Varicose veins are a disease that affects 30% of the world's population. Regardless of lifestyle, gender and age, this disease can become a problem for anyone. But how to deal with this disease? TV commercials promise salvation from conventional ointments in our veins, the Internet is full of articles about home remedies. So how to deal with the problem in order to forget about it forever? The candidate of medical sciences, doctor of the highest category, head of the phlebological center spoke about the important nuances of the disease, as well as the modern possibilities of prevention and treatment of the disease.
Who is at risk?
Varicose veins are an expansion of subcutaneous veins, accompanied by a violation of venous outflow. Their size increases due to the thinning of the wall of the vessel itself, and at the same time their diameter increases. Basically, varicose veins are an inherited disease, although other factors can contribute to the development of the disease.
"Sooner or later, the disease will manifest itself, " says the doctor. - If a person is a loader or a weightlifter, he will have to deal with an illness earlier. If he sits at the desk, then later, with age. In women, for example, the disease is associated with hormonal factors: pregnancy, childbirth, oral contraceptives.
People who are constantly on their feet, whose profession is associated with constant and prolonged stress, are always at risk of encountering this disease. The choice of our shoes also influences: the regular wearing of high heels causes the disease. People who are overweight and lead a sedentary lifestyle are also at risk.
Finding varicose veins is simple: it is not a disease that has hidden symptoms. First, the problem is immediately accompanied by aesthetic defects: small blue-red vascular "asterisks" appear on the legs, dark blue intradermal veins become visible.
Also, at the end of the day there is swelling in the legs, a feeling of heaviness and pain in the calves after a long stay in a sitting or standing position. Characteristic of varicose veins is the disappearance of these symptoms when walking and after sleeping.
How to treat?
Any disease should only be diagnosed and treated by a specialist. Therefore, it is absolutely impossible to mindlessly buy various ointments and self-medicate. In addition, varicose veins have varieties, and each type has its own technique.
"There are aesthetic varicose veins, which are treated with lasers, and there are surgical varicose veins: we eliminate them with an operation, " explains the expert. – Surgical varices are not treated with conservative methods. If so, then the trunks of the large and small saphenous veins are affected, and here one cannot do without medication. A minimally invasive operation is performed - that is, a procedure in which a small incision is made. The most sparing method of treatment is endovascular cogulation of veins with laser. What is the procedure? A light guide is inserted through the vein, which closes it from the inside. This is a complex operation - the new method of non-traumatic treatment of this disease. "
Basically, specialists remove the veins using the stripping procedure. This is an operation during which two incisions are made: in the groin and the lower leg. A probe is inserted into it, after which the diseased vein is removed in its direction. This procedure is quite painful: a person limps for a long time, and the leg heals for up to six months. Until now, this type of surgical treatment of varicose veins is used for economic reasons: it is very cheap for clinics and hospitals.
A surprising paradox
Varicose veins have long acquired the status of a female disease. It is believed that so many factors, such as wearing high heels, hormonal and hereditary aspects, are already enough for the fair sex to fall into the risk group in the first place. But in fact, the situation is diametrically opposite - men suffer from this disease several times more often.
"As you know, the morbidity rate is recorded by referral, and most often women come to the doctor, " says the expert. - However, the ladies are worried about a cosmetic defect. In fact, men are much more likely to suffer from varicose veins, but they go to the doctor at the last moment, when a trophic ulcer is already appearing.
There are general recommendations for the prevention of this disease. If you have a sedentary job, try at least every hour to take short breaks of 10 minutes: walk around, massage your legs. For activities that require constant standing, do not forget to take a contrast shower in the evening and do herbal foot baths. Also do not forget about moderate physical activity, which will strengthen the walls of blood vessels. And, of course, choose comfortable shoes: tight shoes never did anyone any good.