Varicose veins of the lower extremities are a chronic disease, accompanied by cluster vasodilation of the legs. The main causes of varicose veins are a hereditary predisposition, excessive exercise or a sedentary lifestyle. Women are more prone to this disease, especially after childbirth. In representatives of the male gender, varicose veins on the legs may be due to the presence of arteriovenous messages.
When the first signs of varicose veins appear, including visible lumpy changes in blood vessels, pain and swelling in the legs and feet, it is advisable to see a doctor. After an examination and an accurate diagnosis, the doctor will determine how to treat varicose veins on the legs in each case.
Conservative therapy
Conservative treatment of varicose veins is quite diverse and can only reduce the manifestations of this disease, but not cure its cause.
Diet and compression
Special exercises for varicose veins that everyone can do at home. They aim to strengthen the muscles of the legs, which helps keep the veins in good condition. Among the most effective are:
- Bike: lying on your back, alternately move your legs in a circular fashion.
- Roll a tennis or baseball on the ground with your feet. If you use a special massage ball, you can improve microcirculation.
- When standing on tiptoe, the calf muscle is well trained, which compresses varicose veins.
- Swimming with a board will help put all the leg muscles in excellent physical shape with minimal stress on them.
An overweight diet that is high in fiber and limits the intake of animal fats and carbohydrates reduces stress on the legs and can be used successfully to treat varicose veins at home.
Knitwear (knee-highs, stockings) for the treatment of varicose veins differ in the degree of compression. To put it correctly at home, you often need to use special devices. It is necessary to wear underwear throughout the day, removing them only at night. The principle of action is based on the external compression of varicose veins of the legs and the improvement of blood flow. Instead of the medical jersey, to treat varicose veins, you can use an ordinary elastic bandage, which is wound in a spiral from the fingertips to the mid-thigh with a grip at the heel. It is important that the new round overlaps the previous one by at least half.
A pneumatic massager, which is a series of cuffs in which air is supplied under pressure, can be effective in treating varicose veins in the early stages of the disease. In this case, the compression method is used, due to which blood circulation is improved and edema is reduced. You can use this device at home.
Medicines
It is advisable to treat varicose veins on the legs with ointments and tablets only at the onset of the disease or with the development of complications.
The main classes of drugs include:
- Verotonics increase the tone of the veins, relieve edema and improve peripheral blood flow.
- Drugs that improve microcirculation are effective when taken orally or as a dropper.
- Antiplatelet agents that prevent blood clots from forming.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain and swelling in varicose veins.
The use of all drugs should be agreed with the doctor, as there is a possibility of side effects.
It is impossible to cure varicose veins with traditional methods, you can only slow down the process and delay the onset of serious complications, for example, thrombophlebitis.
When surgery is indicated
Surgical treatment for varicose veins does not always involve open surgery. Thanks to modern progress, it is possible to remove varicose veins from the legs on an outpatient basis. The following radical treatment methods are most commonly used:
- Sclerotherapy is based on the introduction of a substance into the lumen of the affected vein, which sticks it together and deactivates it from the systemic circulation. This method is suitable for vessels of small diameter in the early stages of the disease. The relapse rate reaches 30%.
- Radiofrequency ablation and laser ablation are modern and effective treatments that destroy the inner wall of the vein. It is performed under local anesthesia and does not leave traces on the skin.
- Phlebectomy - direct removal of a vein, performed through small incisions. This method allows you to cure varicose veins, but it gradually fades, since the operation is quite traumatic and the rehabilitation period is long.
How traditional medicine can help
Varicose veins of the legs are a fairly common problem, including in pregnant women, for whom conventional treatments are contraindicated. That is why so many recipes for folk remedies have been created to alleviate the manifestations of this disease at home:
- A decoction of ordinary hops is taken in a glass three times a day. To prepare it, you need to take a tablespoon of crushed cones and pour boiling water over them.
- When treating with apple cider vinegar, you need to rub your feet with them every day for a month, and at the same time drink a teaspoon of it dissolved in water.
- Sliced green tomatoes or grated raw potatoes can be applied to the hardened buds overnight.
- The substances that make up horse chestnut have a tonic effect on the veins. To prepare a liter of tincture, you need to pour 50 g of inflorescences with vodka for two weeks. Drink 2 tablespoons three times a day.
- To make an effective ointment, you need to take a teaspoon of dry St. John's wort, coltsfoot, chamomile, meadowsweet and chicory, pour 100 ml of water, bring to a boil and mix with badger fat. Apply three times a day for a week under a plastic bandage.
The recipes of our grandmothers are not always effective, but they allow to treat varicose veins at home, when there is no other option. Do not overdo it, it is better to contact a vascular surgeon for examination and treatment.
In the development of varicose veins, a hereditary factor, improper lifestyle and excessive stress on the legs play an important role. Exercise and diet can help reduce the likelihood of this disease and slow the onset of symptoms. But varicose veins can only be cured with surgery after a full examination.