Treatment of varicose veins at home: what is the danger?
Most patients with varicose veins of varying severity do not treat their vein disease or treat it at home. This leads to sad consequences: complications develop, the patient loses the ability to move on his own legs and becomes disabled. Avoiding trouble is actually not difficult: it is only necessary to treat varicose veins as soon as they are detected, without starting the disease.
There are several methods for treating vein disease, and an experienced doctor will tell you which one is right for you.
Many people write about how to treat varicose veins on the legs using folk remedies, but not everyone talks about the dangerous consequences. It should be remembered that traditional methods were developed when there were simply no other methods of treating veins. Now they exist and the problem can be solved much faster and easier.
- Treatment with apple cider vinegar.Apple cider vinegar is one of the most popular home remedies for treating varicose veins. On the Internet, readers are encouraged to dilute vinegar with honey and drink on an empty stomach, dilute with water and wipe the feet. But remember that apple cider vinegar is an acid. Oral intake may adversely affect digestion. External use also raises questions, because with varicose veins the skin becomes dry, and the acid dries it out even more. This can worsen the course of the disease, especially if you have itchy legs with varicose veins.
- Chestnut fruit treatment.Chestnut tinctures are also recommended to be taken orally and rubbed into the affected areas to relieve pain and relieve itching due to varicose veins. Only the horse chestnut is poisonous. Under no circumstances should it be eaten raw. Signs of poisoning (vomiting, nausea, weakness) and spasms in the lower extremities may appear already when taking the tincture prepared from the fruits of this plant. In addition, chestnut tincture increases blood pressure. The external use of the alcohol solution dries the skin of the legs, which is not very good for varicose veins and is simply unacceptable in the advanced stages of varicose veins.
- Treatment of leeches.Leeches bite the skin and introduce into the human body a mixture of useful substances that have a beneficial effect on the blood, dilute it and have an antibacterial effect. However, it is better not to install leeches at home, but entrust it to a certified specialist, because you need to know exactly where leeches can be installed and where not. In the first days after vein treatment with leeches, itching is often observed. The places of the bites itch very much, the person cannot bear it and starts scratching the itchy area, due to which an ulcer may form. Also, small triangular scars remain on the legs after the bite of leeches. For some, for life.
- Folk remedies that can be prescribed by a doctor.In the initial stage of venous insufficiency, the doctor may prescribe contrast foot baths for the patient's veins. The alternating action of cold and hot water relaxes and narrows the veins on the legs. This gymnastic effect strengthens blood vessels, improves microcirculation and eliminates itching. The method can be used at home as often as you like. Especially if it is not possible to visit the pool. Varicose veins stop progressing and the legs stop hurting.
And, for example, clay can help you cope well with tired legs, eliminate itching and minor swelling in the initial stage of varicose veins. A large spoonful of pharmaceutical clay is diluted with water to a thick paste. The paste is then applied to the lower legs with a brush or cotton ball. It is important that the clay does not dry out, you must constantly add a new layer or moisten the existing layer with water. After an hour, the clay should be carefully washed off and the feet should be allowed to dry without wiping with a towel. Course – 12 sessions, can be repeated monthly.
But before treating varicose veins at home, consult your doctor. It is better not to waste time on procedures of questionable efficiency. Instead, it is possible not to heal the legs, but to wait for the severity to worsen and complications to develop.
Effective conservative treatment
It is ingrained in people's consciousness: if your legs hurt, your veins are bulging, your veins are very itchy (itchy), then you need to prepare for surgery. In fact, everything depends on the stage of the disease, which is determined not only by the degree of bulging of the veins or the weight of the venous network in the lower extremities. In most cases, the doctor tries to deal with the disease with conservative treatment methods and without surgery. An integrated approach is used for this: physical activity, dietary changes, medications and physiotherapeutic treatment are prescribed; a compression garment is chosen.
Physical activity.Modern man is sedentary: he sits at work and at home, he gets to the office sitting in the subway or on the bus. All this leads to physical inactivity and venous incompetence. Leg veins weaken and cannot cope with their work, and varicose veins develop. Therefore, it is important to return the patient to an active lifestyle. The doctor may prescribe walking for at least two hours a day, Nordic walking, swimming in a pool or classes in a recreational sports group. It is better to avoid working on the legs at any stage of the disease.
Diet.It is not about a diet, but about proper nutrition while limiting the consumption of certain food groups. Animal fats, margarine, mayonnaise and fast carbohydrates (sweets, pies, cakes) are prohibited. It is recommended to consume more liquid and plant foods. Meals should be balanced, at least five times a day. Proper nutrition is important to fully control your weight. Excess weight puts additional strain on leg veins and increases the risk of worsening chronic venous insufficiency at any stage of varicose veins.
Drug treatment.If the situation has not progressed and varicose veins pass without complications, drug therapy is applied, more often at home. Medicines from several groups are commonly used:
- Venotonics (phlebotonics) are used in the form of tablets, ointments or gels. They help maintain the tone of the vein walls, facilitating the movement of blood through them. Especially good for mild ailments.
- Antiplatelet agents prevent blood components from sticking together in a clot, which reduces the risk of blood clots in the lower extremities.
- Anticoagulants usually contain or are based on glycosaminoglycan. Maintains optimal blood viscosity - slightly dilutes it so that it moves freely through the veins of the legs.
- Angioprotectors protect the walls of veins, making them more elastic and invulnerable to internal damage.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs prevent the occurrence of inflammatory reactions on the walls of blood vessels, especially in an advanced stage, and have an analgesic effect.
- Products based on herbal components (melon chestnut, lilac, sweet clover, white acacia, etc. ) are a substitute for traditional herbal medicine.
Pharmacological forms differ in their targeted action and predictable effect. They practically have no contraindications. It is used as part of complex therapy to reduce swelling and pain in the legs. Medicines are prescribed by a doctor after a proper examination of the patient. He chooses not only suitable products, but also the form of release: injections, tablets, ointments, gels, foot wraps. A phlebologist recommends treating varicose veins at home or in a hospital, based on the stage of the disease and the degree of development of complications.
Physiotherapy treatment (PTL).In the case of varicose veins, physiotherapeutic devices help drugs to penetrate more quickly into the area of the affected vessels and enhance the effect of the drugs. As a result, the treatment time is significantly reduced, the doctor has the opportunity to switch the patient from therapeutic doses to maintenance doses, and cancel some drugs. Basic FTL methods:
- electrophoresis helps to deliver medicine to varicose veins through the action of a weak electric current;
- darsonvalization increases the tone of veins, reduces stagnation of interstitial fluid, and therefore itching with varicose veins;
- Magnetic therapy improves blood flow in veins, significantly reduces tissue swelling;
- pneumomassage of the lower extremities increases the tone of the vein walls, reduces swelling, itching and improves blood flow;
- laser therapy reduces the severity of inflammatory reactions, improves blood microcirculation and has a venoprotective effect;
- cryotherapy (cold) tones blood vessels, improves lymphatic drainage and relieves itching;
- hydrotherapy (water treatment) tones and generally strengthens;
- Mud therapy strengthens the walls of the blood vessels on the legs and has a beneficial effect on the skin, encouraging its regeneration and minimizing itching.
Physiotherapy treatment cannot be prescribed for some conditions. In addition, different stages of varicose veins require different treatments. Therefore, FTL is prescribed by two doctors at once: a phlebologist and a physiotherapist. Some procedures, especially in the initial stage of vascular damage, can be performed at home, many FTL devices are sold in pharmacies today. We recommend the pocket electrostimulator of venous outflow, which quickly and effectively helps in dealing with the symptoms of varicose veins.
Compression jersey
An auxiliary method that facilitates the movement of blood through the veins. The compression jersey is available for men and women.
The products can be in the form of socks, stockings or socks, and differ in color, size and degree of compression. They look ordinary from the outside, but they have a pronounced therapeutic and prophylactic effect. It's all about special elastic threads and a thoughtful knitting pattern.
As a result, the veins get external support and begin to cope with their work. Pain, itching and swelling in the lower extremities decrease, the disease stops progressing.
The doctor recommends compression stockings based on the stage of varicose veins. It also tells you how to put it on properly and how long to wear it.
The correct use of the leg jersey determines its effectiveness. We believe that Swiss compression knitwear is the most reliable and of the highest quality.
Surgical methods of treatment
When conservative therapy does not help, surgical treatment is resorted to. The doctor has the ability to choose the most appropriate method, which will be the most effective and minimally traumatic at a certain stage of varicose veins.
- Sclerotherapy.The doctor injects a special solution into the lumen of the affected vein, which causes the walls to stick together and stop the flow of blood through the treated vessel. The vein stops protruding above the surface of the skin and is gradually replaced by connective tissue.
- Endovasal laser therapyknown under two names: EVLO (endovenous laser vein obliteration) and EVLC (endovasal laser vein coagulation). The essence is the same: with the help of a laser pulse, the affected vein closes and stops functioning. The intervention does not affect the surrounding tissues of the lower extremities and does not require general anesthesia. It can be performed on an outpatient basis. Recovery is fast, leaves no marks on the leg. Laser therapy is possible at any stage of varicose veins, except those accompanied by complications.
- Phlebectomy.A standard surgical procedure used for severe disease and performed under general anesthesia. The affected part of the vein is removed. After the operation, scars about half a centimeter long remain, almost invisible on the skin. The recovery period after phlebectomy is long. The patient spends about two weeks in the hospital. During this time, he wears compression stockings, takes medication and visits the physiotherapy room. After the sutures are removed, the patient is discharged to continue treating varicose veins at home. Complications are rare.
Operations to remove varicose veins of the lower extremities are performed only when the patient has preserved blood flow through the deep veins. After surgery, the blood should rise freely through the bypass vessels so that complications do not occur.
Prevention of varicose veins on the legs after treatment
After the successful treatment of varicose veins on the legs, the patient must not lose vigilance. If the cause that led to the disease is not removed, another vein can expand and everything will happen again. First of all, you must give up bad habits, eat right, lead an active lifestyle, wear compression stockings during increased physical activity, choose low-heeled shoes, periodically visit your doctor for a preventive check-up and follow his recommendations.
The tips are simple and easy to follow. If you follow them, it is unlikely that you will ever encounter complications from varicose veins and the need to stay in the hospital. And if someone from your family joins you, it will also benefit them. And remember: the best treatment for varicose veins is prevention. If you have suspicious symptoms or are in danger, contact your doctor immediately!