Varicose veins are the most common disease of the venous system. The main cause of varicose veins is the accumulation of blood in the lower extremities due to congenital weakness of the vessel walls or the maintenance of the same posture for a long time with few changes, resulting in excessive venous pressure due to the destruction of the venous valves over time and the protrusion of blood vessels from the skin surface. Varicose veins occur mostly in the lower extremities, but also in the scrotal spermatic cord, abdominal vena cava, and esophageal veins of the stomach.
The main feature is that the blood vessels protrude from the surface of the skin, like earthworms, curved and lumpy. According to statistics, about 25-40% of women and 20% of men in Taiwan suffer from varicose veins. Teachers, surgeons, nurses, hair stylists, counter girls, chefs, restaurant waiters and other occupations that require long hours of standing are all high risk groups. There is also a link between varicose veins and genetics, oral contraceptive use and pregnancy. Since varicose veins have not been taken seriously in the past, there has been little research on the subject, but in recent years, the phenomenon of varicose veins has been standardized abroad as a condition of “chronic venous insufficiency”. However, no drug is clearly labeled as a treatment for “varicose veins” either in pharmacies or in hospitals.
Therefore, it is widely believed that “varicose veins are difficult to treat with medications and only surgery is the last resort”. However, conservative treatments (such as the use of elastic stockings, exercise, diet and lifestyle changes) can still be used to prevent the spread of varicose veins and reduce their symptoms. Gentle exercises such as walking, swimming and cycling can improve circulation and reduce the rate of new varicose veins. In terms of diet, you should eat a high-fiber, low-fat diet and take vitamin C and E supplements. In terms of daily life, you should control your weight, avoid taking birth control pills, avoid wearing tight clothes and high heels, stretched legs, and avoid prolonged sitting or standing. Elevate your legs for a period of time every day before going to bed, and sleep on your left side to reduce the pressure on the pelvic veins. Smoking can increase blood pressure and damage the arteries and veins, so patients with varicose veins should quit smoking immediately.
Why does blood stasis occur?
This is because the blood in the veins of the legs returns to the heart and needs to flow from a low point to a high point, a flow that defies the principles of physics, thanks to the many valves in the veins that are shaped like small pockets. It acts like a valve, allowing blood to pass as it flows toward the heart, but blocking it from flowing in the opposite direction.
If the valves fail, blood will accumulate in the veins, which then dilate and bend. And if one valve fails, it will implicate the next valve to lose its valve function, and then the third and fourth. This forms a vicious circle. Chinese medicine is also called, “fried hamstring leg” or “vascular disease” is often engaged in long-term heavy standing workers, about 40% of women and 25% of men have a variety of related symptoms, including mild leg discomfort, weakness pain, swelling, if left untreated can lead to soft tissue necrosis or ulceration.
Superficial varicose veins tend to start in the calf and extend to the thigh, while deep varicose veins can appear anywhere in the lower extremity. However, the appearance of a long, straight “bruise” in the calf is not necessarily a varicose vein, as this is common in the calves of athletes, where the feet are under constant pressure and the veins appear prominently.
Varicose veins are a vicious cycle, when one of the valves breaks down and loses its function of transporting blood back to the heart, the blood accumulates in the vein, the vein expands under pressure and implicates the next valve, which is unable to cover the overexpanded vein and loses its piston function, which then affects the third and fourth valves. With the gradual improvement of people’s living conditions, more and more people are paying attention to early treatment or good lifestyle maintenance to prevent the development and deterioration of the disease.
The causes of loss of piston function of the venous valves include the following.
1, congenital causes: the patient’s valves may be born with some small problems, coupled with acquired pressure, they form varicose veins;
2, vascular problems: people who have suffered from venous embolism, the valve function may be damaged;
3, traffic failure: the traffic vein, which connects the superficial vein to the deep vein, also has a valve that prevents blood from flowing from the deep vein to the superficial vein, however, when the traffic vein valve function has a problem, the blood flows arbitrarily, it will constitute pressure on the superficial vein and the vein dilates;
4, drug users: people who use syringes to take drugs, the valves of the deep veins are easily damaged;
5, pregnant women: female hormones will make the vein dilate, the valve can not cover the vein, can not stop the backflow of blood; abdominal pressure increases blood reflux.
6, obese people: because the lower limbs need to support the huge body, the vein pressure increases.
The symptoms that varicose veins may produce
1.Surface blood vessels like earthworms, obviously protruding out of the skin varicose veins in the form of masses or nodules;
2. Soreness and swelling of the legs, heavy at night, light in the morning. Pigmentation of the skin, darkening of the skin, flaking of the skin. Itching. Edema in the ankle;
3.Widespread edema in both lower extremities with pain in the affected extremities, aggravated by movement, sometimes pain at rest, aggravated at night;
4, the limbs have a strange feeling, limb chills, limb hot flashes, the affected limbs thinning, thickening skin with a pins and needles feeling. Itching sensation. Numbness. Burning sensation;
5, the epidermis temperature increases, there is pain and pressure pain;
6, toe (finger) nail thickening. Deformation. Growth is slow or stopped;
7.Generation of gangrene and ulcers.
Clinical grading of venous insufficiency of the lower extremities
Grade 0: no visible or palpable signs of venous disease
Grade 1: capillary dilation, reticular veins, ankle flushing
Grade 2: varicose veins are present
Grade 3: there is edema
Grade 4: Skin changes due to venous disease, such as hyperpigmentation, eczema and skin sclerosis
Grade 5: Skin changes and healed ulcers due to venous disease
Grade 6: Skin changes due to venous disease and ongoing ulcers
Five types of treatment
Generally, varicose veins are not life-threatening and do not require any treatment; however, in severe cases, blood pressure is forced out of the blood vessels, leading to inflammation and long-term inflammation that causes muscles to harden, fibrosis, and ulcers to turn black. When you feel itchy, painful, eczema, red and swollen feet, you may need to seek medical help.
1.Surgery
In severe varicose veins with dysfunctional valves, your doctor can surgically remove the problematic veins from your body, but this treatment option is limited to superficial varicose veins.
If the problem comes from a traffic vein, the doctor will use an endoscope to tie up the fascia of the perforating vein to stop the blood from entering or leaving the perforating vein, and the problem will be solved.
2.Sclerotherapy
A sclerosing solution is injected into the varicose veins to shrink and narrow them, limiting treatment to varicose veins below the knee.
3.Compression therapy
For deep varicose veins, elastic bandages can be used to wrap the lower limbs and put pressure on the veins to stop local hypertension and promote blood flow.
4.Beautiful leg exercise
Mild varicose veins, though painless and harmless, are an eyesore. Summer is approaching, when wearing shorts or swimsuits, feet swell up with curved, blue and purple “veins”, it is simply a big disgrace. Some simple small activities can soothe varicose veins and stop the disease process from worsening.
(1) Exercise the calf muscles.
Dr. Ken Hsiung points out that the calf muscles are an auxiliary blood pump that helps veins pump blood back to the heart, slowing down the deterioration of varicose veins. When the calf lacks exercise for a long time, it loses this function. Riding a bicycle, walking and swimming all help strengthen the calf muscle.
(2) When you sleep, put your feet up gently to promote blood flow to your feet and relieve the pressure on your veins.
(3) You can wear elastic socks, however, as compression socks are more constricted, it is not good in summer.
5.Medication therapy: usually conservative treatment with professional medication.
Varicose veins are suitable for running
The reason for varicose veins is the long time standing work, blood stagnation in the veins of the lower limbs, blood circulation is not smooth. The best way to prevent varicose veins is to exercise more. Running can make the leg muscles more active and squeeze the blood in the veins to make them flow more smoothly. Mild varicose veins can be cured with long-term persistence.
Keeping the legs in a very good condition for a long time without making them swollen is an important part of preventing varicose veins in the legs. The following 10 tips for beautiful legs can help you protect your legs.
1, avoid standing or sitting for a long time, you should always let your legs do the movement of raising and lowering. If possible, it is best to take a small walk.
2, often raise the legs, above the level of the heart, and maintain the knees bent to promote blood circulation in the legs.
3.Avoid lifting more than 10 kg of heavy objects frequently.
4, maintain a normal weight, so as not to increase the burden on the leg veins due to overweight.
5.Check your calves every night for swelling.
6.Stop smoking.
7. Keep the feet and legs clean to avoid injury.
8.If the skin of the leg is dry, you should follow the doctor’s prescription to apply medicine.
9. When sleeping at night, pad the leg about 15 cm high.
10.Make a habit of wearing medical elastic socks and exercising legs for one hour every day, such as walking, brisk walking, cycling and running. People with high calf vein pressure should put on the elastic stockings after waking up every day and take them off at night when they go to bed.
In addition to timely treatment, self-care is also important for diseases such as varicose veins and vasculitis. Patients should try to avoid heavy physical work, and in severe cases, they should rest in bed and position the affected limb above the level of the heart. When you get out of bed or go out, you should wear elastic stockings or use elastic bandages to reduce the symptoms of the affected limb. In daily life, good bowel habits should be cultivated. For habitual constipation, drink a glass of plain water or take a light laxative orally before bedtime and avoid prolonged squatting. Normally, you should trim your nails diligently to prevent scratching the skin; if ulcers appear, you should always give warm compresses or soak the affected area with potassium permanganate solution 2-3 times a day.
Since varicose veins are caused by various reasons, such as venous insufficiency of lower limbs, arteriovenous fistula, deep vein thrombosis sequelae, congenital venous ankylosis, etc., the degree of severity of the disease also varies, so the treatment means are also different. But clinically many
Patients tend to listen to some partial prescriptions, or use some unopposed treatment methods due to insufficient knowledge of varicose veins, which leads to the aggravation of varicose veins and brings some difficulty to cure.
Misconception of treatment one: hot compress can activate blood circulation and have benefits.
Except for the varicose patients with superficial vein thrombosis who can be properly hot compress, other varicose patients should try to avoid hot compress, infrared irradiation, high temperature foot soak and so on. The reason is mainly that the hot compress will lead to the expansion of arteries in the lower limbs and the increase of blood flow, which will aggravate the venous stasis and make the venous vessels more protruding and expanding.
The second misrule: “a needle is good” can cure varicose veins.
The so-called “injection” refers to local sclerotherapy injection, which was widely used in primary hospitals in the 60s and 70s because of its simple operation and low cost. However, due to the high recurrence rate and many complications, it is no longer used in large regular hospitals in China. The drug is an effective adjunctive treatment and cannot cure the pathological changes of veins.
Myth 3: Simple vein stripping can cure varicose veins.
For patients with deep vein thrombosis, venous stripping can cause deep vein thrombosis and even pulmonary embolism if it is not handled properly in the perioperative period, which can be life-threatening. For those with venous insufficiency of lower limbs, simple venous stripping has a high recurrence rate.
Mistreatment four: paste instead of medicine
Recently, there are some topical health care paste or potion on the market, propaganda “a wipe on the flat”, “a paste on the good”. In fact, these are only the role of preventive health care. Can not replace the regular drug treatment.