How to treat blue veins on the legs. Varicose veins of the thigh

According to statistics, varicose veins are more related to the female sex, especially if it concerns women of the most interesting age after 40 years. However, despite this, young women should also be more careful, especially since the disease is getting younger. Often its appearance is preceded by pregnancy, long-term use of hormonal drugs, including contraceptives.

In addition to the fact that the disease is accompanied by pain, it frightens precisely with its cosmetic effect. This refers to the fact that varicose veins do not spare the most important part of the body of any woman, namely the legs. Women try to keep them in shape, but varicose veins can ruin them for many years. Especially often varicose veins affect the upper part of the legs - the thigh. Varicose veins of the thigh are the most common and cause the most inconvenience.

These are very tender places, and if you do not start treatment in a timely manner, then a disease that begins quite harmlessly can lead to very serious consequences. Therefore, try to identify if you have varicose veins in the early stages, when it can be easily and often completely painless treatment.

At this stage, you can overcome the disease even without surgery. The main thing is to find out in time. If you often have to stand still, for example, if you work as a salesman, or if you have to work at a computer, when you come home in the evening, you need to listen to your feelings. Pain in the legs, heaviness when walking may already indicate that varicose veins are somewhere nearby.

At first, this is exactly how it manifests itself and does not have any external manifestations. If you have not missed this moment, then you are already lucky. Considering that varicose veins in itself is not a terrible disease, treatment in your case will be limited to the use of inexpensive medicines, diet and rational physical activity will not be superfluous. Varicose veins on the hips manifest themselves in different ways at different stages.

In the first, initial stages, as mentioned above, it manifests itself only in the form of pain in the limbs. It goes away after a short rest or taking a warm bath.

If you are unlucky and time is lost for some reason, the next stage of varicose veins will already appear visually in the form of an ugly blue grid. A lot of still thin veins lie, as it seems to us, on top. It usually occurs on the inner thigh. With this, too, local therapy, ointments, compresses and compression underwear can most often cope.

The next stage may be the appearance of seals, swelling of the veins, which is manifested by the formation of nodes of various lengths and shapes. At this stage, your hips will be helped by sclerotherapy or laser photocoagulation. Both methods are painless and able to cope with the disease.

If this happened, and you started the treatment of the disease in the initial stages, the skin can weaken and the result of this can be the appearance of varicose ulcers, which cause a lot of trouble, especially when it comes to the delicate inner surface of the thigh.

If you suddenly have blue venous vessels on your legs (it doesn’t matter, spider veins or nodules under the knee), then this is a reason to be wary. Blue veins on the legs are normally hidden either in the thickness of the muscles (deep veins) or between the skin and muscles (superficial).

There is a structure of the venous system, when the superficial vessels are closely located and simply “shine through” through the skin. This usually manifests itself in adolescence, and in people with thin skin. And sometimes it's just such a feature of the skin - thin and "transparent".

Usually such people are aware of their venous pattern on their legs and do not attach much importance to it. But I will repeat the word “suddenly”, that is, for no apparent reason. So, if the venous vessels never really shined through and didn’t bother, and suddenly “jumped out”, you need to urgently go for a consultation with a phlebologist or vascular surgeon.

If you are not in the know, then a phlebologist is a doctor, a vascular surgeon who specializes exclusively in diseases of the veins. The allocation of such a field of medicine as phlebology appeared not so long ago, and it is due to the increasing number of patients with venous pathology.

There are new methods for removing ugly blue nodules on the legs. This is the so-called “office surgery”, when the patient is discharged on the day of the manipulation.

These methods include laser treatment of varicose veins, as well as sclerotherapy. Sometimes these two methods are combined - large vessels are cauterized with a laser (they then dissolve themselves), and small ones are “filled” with special glue, and they also disappear over time.

A phlebologist can also perform a real operation under general anesthesia. This is usually done in advanced cases or in men. In a word, in cases where tortuous large blue veins appear on the legs, treatment should be started immediately!

Is it a varicose vein at all?

For some reason, many are sure that the veins on the legs protrude only with varicose veins. But this is far from true. For example, the vascular network on the hips most likely indicates a hormonal imbalance, namely:

• pregnancy;
• taking oral contraceptives (OC);
• various gynecological diseases in which the level of hormones is too high or low.

But the same spider veins, if they are located in the lower third of the lower leg, are already a more formidable sign, most likely, this is the beginning of varicose veins.

In order not to doubt and start treatment on time, a visit to the doctor is a must! After all, you yourself will definitely not be able to make the correct diagnosis, determine the degree of vascular damage and the cause. But both varicose veins and gynecological problems should be treated as soon as possible.

Medicines for the treatment of venous vessels of the legs

So, let's say that the gynecologist has determined that the ratio of hormones in your body is somehow disturbed. There will definitely be a question about replacing oral contraceptives with other means. During pregnancy, many drugs are contraindicated, so the treatment regimen is selected strictly individually.

For the treatment of varicose veins, medicines are used both inside (pills - venotonics, they tone up the veins, although they cannot affect the venous nodules), and outside.

External agents include gels Lyoton, Dolobene, Troxevasin or Trombless. They perfectly cool the surface of the skin, and, being absorbed, visually reduce veins and puffiness.

Wear compression stockings!

Compression underwear is designed in such a way that the strongest pressure on the skin is created in the shin area. The closer to the hips, the weaker the pressure. This effect helps the veins do their job of pushing blood towards the heart. It stagnates less in dilated veins.

It is very comfortable to wear medical stockings, especially with an open toe. By the way, men also wear such stockings and stockings; special compression underwear is made for them, without any laces and other decorations.

Squeezing medical stockings and tights are prescribed by a doctor, because this is already a serious treatment. You can buy only the first class of compression on your own for small swelling. The second, third, and even more so the fourth (hospital) class can only be selected by a specialist, sometimes after an ultrasound examination.

Alternative methods of treating veins

What people just didn’t come up with so as not to go to the doctors! Of the folk methods, both treatment with bees and treatment with leeches are used (surgeons call this method “stupidity”).

There are also other exotic ways, such as many others. Some of them are not so harmless, and while a person “has fun” in these ways, precious time is wasted, and the disease progresses. Yes, yes, without treatment, varicose veins always progress and give complications.

I will not write about complications today, you can read about them in the appropriate section.

And now look at how vascular sclerosis is done using the apparatus.

Anatomy of the venous system lower extremities is highly variable. An important role in assessing the data of instrumental examination in choosing the right method of treatment is played by knowledge of the individual characteristics of the structure of the human venous system.

In the venous system of the lower extremities, a deep and superficial network is distinguished.

deep venous network represented by paired veins accompanying the arteries of the fingers, foot and lower leg. The anterior and posterior tibial veins merge in the femoral-popliteal canal and form an unpaired popliteal vein, which passes into the powerful trunk of the femoral vein (v. femoralis). In the femoral vein, even before passing into the external iliac (v. iliaca externa), 5-8 perforating veins and the deep vein of the thigh (v. femoralis profunda), which carry blood from the muscles of the back of the thigh, flow. The latter, in addition, has direct anastomoses with the external iliac vein (v. iliaca externa), through the intermediary veins. In case of occlusion of the femoral vein, the thigh can partially flow through the deep vein system into the external iliac vein (v. iliaca externa).

Superficial venous network located in the subcutaneous tissue above the superficial fascia. It is represented by two saphenous veins - the great saphenous vein (v. saphena magna) and the small saphenous vein (v. saphena parva).

Great saphenous vein (v. saphena magna) starts from the internal marginal vein of the foot and throughout the entire length receives many subcutaneous branches of the superficial network of the thigh and lower leg. In front of the inner malleolus, it rises to the lower leg and, bending around the inner condyle of the thigh from behind, rises to the oval opening in the inguinal region. At this level, it flows into the femoral vein. The great saphenous vein is considered the longest vein in the body, has 5-10 pairs of valves, its diameter throughout is from 3 to 5 mm. In some cases, the great saphenous vein of the thigh and lower leg can be represented by two or even three trunks. 1-8 tributaries flow into the uppermost section of the great saphenous vein, in the inguinal region, often there are three branches that are of little practical importance: external genital (v. pudenda externa super ficialis), superficial epigastric (v. epigastica superficialis) and the superficial vein surrounding the ilium (v. cirkumflexia ilei superficialis).

Small saphenous vein (v. saphena parva) starts from the outer marginal vein of the foot, collecting blood mainly from the sole. Having rounded the outer ankle from behind, it rises along the middle of the back surface of the lower leg to the popliteal fossa. Starting from the middle of the lower leg, the small saphenous vein is located between the sheets of the fascia of the lower leg (N.I. Pirogov's canal), accompanied by the medial cutaneous nerve of the calf. And therefore, varicose veins of the small saphenous vein are much less common than the great saphenous vein. In 25% of cases, the vein in the popliteal fossa passes deep through the fascia and flows into the popliteal vein. In other cases, the small saphenous vein can rise above the popliteal fossa and flow into the femoral, great saphenous veins, or into the deep vein of the thigh. Therefore, before the operation, the surgeon must know exactly where the small saphenous vein flows into the deep one in order to make a targeted incision directly above the anastomosis. Both saphenous veins anastomose widely with each other by direct and indirect anastomoses and are connected through numerous perforating veins with the deep veins of the lower leg and thigh. (Fig.1).

Fig.1. Anatomy of the venous system of the lower extremities

Perforating (communicating) veins (vv. perforantes) connect deep veins with superficial ones (Fig. 2). Most perforating veins have suprafascial valves that move blood from superficial to deep veins. There are direct and indirect perforating veins. Straight lines directly connect the main trunks of the superficial and deep veins, indirect ones connect the saphenous veins indirectly, that is, they first flow into the muscular vein, which then flows into the deep vein. Normally, they are thin-walled, have a diameter of about 2 mm. With insufficiency of the valves, their walls thicken, and the diameter increases by 2-3 times. Indirect perforating veins predominate. The number of perforating veins on one limb ranges from 20 to 45. In the lower third of the lower leg, where there are no muscles, direct perforating veins predominate, located along the medial face of the tibia (Cocket area). About 50% of the communicating veins of the foot do not have valves; therefore, blood from the foot can flow both from the deep veins to the superficial ones, and vice versa, depending on the functional load and physiological conditions of outflow. In most cases, perforating veins originate from tributaries, and not from the trunk of the great saphenous vein. In 90% of cases, there is incompetence of the perforating veins of the medial surface of the lower third of the leg.

The total length of all veins and vessels in the human body is approximately 100 thousand kilometers. The share of veins accounts for almost 600 thousand meters. The whole system is designed to move blood saturated with carbon dioxide to the heart. The exceptions are the pulmonary vein and the umbilical vein in the fetus.

The movement of blood in one direction is provided by internal valves, venous pulse and musculature of the walls. The walls of the veins are thin, which complicates the movement of blood and provokes some diseases.

The structure of the walls of the vein is multilayered:

• inner layer (endothelium);
• connective;
• muscular;
• connective tissue.

One of the most common diseases in which the veins protrude on the legs is varicose veins. In no case should this be considered as a simple cosmetic defect.. Varicose veins are a serious disease caused by disruption of the entire system of veins and blood vessels.

With varicose veins, the walls of blood vessels weaken, which cannot cope with the flow of blood.

An additional danger of this disease is the occurrence that impede the movement of blood.

Blood clots can set in motion and cause blockage of the pulmonary vein, which is fatal.

If the veins on the legs protrude (as in the photo), then the disease is already quite advanced, and the first thing to do is to immediately contact a specialist - a phlebologist. It is possible that the first signs of the disease were not given importance.

Heaviness in the legs and drawing pain in the calves are often attributed to fatigue after long walks. In fact, this may be a signal that .

Causes of varicose veins

There are a lot of reasons why veins stick out on the legs. Below is a list of the most common.

1. Symptoms of varicose veins appear during pregnancy in half of the women. Increasing load and hormonal changes are the main cause of varicose veins during pregnancy.
2. Heredity. If relatives suffered from varicose veins, then in 70% the disease manifests itself in the next generation. In this case, it is advisable to take preventive measures to avoid problems.
3. Metabolic disorders lead to the destruction of the walls of the veins, thereby weakening them. Elasticity is lost. The veins become fragile and brittle. There are curvatures and ugly knots that stick out mainly in the calf area and on the front of the lower leg.
4. Bad habits(alcohol and smoking) exacerbate the disease. Doctors consider this reason one of the most dangerous. According to statistics, smokers have a 45% increased risk of bulging veins.
5. The veins bulge on the legs and when overweight. The increased load on the legs when walking, and the need to pump more blood volume, disrupts blood circulation.
6. Physical exercise associated with lifestyle or work can be the cause of varicose veins. The risk group includes salespeople, teachers, porters and other professions in which too much time is spent on their feet.
7. Passive lifestyle. The reason that the veins begin to bulge on the legs may be the frequent need to be in an uncomfortable position. During sedentary work, the veins and vessels in the thigh area are pinched, causing blood stasis.

In recent decades increased incidence of varicose veins among residents of large cities. Air pollution, toxic impurities in water and other atmospheric pollutants have a strong negative impact on the condition of the veins, blood vessels and the entire circulatory system.

Features of varicose veins in men

Until recently, mainly women suffered from varicose veins, this is due to frequent hormonal changes in the body. However, in men, veins on the feet and calves are increasingly protruding.

Men pay less attention to a cosmetic defect in the form of protruding veins on the legs. Therefore, they turn to doctors when the disease begins to cause problems. Unlike varicose veins in women, male varicose veins are dangerous for their spread to the veins in the genital area.

According to statistics, almost 25% of men over 40 suffer from this disease.

And for almost half of those who applied, it is in a very neglected state.

Varicocele (or testicular varicose veins), as well as penile varicose veins, are different from this disease on the legs pain and difficulty in treatment. In most cases, surgery is required.

What to do if the veins on the legs protrude

If blue thick veins began to appear on the legs, then it is urgent to consult a specialist for advice. The doctor will determine the degree of the disease and the possibility of drug treatment. In some cases, surgery may be required.

Used to treat varicose veins venotonics and blood thinners (anticoagulants).

Venotonics have a strengthening effect on veins and blood vessels. Tone up the walls and contribute to the normalization of the valves, stabilize the pressure inside the veins. Relieve inflammation and swelling of tissues. The most popular medicines are:

• Detralex - tablets based on diosmin and hesperidin;
• , the active component of which is diosmin;
• Troxevasin based on troxerutin, is available in the form of capsules and products for external use.

A huge number of remedies against varicose veins makes it difficult to choose independently. The phlebologist will select the right drugs, which will help relieve the symptoms of varicose veins and improve the general condition of the circulatory system.

The group of anticoagulants used to stabilize blood circulation includes medications and preparations based on medicinal plants.

Heparin is often used as the active ingredient. It is found in tablets, injections and ointments.

Drugs are divided into heparins of direct and indirect action.

If the first of them inhibit the action of factors that increase blood clotting inside tissues and plasma, then the latter have a weak effect.

Direct acting anticoagulants:

• Fraxiparine;
• Clexane;
• Troparin.

Local anticoagulants:

• gel;
• gel .

Do not forget that drugs have side effects and contraindications. Therefore, they need to be selected after consulting with a specialist.

Alternative Treatments

Modern medicine can offer complete relief from the problem. In her arsenal there are means less traumatic than surgical correction of pathology.

Laser coagulation

It is performed using local anesthesia. A special LED is inserted through a minimal puncture, which acts on hemoglobin, raising the temperature in a limited area. There is a process of adhesion of the destroyed walls.

The rehabilitation period after such an operation is not required. The patient can immediately see positive results.

Sclerotherapy

It is carried out with the help of injections with a special solution that causes irritation inside the vessel. Wherein the walls are compacted, elasticity increases.

Sclerotherapy is sometimes done to achieve a cosmetic effect in the presence of spider veins and bulging veins in varicose veins. But the main indications for the use of this method are heaviness and swelling in the legs, convulsive manifestations and burning in the veins.

The number of injections and the duration of the procedure depends on the degree of vein damage.. Anesthesia is not required due to the absolute painlessness of the operation. The patient can leave the medical facility almost immediately. As a side effect of sclerotherapy, there may be small hematomas at the injection sites. In rare cases, the procedure is complicated by the inflammatory process and the occurrence of blood clots in the form of blood clots.

Prevention and home treatments

Medicinal teas and baths of herbs and essential oils can be used as home remedies.

1. Melilot officinalis has long been known as a unique plant that can thin the blood. The dried herb of this plant can be added to tea and taken as a prophylactic.
2. beet juice and dishes from it help to cleanse the blood of toxic components and increase hemoglobin.
3. Warm baths with an infusion of birch leaves, nettle, essential oils of mint, geranium, lemon and rosemary, I have a calming effect and relieve swelling.

Home remedies for varicose veins are used for preventive purposes only or as an additional treatment.

Conclusion

Like any other disease, varicose veins are more successfully treated in the early stages of development. If there is a predisposition or diseases appear in the form of heaviness in the legs and the appearance of swelling, then you must first change your lifestyle.

Complete rejection of bad habits, adjusting the diet to include plant foods, regular walks in the fresh air and playing sports will help to avoid problems with veins.

In contact with

People who have veins protruding on their legs wonder how dangerous this phenomenon is. After all, perhaps this is a simple cosmetic defect that does not require special treatment. But doctors are convinced that such a problem can lead to the development of serious consequences. In addition, swollen veins indicate progressive. The initial signs of the disease are swelling and heaviness in the legs without visible external disturbances.

The rate of development of the disease in each person may be different, it does not depend on any factors. But in any case, the lack of treatment can lead to the formation of blood clots, which will come off, move through the vessels, and then enter the lungs. If an artery is blocked by a detached blood clot, then a person can even die. Therefore, it is important to know why the veins protrude on the legs and how to solve this problem.

When veins appear on the lower extremities, it is most likely a symptom of varicose veins. Such a disease occurs when the vessels are damaged, which increase in diameter, become thinner and nodes form on them. If the veins on the feet bulge out, regardless of the reason for their appearance, it happens malfunction of the venous system responsible for the flow of blood from the lower to the upper body.

Full blood circulation can occur only with the smooth operation of the venous valves. The venous system must push blood from one valve to another with the next contraction of the myocardium - the valve opens, which closes after the passage of blood, preventing blood from flowing down. When the veins are disrupted, valves become less elastic, therefore, they do not completely close, which makes blood circulation difficult.

Attention! If a pregnant woman has pathologies of the pelvic vessels, this can lead to a miscarriage.

When the veins on the legs protrude, the reasons for this phenomenon are quite diverse. The main factors in the development of the disease include:

1. Excess weight.
2. Pregnancy. This is due to an increase in the amount of blood in the body, as well as pressure from the fetus and uterus on the veins. Even in women who are in position, sex hormones are intensively produced, causing insufficiency of the valves of the veins.
3. Heredity.
4. certain working conditions. Often problems with blood vessels appear in people who spend a lot of time on their feet.
5. Bad habits. Alcohol, junk food and smoking also have a negative effect on the venous system.
6. Operations on the legs or injuries of the limbs.

Even when the veins on the legs protrude, as shown in the photo, the causes of this phenomenon may lie in high intra-abdominal pressure. So with constant straining that occurs with coughing, prostate adenoma and constipation, blood vessels often dilate. Another factor that increases the risk of developing the disease is wearing tight, uncomfortable clothing and shoes.

What does varicose veins look like? With this pathology, blue convex, thickened and tuberous veins are visible under the skin on the lower extremities.. Patients complain of constant swelling of the legs and the manifestation of pigmentation on the lower leg (inner part). In this case, the skin becomes shiny, compacted, not elastic, and there is no hairline on the affected areas.

What to do with the initial stages of varicose veins?

Ways to deal with varicose veins depend on the degree of progression of the disease. At the initial stages of development, gels and ointments are prescribed, which have a local sedative and anti-edematous effect.

Despite the fact that such drugs affect only superficially, with their systematic use, further progression of the disease can be prevented. Even with varicose insufficiency, the phlebologist prescribes venotonics, which activate blood circulation, strengthen blood vessels, relieve pain and swelling.

The most popular tools in this category include:

• Troxevasin;
• Troxerutin;
• other.

Attention! often diagnosed in women over forty years of age.

If the veins stick out on the legs, but the disease is not yet at an advanced stage, regular exercise will help. Today, there are many options for gymnastics for the health of the vessels of the lower extremities. Let's consider one of them.

1. Sitting on a chair, you need to press your friend's legs to each other and lower them on toes and heels.
2. Sitting on a chair, leaning with both hands on his seat, you need to rise on your toes, and then fall on your heels.
3. Putting both hands at shoulder height, you need to lean them against the wall. Then you should alternately stand on tiptoe and lower yourself on your heels.
4. Standing position. As you exhale, raise your hands up and stand on your toes. With an exhalation, you need to relax, round your back and lower your arms down.
5. Sitting on a chair, you should alternately raise your legs above the floor, turning your feet at the ankles in both directions, drawing small circles.
6. Sitting on a chair, the soles of the feet are pressed to the floor, and then the heels should be torn off the floor and linger in this position for a few seconds.

Attention! All exercises must be performed 15-20 times.

In addition to drug therapy and therapeutic exercises, hirudotherapy is used for vascular disorders, in which leeches are used. It is believed that their saliva contains a special enzyme that strengthens the vascular walls.

Also, with varicose veins, laser treatment is often performed. The advantage of the method is painlessness and convenience, and the therapeutic effect is the same as after surgery, but it takes more time to achieve it.

Advanced Treatment

And what to do with thick veins on the legs, if the above methods of treatment did not bring the proper result, or the disease is in an advanced stage? In such situations, surgical intervention is indispensable. Common methods of surgical therapy are:

• Microphlebectomy. The doctor makes small incisions in the skin, and then removes the affected veins through them.
• Stripping. During the operation, the vein is removed using a special probe. The device is inserted into one end of the vessel and withdrawn through the other. In this case, the vein is twisted in the opposite direction, and then removed.
• Radiofrequency and laser coagulation. The techniques coagulate the inner walls of the vessels, due to which their lumen is overgrown.

With the ineffectiveness of the above methods of surgical treatment in a number of other cases (presence of large varicose veins, recanalization of veins, failures in skin trophism, etc.), phlebectomy. This is a classic surgical method for getting rid of blue veins on the legs. During the operation, a superficial vein is removed.

Sclerotherapy- another effective method of surgical treatment. The principle of the operation is that a sclerosant is injected into the affected vein. This substance, as it were, “glues” the vascular walls, thereby removing them from the blood channels. After such an intervention, visible signs of varicose veins disappear in 21-90 days, that is, blue bumps and nodes.

Conclusion

In addition to medical, surgical treatment and gymnastics, in order to prevent the appearance of swollen veins on the legs, or at least prevent the progression of the pathological condition, it is necessary to carry out prevention.

It is recommended to wear compression underwear, give up addictions and monitor your own weight. It is equally important to eat right, exercise and periodically take venotonic drugs.