What are varicose veins (VVs)?
Blood flows through the veins of the legs from bottom to top, overcoming the force of gravity.Valves help them with this.For various reasons, the valve apparatus may malfunction and the outflow of blood is disrupted.Then the blood begins to stagnate in the veins, which leads to stretching of the vein walls and the formation of nodes.
Signs of varicose veins
veins twist and protrude above the surface of the skin
leg pain
heaviness in the legs
burning sensation along the veins
night cramps
dilated veins
skin pigmentation and thickening
Causes of varicose veins
Who suffers from varicose veins most often?
Of the 100% of people suffering from varicose veins, 30% are women of prime age, 50% have given birth, and 25% are men over forty years of age.Moreover, the risk of the disease arises after twenty years.However, despite such depressing statistics, there are quite simple effective ways to prevent varicose veins, which we would like to talk about.First, let's list a few causes of varicose veins that will help determine whether you are at risk.
Heredity
The first and most important factor leading to varicose veins is heredity.In 70 percent of cases, the disease passes from mother to daughter.Therefore, try to find out if your grandmother and mother suffered from varicose veins, maybe someone even had surgery for this.If a genetic predisposition to the disease is revealed, you should think seriously before choosing the profession of a hairdresser, teacher or flight attendant.
Working conditions
The fact is that the second risk factor is prolonged standing, as well as sedentary and physically demanding work.
Hormonal changes
The next dangerous point may be hormonal changes in the body (say, taking certain hormonal drugs).Endocrine changes and increased body weight also have a bad effect on the functioning of the valve apparatus.This may be why pregnant women are at particular risk.
Regular overheating
High ambient temperatures can also lead to varicose veins - this becomes an additional burden on the veins.Therefore, too hot baths, saunas, and exposure to the sun for more than 40 minutes are undesirable.
Uncomfortable shoes
You're also at risk if you wear high-heeled shoes all the time (although completely flat soles aren't very good for your feet either).High-heeled shoes cause the muscles to be constantly tense and increase the load on the veins of the legs.A heel of 5 centimeters or more is considered high, and 2-3 centimeters is optimal.One last thing worth mentioning is smoking.It is difficult to say exactly how many cigarettes you smoke pose a risk, but there is definitely a connection between varicose veins and smoking.
How to treat varicose veins
Do not delay treatment of varicose veins.A timely visit to a doctor will help detect signs of varicose veins at the very early stages.There are several modern methods for examining varicose veins, most of which are absolutely painless and safe.This is primarily an ultrasound examination (Dopplerography).It shows the condition of the veins, the mass of circulating blood and the speed of circulation.
Preventing varicose veins at home is not so difficult, but in order for prevention to produce results, most of the recommendations given by doctors must become a habit.
Play sports
The first thing that all doctors without exception recommend is exercise.It is better to choose a sport in which the lower leg muscles contract evenly and intensively.Race walking, running, cycling, skiing, horse riding, dancing are very good for your legs.Don't forget: no matter what sport you choose, your shoes should be loose and comfortable.The best sport for varicose veins is swimming: there is no pressure on the veins, they are as if in weightlessness.A very affordable, yet effective way of prevention is walking.Even fifteen minutes a day will produce positive results.
If you choose to exercise at the gym, follow a few basic rules:
Give preference to exercises without weights or with minimal weights (up to 1 kg).
Increase the number of repetitions, not the weight of the projectile.
Perform exercises on specific muscle groups at different times and alternate training days with rest days.
Wherever you exercise, do not overdo it - the load will be useful when it gives pleasure, and the strength will be useful to you for more pleasant things.When choosing a sport, remember that not any load is suitable for varicose veins.
Tennis, bodybuilding, volleyball, and skating are not very good for varicose veins - those sports that require sudden movements.They can not only not be useful, but even cause harm to health.Even if you don't have time for regular exercise, don't despair.
There are simple exercises for the legs that do not require much effort, but are an excellent way to improve blood circulation.
It is especially recommended to do exercises for those who, due to their occupation, are forced to spend a lot of time sitting or standing.Walk by rolling your foot from heel to toe.Then rise on your tiptoes 20-30 times.Do several squats, during which you transfer the weight to the edges of your feet.
If you have to sit a lot, you can stretch your legs from time to time like this: raise your knees and move your feet back and forth, rotate your feet clockwise and back.Then bend and straighten your fingers until you feel a slight tension.Change your position more often and try to get rid of the habit of sitting cross-legged - this will compress the veins and, as a result, impair blood circulation.
Take care of your feet
We are used to paying special attention to our face, but our feet also require care.Rinse them up to the ankles with cold water from the shower for a few minutes in the morning.It is desirable that the stream be stronger.
Several times a week, it is recommended to apply a mud mask to your feet for 20 minutes.Rinse off the mask with cool water and then apply the cream.These procedures relieve swelling, improve nutrition and blood circulation.After applying the mask, your legs should be kept elevated.
Try to make it a habit - when you relax, watch TV, it is better to keep your legs in an elevated position.Ideally, they will be located above the level of the heart.Doctors advise placing a pillow under your feet even at night.
Among folk remedies, there is a time-tested method for preventing varicose veins.Take a thick wooden block (a regular wax candle will do), place one foot on a chair and then, pressing lightly on the skin, roll it from the foot to the knee.Do the exercises with the second leg as well.This exercise is very useful for strengthening blood vessels.You can help your feet relax after a hard day with a simple massage.Massage each toe, roll a rubber ball—a “hedgehog”—on the floor with your foot.Even a few minutes of such exercises will perfectly restore blood circulation.
Watch your diet
Nutrition should be rational, because, as already mentioned, weight fluctuations negatively affect the condition of the legs.The basic rule: a maximum of vegetables and fruits, a minimum of salty, fatty and smoked foods.Try to replace animal fats with vegetable fats, as they contain acids that improve blood flow.Eat more fiber - its benefits are evidenced by the fact that in Eastern countries, where fiber is the main food, varicose veins practically do not occur.Large amounts of fatty, fried and spicy foods change the composition of the blood, which can lead to the formation of blood clots.Alcohol also has a negative effect on veins.
Also try to eat foods containing vitamin P. These are primarily walnuts, green tea and rose hips.Foods such as sprouted wheat grains, peas, beans, green onions will enrich the veins with nutrients and make them more elastic.
If possible, you should limit your coffee consumption to one cup per day, as this drink is not harmless to blood vessels.
Dress correctly
High-heeled shoes, as well as tight shoes that put pressure on the foot or lower leg, have an adverse effect on the condition of the veins.Leave narrow stilettos for formal occasions, and for every day choose loose shoes with a small heel.If you notice symptoms of varicose veins, it is better to avoid tight clothing altogether, especially for stockings and socks with tight elastic bands.
For both prevention and treatment of varicose veins, doctors recommend wearing special compression hosiery.This creates pressure on the veins from the outside, as a result of which blood stagnation decreases and the normal size of the veins is maintained.In the past, elastic bandages were used to achieve the same effect, but, fortunately, the time of unattractively bandaged legs has passed, and today compression therapy uses stockings and tights with a massaging effect.Such products are much more convenient and practical, while they do not spoil the appearance.They look like ordinary women's tights or knee socks, but they are very tight in certain places.
It is recommended to put on elastic stockings in the morning without getting out of bed, raising your leg at an angle of forty degrees.
Then the stockings will be able to keep the veins in a physiological state and ensure the outflow of blood towards the heart.Such products are sold in pharmacies and worn for at least six months.
To the above, it is worth adding that varicose veins are not only an aesthetic problem, but also a serious disease, ignoring which can lead to complications.Therefore, you should seek professional help as soon as the first suspicions arise, and the beauty of healthy legs will be a pleasant addition to your good health.