Varicose veins: treatment

Today, varicose veins are recognized as one of the most common vascular diseases. Treatment of this unpleasant and insidious disease is carried out by several methods.

Several decades ago, only surgical intervention could relieve the patient of such an ailment as varicose veins. Treatment with modern methods is painless, less dangerous for human health.

Treatment of varicose veins in the operative way is not always possible. There are a number of contraindications, in which even the most complicated stages of varicose have to be treated conservatively.

Contraindications include congenital features, for example, heart defects, personal refusal of the patient from the operation, for various reasons: from fear, to religious motives. In this case, doctors have to look for another way out of the situation - to apply methods of therapeutic treatment.

Therapeutic treatment is suitable not only for those patients who have any contraindications, but also for those who: 

• The disease is at the initial stage of development.
• Insufficiency of valves in deep veins.
• Minor veins.

Treatment of varicose veins in a conservative way should solve the main problem - to slow down the process that has begun and the further development of the disease. Therefore, patients are assigned: 

• Applying elastic bandages to the area of the affected vein or to the entire affected limb. Women should wear special elastic kapron tights or stockings.
• To provide the feet with an elevated position, for better outflow of blood, several times a day, the last time before bedtime. During sleep, put a roller under your feet. If the work is sedentary, then under the feet to install a small base, a chair, a box.
• Complex of flexion and extensor exercises on the knee and ankle joints. These exercises can more intensively pump venous blood through the action of muscles.
• Sclerotherapy - in the event that small blood vessels are dilated.
• Wear shoes on a low, hard soles. Shoes should be as comfortable as possible.

In case of varicose veins, it is PROHIBITED to wear tightening things, compressing the thigh or shin in a circular fashion, hampering an already weak venous outflow.

Treatment of varicose veins with elastic bandages

Compression, which is provided by elastic bandages, as well as special stockings, tights, knee pads and other toilet items, promotes accelerated blood flow in the deep veins. Due to the elastic compression, microcirculation improves, extra blood is removed from the subcutaneous veins, edema is not formed, tissue metabolic processes are normalized.

The proper effect of the elastic bandage can be achieved only by correct application of it on the foot. Bandage is imposed in the morning, even before getting out of bed. Bandage should be in the direction from the toes to the thigh, while necessarily grasping the heel and ankle joint. The layers of the bandage are superimposed so that the next one overlaps the previous one or, in other words, overlaps.

Bandages on sale a great variety. For yourself, you need to choose the right, not only in quality, but also with the required degree of compression. Of course, it is better if the bandage is made of certified knitwear, intended specifically for medical purposes. The compression degree of the bandage can be from 1 to 4. The difference in them in the pressure that the bandage exerts on the foot surface, the minimum - 20 mm. Gt; Art. - this is 1 degree and the maximum is 60 mm. Gt; Art. - accordingly - 4 degree of compression.

Ointments for varicose veins

Ointments are also an excellent external agent included in the treatment of varicose veins. Ointment is prepared on the basis of any melted animal fat - badger, pig, etc. And vegetable oil.

For preparation of the medicinal product it is required to take 3 table. L. Powder from medicinal plants: herb celandine and sweet clover, mint leaves and eucalyptus, dandelion roots and snake mountaineer, clover flowers, calendula and chamomile. Herbs for making powder should be taken in the same proportions.

Pour half a cup of hot water into the mixture and put on a plate, bring to a boil, and then boil for about 5 minutes. Combine hot broth with vegetable oil and animal fat (75 grams), cool and refrigerate for storage.

Treatment of varicose veins with ointments of own preparation

Blanks for ointments can contain different components. Here are some examples of fees. The figure shows the individual fees, each of which, in the future, will be mixed with a certain ointment base, which will be discussed below.

Take in each case raw materials in equal shares: 

1. Eucalyptus, lilac, melissa, celandine, sweet clover, camomile, calendula, clover, fir needles, flax seeds, dandelion roots, snake mountaineer (rhizome). 
2. Sage, primrose, cuff, watch, Icelandic moss, St. John's wort, fender, alternate, wormwood, pink petals, bark of white willow, flowers of horse chestnut. 
3. Thyme, chamomile, chandra, hyssop, sweet clover, tartar, raspberry, walnut, wild strawberry (leaves), oat straw, flowers of meadow clover. 
4. Yasmennik, celandine, succession, lilacs (leaves), plantain, mother-and-stepmother, white willow bark, mullein (flowers), clover, fir, alder (copulation).
5. Chicory (roots), chamomile (flowers), calendula, Icelandic moss, labaznik, St. John's wort, mother-and-stepmother, cuff, shoots of black nightshade.

Ointment and ointment preparation options

Each of the above fees can be prepared by the following options: 

1. 20 grams of herbal tea per 100 ml of water. Boil on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Lightly cool. Add 75 ml of lard and any vegetable oil. Mix. Keep in the fridge. 
2. 30 grams of herbal collection, 100 grams of smaltz and any vegetable oil. To mix. Keep in a water bath for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in 50 grams of flaxseed. Ready ointment to keep in the refrigerator. 
3. 20 grams of herbal collection, 50 grams of flaxseed, 500 ml of water, 150 ml of vegetable oil. All heated in a water bath for 15 minutes. The finished ointment is stored in the refrigerator.

How to apply ointments

Apply a thick layer on the patient's veins. To hide by the principle of compress. Top with a bandage. Change the bandage 3 times a day.

Sclerotherapy

This method became possible only in 1988. Until this time, the only possible method of treating varicose veins was the excision or removal of a part of the diseased vein.

Before proceeding to the description of the sclerotherapy method, a little attention should be paid to the mechanism of the development of the process of varicose veins.

Each large blood vessel contains inside itself special valves that allow blood to flow only in the right direction. In the event of a reverse current, the valves block the lumen of the vessel and the blood is forced to move forward again.

In the lower extremities there are superficial and deep veins. Blood along the superficial veins moves along the directions from the outside to the inside and from the bottom upwards, along the deep veins, only from the bottom up.

When the valves, for some reason do not cope with their duties, the reverse flow of blood from the deep veins gets into the current of the superficial veins, because of what the latter overflow. Constant overfilling of superficial veins leads to their expansion. As a result of this process, chronic venous insufficiency develops.

What does the sclerotherapy method suggest?

The essence of this treatment method lies in the exclusion of varicose veins from the general blood flow through the introduction of a special substance - sclerosant. At the end of the procedure, varicose "stars", "mesh", "spiders" and veins gradually disappear. "Zvezdochkam" and other varicose "decorations" for the disappearance takes about a month and a half, veins - about 3-4 months.

With the help of a special ultrasound scanning device, the veins of the lower extremities are examined, revealing the places where the reverse course of venous blood is formed. In the professional language of physicians, the reverse flow of fluid is called reflux.

After detecting and marking the places of reflux, they plan operative intervention. It is carried out under local anesthesia. At points marked with markers during the study, punctures or small cuts of the skin are made and the vessels are bandaged. Thus, the normal flow of venous blood is restored.

After the operation is completed, an elastic bandage is applied to the leg. The patient will break up just after an hour after the operation, and the next day he is discharged home, for dispensary supervision.

In the postoperative period, approximately within two months, it is necessary to wear a compression jersey. At the end of the second month of the recovery period, a follow-up inspection of the operated site is carried out. In the future, a preventive examination should be carried out 2 times a year.

As medical practice shows, the enlarged veins, after sclerotherapy, come back to normal within two months. Chronic venous insufficiency also undergoes changes, eliminating all or part of it.

Indications for sclerotherapy

Treatment of varicose veins by sclerotherapy should be justified by indications. These include: 

• Slipping or obliteration of separate sites of enlarged veins at the initial stage, provided a negative specific sample of Troyanov-Trendelenburg.
• Obliteration of small veins, which remained after removal of large veins of the thigh or lower leg.

Sclerotherapy is also indicated in cases where combined treatment is required.

Contraindications to sclerotherapy are pronounced veins, more than 1 centimeter, thrombophlebitis, pustular diseases, obliterating processes.

A type of sclerotherapy is echosclerotherapy, which allows you to quickly and painlessly cure varicose veins. Treatment with this method consists in using a duplex scanner. Thanks to this sensor, the doctor is able to treat even deep veins.

The next type of sclerotherapy is Foam-form. Treatment by this method involves the use of foam solutions.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy is another way to get rid of such an ailment as varicose veins. Treatment in this case is carried out with the help of laser devices. Laser therapy can shorten treatment times by several times. Laser treatment lasts for only 35-40 minutes, moreover, this method does not require the introduction of general anesthesia, allows you to treat both legs simultaneously, minimally traumatizing tissues. Hospitalization in this case is not required.

Often, this painless method is applied to patients suffering from a chronic form of venous insufficiency, as well as to people who own trophic ulcers in the region of the shins. The laser has the property of "gluing", "overlapping" the walls of varicose veins. A special optical fiber (fiber) is introduced into the lumen of the venous trunk by means of an angiographic catheter, advancing it to safenopoplitelnuyu or safenofemoral sostost - this depends on which vein is working at the moment. Then, under local anesthesia, after finding a connection with deep veins, the laser is operated. In the course of pulling the fibers in the opposite direction, pulsed radiation passes through it at regular intervals. As a result, the blood in the vein boils, forming vapor bubbles, the venous wall collapses, gluing the lumen of the vessel. After this, the roller is placed in the projection of the irradiated vein, and the limb is bandaged.

Intravenous laser is another method that has the ability to defeat varicose veins. Treatment by means of a laser consists in the following: an LED is injected into the affected vein and a "vein" is glued together with laser radiation. After some time, the patient's vein disappears completely. This method is quite expensive, however, only one procedure is often sufficient for treatment.

After a certain time after the procedure, the patient is obliged to wear special underwear and periodically visit the phlebologist.

Hirudotherapy

Hirudotherapy comes to the rescue in the treatment of many diseases. She also did not pass by varicose veins. Treatment with leeches is very effective during the initial stage of varicose veins. Usually, 5-6 sessions of hirudotherapy are prescribed, after 3-4 months the series of sessions should be repeated. Saliva of leeches contains a special enzyme, allowing the affected veins to narrow and return to its original form.

Medicinal treatment of varicose veins

Some people with a diagnosis of "varicose veins" treatment with a laser, leeches, a surgical way is contraindicated. In this situation, the medicamentous way of treating the disease is obtained. Often it is prescribed in combination with compression therapy. Most often as a drug for varicose treatment, doctors prescribe ointments, creams, and pills.

Modern drug therapy for varicose veins should be prescribed only by a doctor and only after the whole complex of necessary examinations and tests.

For the treatment of varicose veins, there are a large number of tablets, as well as creams, ointments and gels.

Here are, for example, the most common groups of tools: 

• Venotoniki - available varicose veins: treatment with venotonic treatment leads to an increase in the tone of the vascular wall and a better outflow of venous blood from the lower limbs. These include: antistaks, venitans, detraleks. 
• Anti-thrombotic drugs. Drugs designed to dilute thick blood. The appointment of these drugs is conducted only by the attending physician, so let's name only one representative of this group - a simple, all-known aspirin. 
• Means that improve blood flow, removing edema and heaviness in the legs: trental, kurantil, dikrofenak, lyoton, venoalife, thrombophobia.

If there are indications for improvement of blood microcirculation in tissues, then special preparations are additionally prescribed for this. One of such medicines is, all well-known aspirin. The treatment of varicose veins and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is not complete.

The most common medicines used for varicose veins are Detralex, Ginkor, Antistax, Cyclo-3, Escuzan, Hyosmi, etc., which help to reduce edema and heaviness in the legs.

Operations with varicose veins

In addition to folk, there is a traditional treatment for varicose veins. It was with his help that doctors of the last century treated varicose veins. Treatment with surgical intervention has not lost its relevance today, but at present this method is used only in the most desperate situations. For example, too large affected veins can only be removed by surgery. The essence of the treatment in this case is the dressing of the diseased vein and the removal of the damaged area. Modern surgeons perform all the actions so quickly and accurately that scarred after surgery almost do not remain. It includes various surgical operations, for example, combined phlebectomy, consisting of several stages of treatment:

• cross -ectomy (lower and upper);
• Stripping;
• constriction of the perforating vein;
• miniblebectomy.

The first variant of using combined phlebectomy - a crossectomy - consists in a constriction and intersection of the large saphenous vein, as well as its main tributaries in the joints with deep veins. In the inguinal fold area, a small incision (approximately 5-6 cm) is made, with which the anterior section of the subcutaneous large vein and its tributaries are exposed. The skin and subcutaneous tissue are dissected, the trunk of the BPV is secreted to its mouth in the femoral vein, simultaneously it is isolated from nearby tissues and the main tributaries, usually not less than 5, are traversed. The BPV is crossed and bandaged around the mouth, leaving no more than half a centimeter of the stump. The segment of HPV is excised within the wound. If necessary, other operations are performed from this section (for example, stripping). Then the wound is sewn up and about a week later the seams are removed.

Stripping is the next stage of combined phlebectomy, helping to cope with such an insidious disease as varicose veins. Treatment follows this pattern: the doctor makes two small incisions, one at one end of the affected vein, the other at the other end. After the exposure of the vein, it is crossed in two places, and a small, thin probe is inserted into the lumen. The head of the probe is fixed with a thread at the end of the vein, that is, where the probe came out. Then the doctor pulls the probe, which goes along with the vein.

The main advantage of stripping is that there is no need to make a cut along the entire length of the affected vein, but only two incisions - at the ends of the vein. There are almost no scars left.

The next step is the dressing of perforating veins, which helps to get rid of varicose veins. Treatment involves two modes of action - sub-facial and subfascial dressing.

The superfascial dressing occurs as follows: in the area of the mark where the affected vein is located, the doctor makes an incision of about 2 cm in length, spreads the edge of the wound with the clamp, and seizes any vein in the subcutaneous fat layer. Then the surgeon allocates a vein at a short distance and makes the intersection with two clamps. Further, each end of the vein is released from the surrounding tissues, gradually pulling each end up until the fixation of the vein with the one that goes deep into the wound becomes visible. Follow this vessel, clearing it from surrounding tissues, it is necessary until the fascia is discovered. After that, through the window in the fascia, serving as an exit for the initially isolated vein, they are convinced that they found what they wanted, and then they put a clamp on the perforating vein, trying to approach the fascia as much as possible, cross the vein and pull the stump.

The perfascial dressing consists in the following: the skin is cut along with the subcutaneous fat layer (right up to the fascia), the edges of the wound are spread with the fingers of the left hand, the fascia is opened with a small incision, the rasper or pair of fingers is inserted under the leaf, the fascia is cut to the required length, and then hooks under the fascial leaflets. After that, the subfascial space is viewed.

Perforating veins are localized under the medial fascia leaf. The leaf is lifted, separated stupidly until a vein wall is located across the wound. The veins are circled around the circumference using the tuffer or the end of the clamp, then two clamps are applied in such a way that both sections of the vessel have a sufficient distance between the clamps, after which each end of the vein is bandaged. Perform a survey in the subfascial medial space, reaching the edges of the tibia, to which the fascia is attached. All perforant veins found during revision are treated in the same way as the first vein.

After this, the hooks are removed from the wound and the superposition of individual nodal sutures on the fascia is performed under the finger control. The wound is sewn in such a way as not to disturb the skin nutrition.

Miniflebectomy - another option to combat such an attack, as varicose veins. Miniflebectomy treatment is an operation, the essence of which is as follows: under local anesthesia, the patient is given a paravasal injection of a special solution, then, as far as possible, punctures of up to 2 mm are performed along the lines of force. Then the hook (phlebectractor) is injected at the puncture site, after which the vein crocheted is dislocated into the wound. Isolate the vein from surrounding tissues by means of special spatulas. The vein is grasped by a clamp, at the moment of pulling it, at the point of skin retraction determining the site of the next puncture. After the excision of the affected vein, it is removed all over. Punctures are sealed with dressings.

Postoperative effects

The consequences of the performed operations can be different, because the organism is different and it is restored after the operation in different ways:

• the patient, in the first place, can be bothered by painful sensations in the place where the operation was performed. The intensity of the pain syndrome can be very pronounced after surgical interventions and less pronounced - after using minimally invasive methods of treatment;
• the presence of hematomas in the region of the remote vein - a frequent phenomenon;
• there are also occasional bleeding from the wound;
• 3-4 days after the operation, a slight increase in TT (body temperature) is possible;
• occasionally there is reddening of the skin on the veins - this may indicate the onset of the inflammatory process;
• the formation of thrombi in deep veins is not excluded.

Hydrotherapy for varicose veins

Since ancient times, people have been famous for water treatment, in scientific terms - hydrotherapy. People suffering from varicose veins are useful: 

• Pour your feet out of the hose. The jet should not be strong pressure. You need to start with your toes and gradually raise to your knees, then again lower the jet of water to your fingers. Repeat 5-10 times. Particular attention should be paid to the heels, calves and popliteal cavities. After the end of the procedure - carefully rub the skin of your feet with a towel. 
• Improves blood circulation massage of the ankle area before applying a conventional shower. Massage should be done with a special massage brush with a rough nap. 
• Remove the swelling of the vessels after a long working day using a foot bath with plain water. The water temperature should be cold to stimulate vasoconstriction and eliminate signs of fatigue. From cold water swellings leave from legs or foots.
• Lower your legs into the basin, hold for 2 minutes and take it out of the water for a while, then lower it again. Repeat the procedure 10 times. In the end, hold your feet in the water for 5 minutes. After that, thoroughly rub with a towel. 
• Using a contrast shower - alternating alternating very cold and hot water, also helps to relieve fatigue from the legs and stimulates active circulation.
• It is useful to visit saunas and baths. With varicose veins, use brooms made of birch and oak branches. However, do not overdo it with the force of a broom blow on the lessons with dilated veins. The skin above them is very sensitive and bruises and internal microtrauma can occur from a strong blow. 
• Very valuable for the body bathing in the hole. But with this method of treatment you need to be very careful. Before diving into the ice hole, you should consult a therapist or your doctor. People suffering from varicose veins are prone to thrombotic processes. A sudden immersion in cold water can cause a thrombus to come off and provoke a serious complication, up to a lethal outcome.

Preventive treatment of varicose veins

For the prevention of varicose veins, it is not necessary to purchase expensive medications. Start with the simple. At home, it is not difficult to prepare drinks that can be used with both curative and preventive purposes in case of varicose veins.

Let's give some examples.

Rowanberry - currant tea

Tea made from fruits of mountain ash and black currant berries is an excellent preventive agent that prevents the development of varicose veins. To make this drink, you should take 150 grams of rowan fruit and 25 grams of currant, rinse. In advance, prepare 0.5 liters of steep boiling water and pour them berries. Leave to stand for 20 minutes. Drink a drink as well as simple tea, preferably with the addition of a small amount of honey. The quantity of this drink per day is 3 times.

Infusion of chamomile flowers

A valuable drink for those who have a hereditary predisposition to varicose veins. Do not wait until the disease begins to manifest itself take daily at night 1 cup of infusion of dried camomile flowers. It's easy to prepare.

1 teaspoon of flowers per 0.5 liters of boiling water. After 15 minutes, the infusion is ready for use. Take in a warm, but not a hot form. Lovers of sweet can be added to it a little honey (no more than 0.5 teaspoon per glass of infusion).

Drink from cranberries

In order that the body received a shock dose of all useful micronutrients and vitamins, it is enough to drink a glass of cranberry drink once a week. The composition includes not only cranberries, so take care in advance of all the ingredients necessary for its preparation: 

• Leaves of oregano - 2 gr. 
• Mint leaves - 3 gr. 
• Freshly squeezed cranberry juice - 50 gr.

Leaves of herbs pour a glass of boiling water and let it brew for 30 minutes. Strain. Mix with cranberry juice. During the reception, you can sweeten a ready-made drink with honey or sugar.

As the long-term medical practice shows, the treatment of varicose veins requires urgent action at the earliest stages of the manifestation of the disease. Only in this case, it is possible to guarantee as much as possible avoidance of complications and a positive outcome of medical measures.

Treatment of varicose veins is the way to healthy, beautiful legs!