the legs, this indicates the development of an irreversible necrotic process.
Complications of varicose veins in the legs
If there is no treatment for varicose veins on the lower leg, serious complications develop as the disease progresses, such as:
- Venous thrombosis.With this complication, the pathological process affects the deep veins.Pathology is accompanied by blockage of vessels with blood clots - thrombus.The main cause of venous thrombosis is slow blood flow in the lower leg.
- Pulmonary embolism.A condition when a blood clot detaches from the vessel wall, along with the blood flow, enters the pulmonary artery, blocking its lumen.If the blood clot is large, death occurs immediately.Smaller clots do not lead to death, but cause complex respiratory and circulatory disorders.
- Thrombophlebitis.It is characterized by inflammation of the superficial vessel walls, accompanied by the formation of blood clots.The disease is manifested by hyperemia, swelling along the inflamed and blocked veins, pain with varying degrees of intensity.Acute thrombophlebitis is accompanied by fever and chills, which complete the above symptoms.
- Trophic ulcer.Unavoidable complications of untreated varicose veins on the lower legs, which develop in the absence of timely treatment.Violation of tissue nutrition and the development of the inflammatory process contribute to the compaction of subcutaneous tissue, thinning, darkening of the skin, followed by the formation of non-healing trophic ulcers.
- Varicose eczema.It manifests itself as local redness of the skin, peeling, and unbearable itching.If there is no treatment, complications quickly spread and lead to a deterioration in the patient's condition.
- Bleeding from varicose veins.Dangerous complications that develop against the background of the rupture of varicose nodes.
Bleeding can occur as a result of mechanical injury, because the wall of the affected vein is very fragile and thin.Therefore, even the slightest friction can cause heavy venous bleeding.
Diagnosis of varicose veins on the lower leg
If you have symptoms that indicate the development of varicose veins on the lower leg, you must make an appointment with a phlebologist who will diagnose, treat and prevent such vascular pathology.
The doctor will be able to make an early diagnosis during the initial examination, where a dense vascular network, swollen veins protruding above the surface of the skin, and venous nodes are found in the limbs.To confirm the diagnosis, referrals are given for additional examinations, including the following procedures:
- Doppler ultrasound;
- duplex ultrasound angioscanning;
- radionuclides and radiopaque phleboscintigraphy;
- phlebomanometry;
- plethysmography;
- photoplethysmography.
Treatment of varicose veins in the legs
If the disease is diagnosed at an early stage, when there are no serious complications, conservative therapy is prescribed, the main goals of which are:
- eliminate stagnant processes;
- normalizes the pressure in the veins;
- restore blood circulation;
- eliminate pathological symptoms.
For this purpose, drugs of the following groups are used:
- Venotonics and phlebotonics.Helps improve the health of blood vessels, normalize blood circulation, and increase lymph outflow.
- Anticoagulants.Used to reduce blood viscosity and prevent blood clotting.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.They have a clear anti-inflammatory effect and relieve pain.
- Antiplatelet agents.Reduces the risk of thrombosis and increases tissue trophism.
If drug treatment is ineffective and the disease progresses, the doctor discusses surgical treatment options with the patient.Surgical methods to treat varicose veins include:
- Sclerotherapy.Introduction into the lumen of the affected vein sclerosant drug, which sticks the vessel, as a result of which it is resolved by itself, replaced by connective tissue.
- Laser freezing.Indicated in cases where the diameter of the affected vein does not exceed 10 mm.The laser beam creates an effect of sclerosis in the vessel, as a result of which it resolves itself.
- Phlebectomy.Surgical intervention in which the surgeon removes the defective blood vessel area, performing all the necessary manipulations through microscopic punctures in the skin.
Contraindications
For varicose veins in the legs, any action that contributes to the development of stagnation in the vessels of the lower leg is contraindicated:
- staying in a static position for a long time;
- heavy physical activity, heavy lifting;
- sitting with legs crossed or crossed;
- wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes.
It is also necessary to get rid of bad habits such as smoking and alcohol abuse.Tobacco smoke and alcohol have a negative effect on the health of the whole body, making the veins fragile, thin, and inelastic, which soon leads to the development of varicose veins and other cardiovascular diseases.
Varicose vein treatment cost on the lower leg
The cost of treatment for varicose veins in the legs is influenced by the following factors:
- the stage at which the disease is diagnosed;
- related complications;
- individually selected therapy methods - conservative or surgical;
- the need for additional therapeutic techniques, such as physiotherapy.