Today we will talk about varicose veins of the legs and lower limbs - very common vascular pathology, causes, symptoms, disease prevention, therapeutic exercises with a series of exercises.
Varicose veins (varicose veins) - what kind of disease is this, photo
Phlebeurism(see the photo of the manifestations of varicose veins on the legs) the scourge of our time; if earlier this progressive disease, which was associated with the deterioration of blood flow and weakening of the valves, affected very old people, now the first signs of the disease of the peripheral vessels appear in their twenties. - years old.
Spider veins (telangiectasias) appear first. Then the superficial veins become less flexible, twist, become noticeable, and extend above the skin of the legs and thighs. Blood flows more slowly and rises weakly. Venous stasis and swelling develop, which disappear after a night's rest. There is a risk of blood clots.
And during pregnancy and childbirth, when the level of female hormones that weaken the vessel wall rises rapidly, this pathology of the veins of the lower limbs is diagnosed in every third woman.
However, not only on the limbs, varicose veins of the pelvic organs (which begin to form due to fluctuations in intravascular pressure during contractions), hemorrhoids and varicoceles (dilation of the spermatic veins in men) appear massively up to the age of 30-35.
There are varicosities of the esophagus and stomach.
Varicose veins - ICD-10 code
The ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases) code for this disease is 183
- If varicose veins are complicated by an ulcer - 183. 0
- If varicose veins with inflammation, stagnant dermatitis - 183. 1
- If the first two conditions are combined - 183. 2
- If the varicose veins are uncomplicated - 183. 9
Symptoms of varicose veins of the lower extremities
Lumps, swollen veins in the legs, a network of small blue blood vessels, spider veins, evening swelling, nagging, aching pain along the veins, burning, sometimes itching, heaviness in the legs at the end of the day, night cramps, paresthesia - goosebumps and numbness.
And with significant progress of the disease, the following often develop:
- thrombophlebitis (which manifests itself in sharp pain, redness, local temperature increase, swelling along the vein, sometimes you can feel painful areas where the blood clot blocks the lumen of the vein, in severe cases chills begin, the inflammatory process can be observed from the superficial to the deep vein),
- trophic ulcers against the background of chronic venous insufficiency.
Probably no one will like this picture. And then there is the detachment of the blood clot, then stroke or heart attack, tissue necrosis. . . But that's sad enough.
Since it is unacceptable to evolutionarily return to walking on all fours in order to reduce the load on the veins, we will have to look for ways to relieve the load on the legs using natural methods.
Causes and predisposing factors of varicose veins
- Genetics (inheritance).
- Changes in hormone levels (pregnancy, hormonal contraceptives).
- Heavy physical activity, especially static, standing or sitting work.
- Overweight.
- Chronic cough.
- Smoking.
- Leg injuries that damage the valves of blood vessels.
Women successfully provoke the formation of varicose veins by standing and walking in high heels for a long time, as well as sitting cross-legged at a table.
Wearing thongs and tight synthetic underwear has an adverse effect.
Which doctor treats varicose veins of the legs
A phlebologist deals with veins. If surgery is necessary - a vascular surgeon.
Diagnosis of varicose veins
In addition to the external examination of the lower limbs and the collection of anamnesis (complaints), the following must be done to establish a diagnosis:
- Doppler ultrasound (determines the quality and speed of blood flow, the presence of obstacles in the form of clots, blood clots),
- transillumination (transillumination of the veins, even in the case of changes not yet visible to the eye).
In addition, the diagnosis of varicose veins is incomplete without a blood test for blood clotting.
Modern medicine does not offer an effective method of treating the disease, radical removal of superficial veins does not matter. There is also radiofrequency ablation, laser therapy, and sclerotherapy, but these are not suitable for everyone, there are contraindications, and they are mainly indicated in the early stages of the disease.
But what can we do against varicose veins at home alone to overcome this unpleasant vascular pathology?
Therapeutic exercises for the treatment of varicose veins on the legs
The prevention of varicose veins primarily involves gymnastic exercises, and this is not surprising, since the veins simply need to be trained.
The most advantageous functional position of the legs in the case of varicose veins is elevated. But you can't spend your legs in the air all the time, and you have to somehow avoid stagnation in the venous network, because this leads to heaviness, cramps and swelling of the legs.
And it turns out that it is more useful for a person to walk, even to run, than to sit for hours in the office or in front of the computer; at rest, there is practically no blood movement, the liquid manages to sweat into the tissue, and the swelling increases.
That's why we don't go crazy at work, we take frequent breaks during work, get up, stretch, walk around the table, walk to the toilet if possible, climb a few stairs and do some exercises.
Such a warm-up and distraction from sedentary work is also useful for eye and spine diseases (the neck and lower back are most affected).
Exercise set for the treatment of varicose veins
- We sit on a chair so that our feet do not touch the floor. We rotate our legs at the ankles, bend them to a strong stretch and straighten them, then do the same with our toes, each exercise 15-20 times. A foot massage will also be useful for varicose veins on the legs.
- Walk briskly in place for one minute.
- We stand close to the wall, palms at shoulder height, emphasis on the wall. We rise on tiptoes and fall on heels, 10-15 such rolls.
- Slowly rise up onto your toes, feet shoulder-width apart, arms overhead.
- "Bicycle" your legs from a supine position.
- "Scissors" (strongly straightened legs should be crossed like scissors).
- Slowly swinging the legs from a side position, alternating to the right and then to the left.
- Pull your knees up to your chest. Repeat 20 times.
In addition to therapeutic exercises, sports activities for venous diseases of the lower limbs are extremely useful - swimming, water aerobics (the pressure in the veins is reduced by 2 times in water! ), skiing, cycling, competitive walking.
It is also worth considering that some exercises can only harm the veins - strength training with dumbbells and skipping rope, long and intense running, and long training on an exercise bike are contraindicated. Team sports with jumping and running - soccer, basketball, volleyball (the keyboard device is damaged) are not recommended for weak leg veins.
Prevention of varicose veins at home
- In addition to exercises, a contrast shower and compression stockings are very useful for blood vessels.
The latter has its drawbacks: on the one hand, it is quite expensive, and on the other hand, after prolonged wear, the dishes become completely soft and stop on their own.
Therefore, I do not recommend it for constant wear, but for heavy loads, standing work, long tours, and pregnancy.
- It is useful to load your legs by walking on the stairs, vibration gymnastics or jumping (quickly rise on your toes and lightly hit the floor with your heels 30-60 times a day, raising your heels 1-2 cm).
- You should not abuse long-term sunbathing, baths or hot baths.
- We drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day, it is advisable to control our body weight and ensure that the plant-vegetable component dominates our diet. You should give up alcohol, spicy, smoked and salty foods, or at least greatly reduce their amount in your diet.
- No tight underwear, shoes, socks, or socks with tight rubber bands.
- During the holidays, avoid drinking champagne as it aggravates the disease.
- Don't wear high heels every day. Over 4 cm - already tall.
- Don't squat.
- Do not cross your legs, in this position the blood vessels are constricted and the outflow of blood from the limbs, which are already bad, becomes even more difficult.
- Try not to stand still, even in line; it is better to switch from one foot to the other.
- Remember that vitamin C maintains the elasticity of the blood vessel wall.