From the article you will learn that varicose veins are hereditary and there are also reasons why the pathology can develop in ordinary people.
What are varicose veins
Varicose veins of the lower extremities are a chronic deformation of the veins, most often of a hereditary nature, with persistent dilation of the lumen of blood vessels, a decrease in vascular tone, destruction of the valve apparatus, impaired regional blood supply, pain syndrome and constant tissue pastiness.
Where do dilated veins come from?
Normally, the blood, which supplies organs and tissues with oxygen and removes residual carbon dioxide from them, travels from the periphery to the heart, overcoming gravity.For this, auxiliaries are needed, which are the muscles of the legs, capable of acting as a kind of pump, contracting during the movement, which moves the blood increasingly upwards.An equally important role is played by vein valves, which block the backflow of fluid, tightly blocking the lumen of the vessels.Blood flows through the vessels in only one direction.
If the work of the valves is interrupted for any reason, a gradual deformation of the veins is formed: blood overflows from the vessels, which causes them to stretch and deform.As the pathology progresses, trophic ulcers and blood clots can form in the area of altered veins.
Varicose veins in the legs among women and men are quite common, in 50% of all vascular patients over 18 years of age.At the same time, the number of patients with varicose veins is growing every year.The reason is the sedentary nature of professional activity.
The main cause of varicose veins in men and women is a genetically inherited weakness of the connective tissue that makes up the structure of the veins.Its failure leads to loss of vascular tone, stretching of the walls and deformation.If parents had dilated veins under their skin, both their children and grandchildren would have a chance of developing varicose veins.The disease is inherited through the female line - a gene is associated with the sexual X chromosome that weakens the venous wall.
Hormonal changes in the body typical of women are of great importance: menstruation, menopause, use of contraceptives, pregnancy, lactation.Men are also susceptible to hormonal imbalances, but much less frequently and after the age of 40.Jumps in female hormones: estrogen and progesterone - relax the venous wall, leading to its deformation.
Another cause of varicose veins is standing or sitting for a long time in a static position.In this case, the vein valves open and a persistent increase in intravascular pressure occurs.Furthermore, the longer the legs, the greater the blood column in the vessels, which means a risk factor for the development of varicose veins.
Excess weight also does not contribute to vascular health.Excess weight increases pressure in the leg veins and fat deposits, especially in the abdominal region, interfere with normal blood flow.
Physical inactivity encourages the formation of varicose veins in the lower extremities.In addition, the risk group for varicose veins includes smokers, pregnant women and patients with cardiac and vascular pathology.Surgeons, teachers, cashiers, salespeople, drivers, programmers, flight attendants and porters suffer from professional varicose veins.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the effect of alcohol on the veins.Of course, any alcohol expands the vascular lumen, including red wine.In other words, this is another predisposing factor to varicose veins.With regular consumption of alcoholic beverages, varicose veins are inevitable, it's just a matter of time.In addition, if there is a hereditary predisposition to venous insufficiency.There are no gender differences in this matter.
Main signs of the disease
The first symptoms of varicose veins appear in the initial stages of the disease: the legs begin to get tired quickly, they begin to swell, the veins become painful, the legs cramp at night, a feeling of heat and heaviness appears in the legs.
Sometimes this condition persists for decades until visual signs of venous insufficiency develop: pasty ankles and legs at night, itchy skin, tortuous veins protruding above the skin, bluish in color, dense.Over time, trophic ulcers that are resistant to therapy appear.
Why are varicose veins dangerous?
In addition to disrupting trophism, varicose veins threaten the development of thrombophlebitis - when blood clots in the veins can detach from the walls, block the lumen of the arteries, obstruct the pulmonary vessels and cause AMI with a fatal outcome.
Venous thrombosis - blocking the lumen of a vein with a thrombus causes intense pain, does not allow free movement and can cause tissue necrosis.
Pulmonary embolism (PE) - blockage of the pulmonary artery by a detached blood clot leads to death within the next half hour.A small blood clot can cause a pulmonary infarction, requiring resuscitation.The condition is accompanied by pneumonia and CHF.
Is it possible to cure varicose veins?
Answer: yes, but only surgically.There are three modern methods to alleviate the problem: phlebectomy - complete removal of the deformed vein, sclerotherapy - injection of a special sclerosant into the affected vessel, which glues the walls of the vein, excluding the vessel from the bloodstream and emptying it without a cosmetic defect on the skin, laser coagulation - destruction of the vein with heat and sealing of the lumen (practiced when the diameter of the vein does not exceed 10 mm).
Prevention
- regular leg exercises during prolonged sitting;
- a balanced diet based on tomatoes, carrots, olives, apples, blueberries;
- prevention of constipation;
- adequate rest, especially for women who need three times as long to recover;
- correct drinking regime: 40 ml of water per 1 kg of weight.
Swimming is useful when you spend little time in the sun, minimizing stressful situations.