Prevent varicose veins and treat

Tips for tired and healthy legs

05/20/2014

Those who suffer from varicose veins usually bothers by the bluish, often prominent veins, which occur mainly on the legs. These permanently enlarged veins are not just a cosmetic problem. Instead, they can also lead to chronic venous failure, phlebitis and thrombosis, the most dangerous complication is even a pulmonary embolism possible. It is therefore important to have varicose veins regularly examined medically and by various techniques and applications themselves to provide some relief of the legs.

About every second adult is affected by varicose veins
About half of all adults in this country suffer from varicose veins, which means permanently enlarged, irregularly tortuous veins, which usually occur on the legs. Just when it gets warmer again and clothes, skirts and shorts are taken out of the closet, many sufferers suffer from the bluish, often prominent veins. But these are not only an aesthetic problem for many, but also give cause for concern from a medical point of view. If the changes in the subcutaneous tissue persist over a longer period of time, the arteries in the advanced stage can lead to an "open" leg, ie ulcers on the lower leg and ankle (ulcus cruris). If an enlarged cutaneous vein becomes inflamed, a blood clot, which leads to vascular occlusion (varicophlebitis), often forms at the corresponding site. This is not only associated with severe pain, but represents an enormous health risk: If a clot or parts of it enters the pulmonary circulation, there is a risk of life-threatening vascular occlusion (pulmonary embolism).

Main cause: Congenital connective tissue weakness and lack of exercise
But how do varicose veins develop? There are several reasons for this, but they work together in most cases. The main reason is a congenital weakness of connective tissue, which in some cases, the first varicose veins show even at a young age and also usually within a family increasingly affected people. Also lack of exercise is an important trigger, as well as standing or sitting activities, because these lead to a relaxation of the calf muscle pump, also the veins are bent when sitting in the popliteal fossa, whereby the blood flow is additionally hindered. Since female sex hormones (estrogens) cause relaxation of the connective tissue, women are also more frequently affected by varicose veins than men. Especially in pregnancy, the conspicuous veins develop accordingly in many women - but in many cases subsequently regress. There are also other risk factors that play a role in the development of varices, such as obesity, constricting clothing, smoking and old age.

For tired and achy legs, as a precaution, consult a vein specialist
The first symptoms of varicose veins are heavy, sore, swollen and tired legs - especially after long standing or sitting. It also happens that women feel particularly strong symptoms shortly before menstruation. In most cases, the high-altitude storage or cooling relieve the symptoms, in the evening and in warm weather, on the other hand, they increase. To avoid health risks, a specialist in venous diseases (phlebologist) should be consulted at the first sign - because this can quickly diagnose whether it is usually harmless "spider veins" or treatment-worthy varicose veins. If the physician detects spider veins, ie enlarged, tiny veins that run through the skin and are visible from the outside, they do not have to be removed from a medical point of view. However, if they are found to be disturbing, various methods can be used with which the spider veins can be eliminated, for example, a sclerotherapy (sclerotherapy) or laser therapy.

Horse chestnut extract and arnica for the treatment of varicose veins
If there is a varicose vein disease, there are also several options for treatment - whereby the treatment of choice is individually tailored to the nature of the varicose vein disease, the stage of the disease, any concomitant diseases and the needs of the patient. On the one hand, it can be treated with medication in the form of sprays, ointments or capsules. Among other things, horse chestnut extracts, arnica and butcher's broom are used here. Even wearing compression stockings can relieve the discomfort significantly. Compression aids the work of the muscle pumps and venous valves, which, among other things, prevents the blood from flowing back into the superficial venous system. In addition, Kneipp treatments such as alternating showers or cold castings are a very good training for the veins: while the vessels dilate with warm water, they contract in cold water and are tightened. In addition, care should be taken to increase circulation and walk barefoot as much as possible, and special venous exercises may help alleviate the discomfort. However, if the veins have to be removed for health reasons, an operation is the drug of choice in which the altered vein is removed or suppressed. In most cases, this is done on an outpatient basis by "stripping" or "partial stripping", in which the diseased vein is wholly or partly pulled out, with the aim of maintaining the function of the remaining veins. (No)