Varicose veins on the legs, the initial stage how to treat

Today, a disease like varicose veins is the most common. As a rule, a sedentary lifestyle leads to the development of an ailment, and an untimely reaction to the body's signals leads to quite serious consequences, which in turn harm health. In this article we will consider such a topic as varicose veins on the legs, photos, the initial stage of how to treat. I would like to point out that it is customary to call varicose veins a condition characterized by stagnation of blood in the blood vessels of the lower extremities, which causes swelling of the peripheral veins. Swollen vessels have a dark blue color, in the absence of proper treatment they acquire a purple hue, the formation of blood clots and ulcers begins, and severe pain appears.

Symptoms of the disease in the early stage of development

Varicose veins in the legs are quite an insidious disease; This is due to the fact that this disease is very difficult to diagnose at the initial stage of development. The symptoms of the disease are similar to many other diseases, such as osteochondrosis or flat feet. Often, patients with varicose veins seek professional medical help when sufficiently strong swelling and pain in the limbs appear.

However, there are several common symptoms, noting which one you should immediately contact a specialist to find out the cause of the ailment and find out what are varicose veins on the legs, photos, the initial stage of how to treat. The initial symptoms of the disease include an increase in the venous pattern, however, as a rule, in this case, swelling, pain and swelling of the vessels are not noticeable.

Consider the most obvious symptoms that indicate the presence of a disease such as varicose veins:

• the appearance of pain in the legs, which can appear at any time, also often these symptoms are accompanied by itching and cramps in the limbs during sleep;
• the appearance of a feeling of fatigue and swelling in the legs;
• the skin changes color, the skin in problem areas acquires a bluish tint, becomes drier;
• bulging of the veins above the skin's surface and appearance of the characteristic spider veins.

Why Varicose Veins Are Dangerous

Please note that as mentioned above, such a topic as varicose veins in the photo of the legs, the initial stage of how to treat, is very relevant to many. This is due to the fact that varicose veins are quite a dangerous ailment and a cosmetic defect in the form of swollen veins is just the tip of the iceberg. The disease can cause quite serious complications, so the treatment of varicose veins is essential.

As you can see in the photo of the initial stage of the disease, its characteristic symptomatology is the swelling of the veins, which is far from harmless, let's list the ailments that varicose veins can cause.

• Phlebitis: this disease involves the appearance of an inflammatory process of the venous walls. As a general rule, patients with phlebitis constantly feel quite strong pain. Also, painful lumps appear in the affected area.
• Thrombophlebitis: The disease is characterized by the formation of blood clots in the swollen and dilated veins. Keep in mind that thrombophlebitis occurs due to lack of proper phlebitis treatment. In addition to pain in the extremities, the patient feels general weakness, loses appetite.
• Trophic ulcers: this is another of the complications of varicose veins, which manifests itself due to the lack of nutrition of the epidermis, which leads to the appearance of dermatitis, the consequence of which is thetrophic ulcers that are difficult to heal.

Preparations for varicose veins

Ointments

Today the pharmaceutical market offers a wide range of drugs for the treatment of diseases involving varicose veins and ointments for varicose veins deserve special attention.

Anticoagulants. These medications for the treatment of varicose veins are the most popular. The main task of the ointment is a complex effect, which helps to reduce the viscosity of the blood, the reabsorption of the blood clots that have appeared, reduces the inflammatory process and reduces pain symptoms. Medicines provide the maximum positive effect when applied in the initial stage of the disease, improving blood circulation and strengthening the walls of blood vessels.

Heparin sodium ointment, prevents the formation of blood clots and reduces blood clotting.

Venotonics help to effectively cope with the symptoms of varicose veins, strengthening blood vessels and inhibiting inflammatory processes.

Creams

Creams for varicose veins are also effective, as well as ointments for their active components that can effectively combat the unpleasant symptoms of the disease.

Ketoprofen-based creams actively suppress inflammatory processes in the vessels of the lower extremities. These drugs belong to the group of non-steroids, which indicates their effectiveness in eliminating swelling and eliminating pain.

Creams based on natural ingredients that effectively help eliminate varicose veins. The advantage of the cream is that it does not have any negative effect on the patient with varicose veins.

Routine creams are effective at the cellular level because the inflammatory process is rapidly suppressed. The drug has a decongestant effect, improves vascular tone, regulates intravenous pressure and quickly eliminates pain.

Pills

The main effect of bioflavonoid-based tablets is to increase blood vessel properties such as elasticity and tone, which in turn improves blood circulation and prevents the formation of blood clots. Thanks to the intake of these drugs, a phenomenon such as venous stasis, the permeability of the venous vessels, is eliminated.

Effective home remedies for varicose veins

Cabbage.Even our ancestors used a variety of home remedies to treat an ailment like varicose veins. One of them is the treatment with cabbage leaves. The effectiveness of this vegetable is that cabbage is able to quickly relieve inflammation, due to the vitamins and microelements it contains. As a general rule, white cabbage leaves are used to treat varicose veins in the form of compresses. To make a medical compress, you will need a cabbage leaf, which must first be properly whipped. After that, one side of the leaf is smeared with vegetable oil and applied to the inflamed area for a day (attached with a bandage). The course of treatment is 1 month.

Ginger.This plant, used in the kitchen, can be used to treat varicose veins as internal and external medicine. Ginger tea will help to cope with almost any disease at any stage of its development, including varicose veins. You can also make ginger compresses. To do this, you need to grate a piece of ginger root, mix it with natural honey and apply it to the affected area for 3-4 hours.

Kalina.Like ginger, viburnum can be used to treat varicose veins as a fortified drink and as an effective compress. To prepare the compress, the berries should be rubbed until soft, put on a prepared bandage or gauze and applied to the problem area. It is best to make such a compress at night.

The initial stage of varicose veins: the first symptoms

Today, varicose veins are one of the most common dangerous diseases, both among women and men. According to WHO statistics, varicose veins of the lower extremities can lead a person to death from thrombophlebitis, trophic ulcers and cancerous tumors associated with them.

Every patient needs to know the causes, symptoms and stages of the disease to prevent the serious consequences of this pathology.

Reasons and stages of development

Varicose veins occur as a result of pathologies of the venous walls and malfunctioning of the venous valves, whose task is to carry blood enriched with carbon dioxide from the lower extremities to the lungs for gas exchange.

As a result of inadequate blood flow and valve dysfunction, blood accumulates in the vessels, the pressure in the veins of the legs increases, which leads to bulging of the weak venous wall. This is how varicose veins develop.

There are several factors that can cause illness. These include:

1. Inheritance.
2. Obesity.
3. Having bad habits.
4. Pregnancy.
5. Taking hormonal medications for a long time.
6. Cardiovascular diseases that cause blood clots.
7. Sedentary lifestyle that causes blood stagnation.
8. Long-term occupations.
9. Walking in high heels.

Under the influence of these factors, a disease of the legs develops, which develops in several stages. Each of them is characterized by specific clinical manifestations.There are 4 stages of varicose veins in medical practice:

• varicose veins in early stage, in the photo above, it passesvirtually without symptomsA person only has a predominant feeling of heaviness in the legs, slight swelling and pain. Small spider veins begin to appear on the skin of the thighs and legs;
• Grade 1 varicose veins, also shown in the photo, is characterized by frequent cramps in the calf muscles, a burning sensation that spreads from the lower legup to the sole of the foot and swelling of the ankles;
• for the second degreecharacterized by an abundance of spider veins, severe edema, constant pain in the legs, an increase in the area of ​​bulging veins;
• third degreeindicates the involvement of the skin in the disease process: it becomes scaly, thin, often pigmented near the ankle. The risk of thrombosis is very high. the veins are very enlarged and dilated. The patient, in addition to pain, is haunted by a constant burning sensation, eczema and dermatitis on the skin of the lower extremities, deep ulcers are formed when the skin is injured.

IMPORTANT! If treatment is not started in the early stages, then the disease is very difficult to treat conservatively in the future and threatens the patient with a danger of death.

The first symptoms of varicose veins

The first symptoms of varicose veins in the legs are difficult to diagnose.The patient mistakes them for some time with fatigue and muscle strain. With such sensations, especially if before that there was no serious load on the legs, you should contact a specialist, because you can cure the disease at an early stage, without resorting to exhausting surgeries and procedures. Phlebologists and surgeons are dedicated to the treatment of varicose veins.

The following symptoms indicate the first signs of varicose veins:

1. Constant heaviness in the legs. This is due to impaired circulation in the legs due to dysfunction of the venous valves. Due to this, the pressure in the vein increases sharply, stretches even more and causes pain.
2. Swelling of the lower extremities. The symptom manifests itself as a result of a large load on the venous system. If pain in the vein and redness of the skin above it join the swelling, we can speak of developing thrombophlebitis, an extremely dangerous complication of varicose veins.
3. An increase in the circumference of the lower legup to 1 cm at night is associated with edema.
4. Pain sensationsintensify with exertion and disappear the next morning.
5. Spider veinson legs and thighs. Some patients consider them a cosmetic defect. Its appearance indicates the pathology of the great varicose vein that feeds them. Only ultrasound diagnostics can confirm or deny this.
6. Protruding veins.

At first, the first signs of varicose veins in the legs disappear quickly if you let them rest in a comfortable position. However,this should alert the patient, because it is a sure symptom of an incipient disease.

Then the patient may experience a burning sensation in the veins. If you do not pay enough attention to these symptoms, the patient may experience cramps in the calf muscles at night and the appearance of fatigue in the legs below the knees.

WARNING! The symptoms of early varicose veins are similar to other diseases: flat feet and osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine. That is why it is so important to seek the advice of a phlebologist to exclude other diagnoses and start treatment in a timely manner!

Diagnosis and treatment

As a general rule, varicose veins in the initial stage, illustrated in the photo,are painless. The patient, and according to statistics, women suffer from varicose veins twice as often as men, seeks the help of a doctor about the vascular network. The doctor conducts an examination and prescribes the necessary studies to assess the degree of altered venous circulation.

For this, a general blood testmay be prescribed, which will show the presence or absence of thrombocytopenia, a biochemical blood test to detect liver problems, as well as a vascular ultrasound.

Shows the pathology of the vascular wall. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient is referred for X-ray phlebography, which determines the location of the venous injury.

After investigation, the doctor prescribes a treatment that can prevent the transition from the early stage of varicose veins to the later ones.

For this, the underlying disease is treated- endocrine, cardiovascular, etc. Then the risk factors are eliminated, only then is the patient offered to change his lifestyle, diet and give up bad habits.

No medical treatment is provided in an early stage of varicose veins. Experts believe that it is sufficient to wear compression underwear, be it special tights and tights or elastic bandages, which should be applied to the legs upon awakening and worn throughout the day. This therapy can evenly distribute the load on the legs and improve blood circulation.

Forms of the disease

The type of vascular insufficiency depends on the veins that hit the disease, the prevalence of the process and the location. There are varicose veins:

• reticular (small vascular);
• segmental (focal);
perforating
• (lesion of the connective veins);
• main (pathology of a small or large vein under the skin).

Each type of varicose vein has characteristic features in terms of external manifestations. The presence of complications depends on the stage of the disease.

Lattice shape

Of all the known types of varicose veins, this is the easiest. The disease mainly affects the female legs; men are rarely affected by this pathology.

In the photo of varicose veins in the initial stage, the reticular shape can only be determined by strengthening the vascular pattern. It is a bluish mesh of small venous fragments with a diameter of no more than 3 mm. Most often it is localized on the thighs in the area of ​​the lateral surfaces. First, several asterisk-like fragments appear, then larger areas are affected.

This form of varicose veins is often called cosmetic; it is not dangerous for blood flow, but it does give women an aesthetic drawback. Reticular varicose veins in the legs can cause:

This form is the most tractable form. One of the most effective methods of treating such varicose veins is microscopic sclerotherapy. It is not dangerous or painless. But often patients do not consider the manifestations of spider veins to be a serious reason to contact a phlebologist. In this case, the disease turns into a chronic pathology. May cause bleeding from superficial vessels.

The reticular form of varicose veins requires a mandatory medical consultation. This will prevent complications from occurring.

Segment shape

This type of varicose veins can appear already in the early stages of the disease. In the segmental form, the largest vessels with a diameter of 3 mm or more are affected. But the disease is focal in nature, only one or several tributary veins lose their tone. This type of pathology is characterized by the absence of reverse blood discharge, which facilitates therapy.

If you look at the photo of the varicose veins in the legs in a segmental way, you can see the swollen branches of the main vein in the lower leg. These are the tributary vessels.

Treatment of the disease is conservative. With delayed treatment and formation of tributary nodes, miniphlebectomy can be used. Segmental varicose veins are located on the anteromedial and posterior surface of the leg and in the popliteal fossa.

Trunk

This pathology affects the large and small main veins. Large, suffers several times more often than small. In the photo of varicose veins on the legs, the protrusion of the great vessels on the lower leg, the lateral thighs and on the feet is clearly visible. The vascular wall of the legs is taut and nodular formations are visible.

The disease progresses with characteristic symptoms of chronic circulatory failure. Due to the defeat of the vascular valves, reflux (reverse discharge) occurs. Normally, blood moves in one direction. If the valves are insufficient, they do not close completely and the containers become overloaded. For this reason, the veins are stretched and lose their elasticity.

Varicose trunk veins require serious treatment. Minor surgery and conservative methods are used more frequently.

In the absence of adequate therapy, the major varicose veins in the legs are complicated by thrombophlebitis and thrombosis.

Drilling shape

There are deep and saphenous veins in the legs. They are connected to each other by vessels, which are called perforating vessels.

These veins are no less important than the trunk veins. Their defeat leads to insufficient blood circulation in the legs. Blood does not go completely into the bloodstream. This contributes to stagnation and thrombus formation.

• An image of varicose veins in the legs with perforating vein lesions clearly shows the presence of inflamed vessels;
• bumps and bruises are visible in some places; the skin becomes darker;
• rashes and scratches may occur.

The location of this form is varied and depends on the location of the affected vein. These are the shins, thighs, and ankles. Sometimes the vessels bulge even in the Achilles tendon and below the knee. Treatment is usually surgical, but with single foci, minimally invasive methods are possible.

Stages of varicose veins of the legs

Annual forums and seminars dedicated to varicose veins are held by phlebologists around the world. The types and forms of the disease are constantly changing. Experts describe the stages of varicose veins in different ways. Their number is constantly changing. The last approved classification contains seven grades:

• First or null. It is not manifested by external signs. Patients only complain of heaviness, fatigue, and bloating. Recurrent seizures can sometimes be bothersome.
• Second. In the second stage photo, you can clearly see the vascular network in the popliteal cups and thighs. The symptoms do not change.
• Third. The bulges of the vessels are clearly visible, especially during exercise or in a sitting position. In addition to the veins, blue nodules can be seen on the legs. Patients feel pain and tension.
• Fourth. The appearance of edema adds to the swollen veins. In the evening, the legs fill up and in the morning everything returns to normal. The swelling can cause numbness or tingling in the legs.
• Fifth. Metabolic processes are disrupted. There is insufficient tissue nutrition, and trophic changes form on the skin. They can appear as dry spots, redness, and scratching. The skin around the veins becomes darker. Thrombophlebitis may develop.
• Sixth. The photo of this stage is different from the others. It shows pronounced trophic ulcers in the veins of the lower extremities. As a result of massive treatment, wounds heal by primary intention.
• Seventh. The last stage. In other classifications, it is called decompensation. The most negative result of the disease. Non-healing ulcers form on the legs. They can get wet and ooze. This grade requires urgent hospital treatment. It can be complicated by sepsis and thromboembolism.

Varicose vein types on the legs, complicated by a violation of the integrity of the skin and the addition of a secondary infection, can threaten the life of the patient.

There is another classification that provides for three stages of varicose veins:

• Compensation. It manifests itself only with local symptoms (pain, seizures, severity). No external changes in blood vessels are observed.
• Subcompensation. External signs of moderate varicose veins develop. Spider veins and signs of segmental lesions appear.
• Decompensation. Serious consequences of chronic venous insufficiency. Trophic lesions, ulcers and thrombosis.

General characteristics and causes of varicose veins

In a healthy person, venous blood rises from the legs to the heart under the influence of pressure, which in a normal state is sufficient to overcome gravity. When this mechanism is disturbed, the body is forced to increase pressure to push the blood upward.

As a result of this process, valve insufficiency occurs, characterized by the flow of blood into the superficial veins from the deep veins. As pressure within the vessels increases, their walls lose elasticity, stretch, and become exhausted, leading to the formation of visible bluish subcutaneous nodules.

Reasons for the development of varicose veins of the lower extremities:

• Elevated progesterone levels in a woman's body. This hormone has a negative effect on the state of the venous walls and valves, making them weak and unprotected.
• Congenital malformations of the valves or walls of the veins, lack of connective tissue, poor permeability of the deep veins, genetic predisposition.
• Neoplasms located on the legs, in the abdominal cavity.
• Lower limb injuries.
• Diseases of the endocrine system.
• Thrombophlebitis.
• Joint diseases: osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
• Long-term use of hormonal contraceptives.
• A sedentary lifestyle that often leads to stagnant processes in the legs.
• Increased intra-abdominal pressure. It usually presents with lung disease or frequent constipation.
• Overweight.
• Wear tight clothing and shoes.
• The presence in the diet of a large amount of foods rich in calories and fat, the absence of vegetable fiber.
• Smoking, frequent consumption of alcohol.

During pregnancy, BPVD occurs with particular frequency, sinceglobal changes in hormone levels occur during this period, as well as an increase in body weight.

Men suffer from this disease if theirlifestyle is associated with hard physical workor prolonged standing: machine operators, loaders, etc. Varicose veins in the legs can also occur as a result of some sports activities.

Varicose veins need urgent treatment, the absence of which can have serious consequences: the development of thrombophlebitis, bleeding from the venous nodes and a trophic ulcer that can lead to amputation of the leg.