Varicose veins of the lower extremities is a chronic disease, which is expressed in a violation of the mechanism of blood outflow in the veins. Due to this, the venous walls are under constant pressure, gradually thinning, nodular enlargements are formed in the veins.
As a result of stagnation of blood in the veins of the lower extremities, varicose veins develop. It is manifested by swelling of the peripheral veins of the legs and their protrusion under the skin. The veins look sinuous and take on a bluish tint. There are severe pains in the legs.
Varicose disease progresses without treatment, complicated by thrombophlebitis and trophic ulcers. The treatment of varicose veins should be started at the first symptoms to prevent the development of the disease.
First of all, for the treatment of varicose veins on the legs, doctors use conservative methods. If they do not work, they resort to surgical treatment.
Physiotherapy treatment
In how to treat varicose veins on the legs, a significant place is given to physiotherapy methods. The main ones are the following:
- Electrophoresis;
- Lymphatic drainage;
- Hyperbaric oxygenation;
- Galvanization;
- Magnetotherapy;
- Darsonvalization;
- Exposure to ultraviolet light;
- UHF and others.
The most popular procedure is darsonvalization. It is done with a special device that generates weak electric shocks. Moving it along the legs from the bottom up for 15 minutes for each limb. The course of treatment for varicose veins is approximately 20 sessions (depending on the degree of development of the disease). As a result, the vascular tone returns to normal, improves lymphatic flow and microcirculation in the legs.
Pulse magnetotherapy is performed by means of a generator of magnetic fields, which induce parasitic electrical currents in the tissues of the lower extremities, which have a therapeutic effect. As a result of this effect, the muscle fibers of the vascular walls of the legs are stimulated and toned. This improves blood circulation in the extremities, reduces swelling, and reduces pain. Depending on the degree of development of the varicose veins, the session lasts from 10 to 20 minutes.
Pneumatic compression also helps restore tone to veins and blood vessels through a kind of massage. A boot-like device is placed on the patient's leg. It is pressurized by the gas supply. However, the method should be ruled out for those patients with varicose veins that are prone to thrombosis.
Balneotherapy is an effective method to treat varicose veins in the leg, which consists of taking baths with mineral water. The bathrooms themselves are designated local or general. Hydrotherapy is a contrasting local bath. These methods are especially effective in the early stages of the disease. Manifestations of varicose veins to treat these methods at this stage is quite effective.
Oxygenation
In addition to local physiotherapy procedures, others are also performed that affect the whole body as a whole. For example, the oxygen in the bubble bath improves blood circulation, relieving the symptoms of varicose veins in the legs. Hyperbaric oxygenation is helpful. During the session, the patient inhales pure oxygen at a pressure of more than one and a half atmosphere.
Ozone therapy is related to this method. Inhalation of ozone activates many processes in the patient's body: it improves microcirculation, normalizes metabolism and accelerates regeneration. In therapeutic doses, ozone also prevents the formation of thrombi, slightly thins the blood. The course of treatment of varicose veins with ozone is 5-10 procedures with an interval of 2 days between them.
Physical therapy is especially effective in the early and middle stages of the disease. Physiotherapeutic procedures must be prescribed by a phlebologist.
Drug treatment
Medication on how to beat varicose veins in the legs is of secondary importance. They are the key to successful treatment and high efficiency of the main method. Medications are prescribed during physical therapy and other conservative treatment methods and after surgery.
There are many medications for the treatment of varicose veins. They can be used in combination or separately. A phlebologist must appoint a suitable one. All drugs can be divided into several groups:
- Phlebotonic;
- Anticoagulants;
- Decongestants;
- Disaggregators;
- Antioxidants
- Fibrinolytics.
Phlebotonics allow you to increase the tone of the walls of blood vessels and veins and are therefore effective in treating varicose veins of the leg. The walls become stronger and denser. The effect of treatment by other methods is fixed. Improves blood circulation in the legs, improves lymphatic outflow. They are prescribed for preparation for surgery and as a subsequent rehabilitation, relief of inflammation in the vein with varicose veins.
Anticoagulants are medicines that work to reduce the blood's ability to clot. This prevents the formation of blood clots, which is of great importance for varicose veins of the leg. They can be taken in the form of pills or injections. Taking them without consulting a doctor is dangerous because they have a side effect - bleeding, which is difficult to stop.
Decongestants can be taken orally as pills or externally as gels and ointments. In the form of tablets, mainly diuretics are used. Such drugs significantly reduce the pain of the legs with varicose veins, as well as the additional pressure on the walls of the veins. Its use improves blood circulation.
Disintegrants - drugs that also affect blood clotting, however, do not belong to anticoagulants. They stop the clotting process only in the early stages and therefore do not belong to anticoagulants. They do not have a significant effect on general clotting indicators. When used as additional therapy for varicose veins, they have the same effect as blood thinners.
Antioxidants act by detoxification. As a result of the restoration of chemical bonds in cells, the tone of the walls of blood vessels and veins is strengthened. As a result, the healing of leg varicose veins is much faster.
Fibrinolytics prevent blood clots from forming. This is due to the destruction of fibrin, which is part of the blood clot. The use of a drug of this group allows blood plasminogen (an inactive protein) to take the form of plasmin, which causes the destruction of a blood clot. However, taking this drug does not prevent further thrombosis with varicose veins.
The pharmaceutical company has developed a whole series of drugs that combine the properties of several described groups. Such drugs must be prescribed by a doctor and taken strictly under her supervision. This is due to the fact that they have quite a few side effects.
The use of medications for varicose veins in the legs cannot be the only measure. They are prescribed together with other treatments.
Laser therapy
This is an effective way to treat varicose veins in the legs. The principle of operation of the laser in this disease lies in its effect on hemoglobin. Hemoglobin absorbs laser light and heat is generated in the blood. As a result, the damaged container is "sealed. "The laser also indirectly affects the tone of the walls of blood vessels and veins, by causing a spasm of these walls. The advantage of such an impact is its precision. It affects only certain tissues, without affecting the surrounding ones in any way.
After exposure to the laser, the movement of blood through the treated area will stop. The blood supply to this part of the limb will be produced by deeper veins. In the "non-functional" part of the vessel, connective tissue forms, which will dissolve over time.
The advantage of this method of getting rid of varicose veins is its minimal trauma. Patients do not experience discomfort or pain after the intervention. In addition, there are other advantages:
- The method does not require incisions in the skin, unlike surgery. Therefore, there are no scars left after him. There are also no bruises after the procedure;
- The procedure is short and is performed under local anesthesia. For this reason, it is as safe as possible for health, unlike surgical intervention, which is performed under general anesthesia;
- From an economic point of view, laser treatment of varicose veins is similar to surgery. Although it seems more expensive, however, it must be borne in mind that after that the patient does not need to go through a period of rehabilitation and remain on sick leave for a long time, or spend money on recovery.
Many diseases can be cured with the laser. It has become a good alternative to many types of procedures. Minimal trauma, painless, and effectiveness - all of this makes laser treatment preferable in many situations.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is a popular method of treating varicose veins in the legs, which is sometimes called physical therapy. Essentially, special drugs are injected into the veins. The method is non-traumatic and effective, which is why it is popular. This method is sometimes comparable in its effectiveness to a laser and even surgery. After such a procedure, the walls of the vessel are glued and strengthened, due to which it is possible to overcome varicose veins of the legs. And the drug is absorbed into the body.
The main advantage of the method of getting rid of the disease is the absence of scars and bruises after the procedure. It is also important that it is not too painful and that it can be done under local anesthesia. After the procedure, the integrity of the circulatory system is not violated, because the veins are not removed. Such intervention can be an ideal option both when it is dangerous to use surgical methods, with thrombophlebitis, periphlebitis, and in the treatment of relapses of the disease, when the veins are fragile and twisted.
The method has several contraindications. First of all, this is pregnancy and breastfeeding. Serious diseases of the cardiovascular system, diabetes mellitus, chronic diseases of the liver and kidneys, allergies - all this will also become a contraindication to the use of sclerotherapy, it is better to think about how to cure varicose veins of the legs differently.
If the doctor prescribes sclerotherapy, he should be notified of possible contraindications. When a patient has chronic diseases of any nature, the possibility of using sclerotherapy remains questionable.
Surgery
Surgery is a traumatic and painful way to effectively treat severe varicose veins in the legs. However, only its efficiency reaches 100%. Also, sometimes it takes much less time than any other. Of the disadvantages, large scars and scars, a long period of rehabilitation can be named. There are several types of surgical intervention:
- Extraction consists of removing a section of a vein with a fine probe. It is injected at the beginning of the vein and removed at the end. In this case, the area fixed on the probe is turned upside down, so to speak, and is easy to remove;
- Phlebectomy is a traditional surgical method for the treatment of varicose veins, which consists of cutting the tissue with a scalpel. It is carried out both when minimally invasive intervention is impossible, for example, when important areas are affected or there is severe inflammation, and for other indications;
- Microflebectomy is considered a minimally invasive procedure. Helps treat varicose veins effectively. By the type of execution, it is similar to the previous method, only the incisions in the skin are made very small. Therefore, it is less traumatic. It can be done when the injury is not so severe and it is not necessary to remove a large section of the vein.
This method has a number of indications and contraindications. Therefore, it cannot be interfered with pregnant women and those who have recently given birth. After giving birth, you need to wait at least a month and a half. In the early stages of varicose veins, you shouldn't use this method either.
Surgical intervention does not guarantee the absence of recurrence of varicose veins in the leg. You must be careful with your health.
Many methods of how to cure varicose veins in the legs allow the doctor to choose the best one for each specific case. However, the more the disease begins, the more radical method will have to be chosen. Therefore, you should not delay contacting a doctor if you notice the first symptoms of varicose veins on the leg.