1.Causes of varicose veins? Symptoms? Treatment method?
Human blood is transported from the arterial system to the whole body and then back to the heart through the venous system. The blood flow back to the lower extremities needs to overcome the gravitational force of the earth when the legs are sagging in order to return to the heart, usually by the contraction of the muscles in the legs to squeeze the blood back to the heart. To prevent blood from flowing backwards back to the lower leg due to gravity as it returns to the heart, valves exist at intervals within the veins of the lower extremities, which act as a one-way valve to stop the blood returning to the heart from flowing backwards.
Many factors, such as congenital weakness, blood flow impact, aging, etc. will affect the function of the valve, resulting in the “valve” can not be closed tight, the blood will backflow downward, the pressure on the vein wall, expansion, over time, the vein expansion is obvious and tortuous, the formation of varicose veins. Long-term standing, heavy physical labor, pregnancy, chronic cough, long-term constipation, etc. can increase the pressure in the veins, which intensifies the pressure of blood on the vein walls and makes it easier for varicose veins to appear in the lower extremities.
The most significant symptom of varicose veins is the tortuous greenish veins on the legs, especially on the inner calves. After long term varicose veins due to blood stagnation, some patients will have eczema-like dermatitis on their skin, some will show itchy skin, black pigmentation, wounds do not heal easily after bumping and black scars are easily formed after healing, patients will always feel heavy and uncomfortable in their lower limbs, often this swelling and discomfort will be lighter in the morning but will be aggravated in the afternoon, and always feel extreme fatigue in their lower limbs when they are off work. Severe varicose veins can also show symptoms such as ulcers and bleeding in the lower legs.
Treatment of varicose veins in the lower extremities can be divided into two categories: non-surgical treatment and surgical treatment. Patients with mild symptoms can receive good results through active non-surgical treatment. Regularly moving the lower limbs, elevating the affected limbs properly, not standing and sitting for a long time and avoiding heavy loads are important measures to prevent varicose veins in the legs.
Make the habit of exercising legs properly every day, such as walking, brisk walking, cycling, running, etc. Lying down and resting with your legs above your chest and your knees slightly bent can improve the circulation of the veins in your legs. Wearing elastic stockings can also help blood return to the lower extremities and reduce symptoms, and elastic stockings are generally available in medical stores. Venoactive medications are also a good way to reduce venous inflammation, repair the venous valves, relieve clinical symptoms and prevent exacerbation of varicose veins, but medication should be administered under the direction of a vascular surgeon.
Surgery is also an important treatment for varicose veins in the lower extremities. Patients with severe varicose symptoms that seriously affect the quality of life or those with aesthetic requirements may be recommended for surgery. The classic procedure is called a high ligation and stripping of varicose veins in the lower extremities through a small incision, which is not complicated and may have several incisions depending on the severity of the varicose.
After the surgery, you need to put on an elastic bandage, and you will be able to move around on the ground the next day after the surgery. If the recovery is smooth, the incision will grow back in two weeks after the surgery, and you can resume your normal life and work.
Some people may ask, if the varicose veins are removed, how will the blood from the legs flow back to the heart? The varicose veins that cause symptoms are only a pathway to return to the heart, and blood can still return to the heart through the deep veins.
Those who like to wear dresses may be concerned about the aesthetic impact of the surgical scars. Varicose veins can also be treated with laser treatment, which involves the placement of a fiber optic through a puncture to burn shut the varicose vein mass. However, although the laser procedure has a smaller and more aesthetically pleasing incision, it has a slightly higher recurrence rate than the classic open surgery and is suitable for patients with less severe symptoms who are treated for cosmetic reasons.
Not all patients with varicose veins are suitable for the aforementioned surgical treatment, and a few patients with complex conditions, such as simultaneous deep vein obstruction, cannot take the conventional surgery. So some tests should be performed before surgery to clarify the condition of the veins in the lower extremities, and the vascular surgeon should decide the treatment plan.
2.How to prevent it? What are the symptoms that can be easily confused with?
The main prevention method of varicose veins in lower limbs is to avoid standing and sitting for a long time. People who need to stand or sit for a long time because of the nature of their work should walk back and forth for a few steps or bounce on their toes to move the muscles on their legs after a while, which is useful to prevent varicose veins. People with a family history of varicose veins, or those who already have varicose veins, are encouraged to wear medical compression stockings when standing or sitting for long periods of time in order to prevent varicose veins in the lower extremities, which are specially designed to promote blood flow back to the lower extremities and relieve blood stagnation in the lower extremities.
Varicose veins need to be distinguished from some congenital abnormalities in the vascular development of the lower extremities and acquired venous obstructive diseases, such as venous thrombosis, which tend to be varicose from childhood, while the latter disease usually occurs suddenly, unlike varicose veins which are a chronic disease that tends to develop gradually and last for years.
3.What tests should be done?
Varicose veins are a common disease and there is no need to be nervous or afraid. If you have varicose veins, you can go to a vascular surgeon who will usually do a simple physical examination. The main purpose of the ultrasound is to determine the severity of the disease, to find out whether there is blood backflow in the veins of the lower extremities due to incomplete closure of the venous valves, and to exclude some congenital varicose veins and varicose veins due to venous thrombosis.
4.What are the consequences if treatment is delayed?
In the early stage of varicose veins, there are no other symptoms and pain except for the appearance, but if treatment is not carried out early, the condition will worsen and symptoms such as swelling, pain and itchiness in the lower limbs will appear. At this point, the veins crawl all over the legs like worms and even swell and protrude so much that even socks can’t cover them up. In severe cases, eczema, ulcers, inflammation of veins and even bleeding from ruptured veins will appear.
5.Current incidence, incidence group and age?
Most of the varicose veins of lower limbs occur in young people and above, mostly in people who work standing for a long time, such as teachers, nurses, traffic police, car workers, etc. Other predisposing factors include obesity, pregnancy, chronic cough, constipation and aging, etc. The occurrence of varicose veins is related to physical and genetic characteristics, and children of parents with varicose veins are twice as likely to develop them, while women have twice as many varicose veins as men.