Treatment of varicose veins at home: what are the dangers?
Most patients with varicose veins of varying severity do not treat the vein disease or treat it at home. This leads to sad consequences: complications develop, the patient loses the ability to move on his own legs, and becomes disabled. Avoiding the problem is actually not difficult: you just need to treat varicose veins as soon as they are detected, without starting the disease.
There are several methods to treat vein disease; An experienced doctor will tell you which one is right for you.
Many people write about how to treat varicose veins on the legs using folk remedies, but not everyone talks about the dangerous consequences. It should be remembered that traditional methods were developed when there were no other methods to treat veins. Now they exist and the problem can be solved faster and easier.
- Treatment with apple cider vinegar.Apple cider vinegar is one of the most popular home remedies for treating varicose veins. On the Internet, readers are encouraged to dilute vinegar with honey and drink it on an empty stomach, dilute it with water and wipe their feet. But remember that apple cider vinegar is an acid. Taking it orally can negatively affect digestion. External use also raises questions, because with varicose veins the skin becomes dry, and acid dries it even more. This can worsen the course of the disease, especially if your legs are itchy with varicose veins.
- Treatment with chestnuts.Chestnut tincture is also recommended to be taken orally and applied to the affected area to relieve pain and relieve itching caused by varicose veins. Only horse chestnuts are poisonous. Under no circumstances should it be eaten raw. Despite taking the tincture prepared from the fruit of this plant, signs of poisoning (vomiting, nausea, weakness) and cramps in the lower legs may appear. In addition, chestnut tincture increases blood pressure. The external use of alcohol solution dries the skin of the legs, which is not very good for varicose veins and is unacceptable in advanced stages of varicose veins.
- Treatment with leeches.Leeches bite through the skin and introduce into the human body a mixture of useful substances that have a good effect on the blood, thin it, and have an antibacterial effect. However, it is better not to put leeches at home, but entrust it to a qualified specialist, because you need to know exactly where leeches can be placed and where not. In the first days after vein treatment with leeches, itching is often observed. The bite site is very itchy, the person cannot bear it and starts scratching the itchy area, as a result of which an ulcer may form. Also, after a leech bite, a small triangular scar remains on the leg. For some, a lifetime.
- Folk remedies that can be prescribed by a doctor.In the early stages of venous insufficiency, the doctor may prescribe a different foot bath for the patient's veins. The alternating action of cold and hot water relaxes and narrows the veins in the legs. The effect of this kind of gymnastics strengthens blood vessels, improves microcirculation, and relieves itching. This method can be used at home as often as desired. Especially if it is not possible to visit the pool. Varicose veins stop growing and your legs stop hurting.
And, for example, clay can help cope with tired legs, relieve itching and small swelling in the early stages of varicose veins. A tablespoon of pharmaceutical clay is diluted with water into a thick paste. Then the paste is applied to the dry bones with a brush or cotton pad. It is important not to let the clay dry out; you must always add new layers or moisten existing layers with water. After an hour, the clay should be washed thoroughly and your feet should be left to dry without wiping with a towel. Course – 12 sessions, can be repeated every month.
But before treating varicose veins at home, consult your doctor. It is better not to waste time on procedures with questionable effectiveness. On the other hand, it is possible not to heal the leg, but to wait until the severity becomes worse and complications develop.
Effective conservative treatment
It's ingrained in people's minds: if your legs hurt, your veins are bulging, your veins are very itchy (itchy), then you need to prepare for surgery. In fact, everything depends on the stage of the disease, which is determined not only by the degree of vein bulging or the severity of the venous network in the lower part of the leg. In most cases, doctors try to overcome this disease using conservative and non-surgical treatment methods. For this, an integrated approach is used: physical activity, changes in diet, medications and physiotherapeutic treatment are prescribed; compression garments are selected.
Physical activity.The modern man is inactive: he sits at work and at home, gets to the office by sitting on the subway or on the bus. All this leads to physical inactivity and venous inefficiency. Leg veins weaken and cannot cope with their work, and varicose veins develop. Therefore, it is important to return the patient to an active lifestyle. The doctor may prescribe walking for at least two hours a day, Nordic walking, swimming in a pool, or classes in a recreational sports training group. It is best to avoid working on your feet at any stage of the disease.
Diet.This is not about dieting, but about proper nutrition by limiting the consumption of certain food groups. Animal fats, margarine, mayonnaise, and fast carbohydrates (sweets, pies, cakes) are prohibited. It is recommended to consume more liquid and plant foods. Meals should be balanced, at least five times a day. Eating right is important to fully control your weight. Extra pounds put extra pressure on leg veins and increase the risk of worsening chronic venous insufficiency at any stage of varicose veins.
Drug treatment.If the condition does not progress and varicose veins continue without complications, drug therapy is used, more often at home. Usually, drugs from several groups are used:
- Venotonics (phlebotonics) are used in the form of tablets, ointments or gels. They help maintain the tone of the vein walls, facilitating the movement of blood through them. Especially good for mild ailments.
- Antiplatelet agents prevent blood components from sticking together to form clots, which minimizes the risk of blood clots forming in the lower legs.
- Anticoagulants usually contain glycosaminoglycans or are based on them. Maintains optimal blood viscosity - slightly dilutes it so that it moves freely through the leg vessels.
- Angioprotectors protect the vein walls, making them more elastic and less prone to internal damage.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs prevent the appearance of inflammatory reactions on the walls of blood vessels, especially in advanced stages, and have an analgesic effect.
- Products based on plant components (horse chestnut, lilac, sweet clover, white acacia, etc. ) are substitutes for traditional herbal medicine.
Pharmacological forms differ in targeted action and predictable effects. They have almost no contraindications. Used as part of complex therapy to reduce swelling and pain in the legs. Medicines are prescribed by the doctor after an appropriate examination of the patient. He chooses not only the appropriate product, but also the form of release: injections, tablets, ointments, gels, foot compresses. Phlebologists recommend treating varicose veins at home or in the hospital, based on the stage of the disease and the level of development of complications.
Physiotherapy treatment (PTL).For varicose veins, physiotherapeutic devices help drugs to penetrate the affected area of the vessel faster and increase the effect of drugs. As a result, treatment time is significantly reduced, doctors have the opportunity to transfer patients from therapeutic doses to maintenance doses, and to cancel some drugs. Basic methods of FTL:
- electrophoresis helps deliver drugs to varicose veins through the action of a weak electric current;
- darsonvalization increases vein tone, reduces interstitial fluid stagnation, and therefore itching with varicose veins;
- Magnetic therapy increases blood flow in veins, significantly reducing tissue swelling;
- pneumomassage of the lower leg increases the tone of the vein walls, reduces swelling, itching and increases blood flow;
- laser therapy reduces the severity of inflammatory reactions, improves blood microcirculation, and has a venoprotective effect;
- cryotherapy (cold) tones blood vessels, improves lymphatic drainage, and relieves itching;
- hydrotherapy (treatment with water) tones and has a general strengthening effect;
- Mud therapy strengthens the walls of the blood vessels in the feet and has a beneficial effect on the skin, promoting regeneration and reducing itching.
Physiotherapy treatment cannot be prescribed for some conditions. In addition, different stages of varicose veins require different treatments. Therefore, FTL is prescribed by two doctors at once: a phlebologist and a physiotherapist. Some procedures, especially with early stages of vascular damage, can be done at home; many FTL devices are now sold in pharmacies. We recommend the venous outflow pocket electrostimulator, which quickly and effectively helps to overcome the symptoms of varicose veins.
Compression jersey
An additional method that facilitates the movement of blood through the veins. Compression jerseys are available for men and women.
Products can be in the form of socks, stockings or tights, and differ in color, size and degree of compression. Outwardly, they look ordinary, but they have a clear therapeutic and prophylactic effect. It's all about special stretch yarn and clever knitting patterns.
As a result, the veins receive external support and begin to cope with their work. Pain, itching and swelling in the lower part of the leg decreases, the disease stops developing.
Doctors recommend compression stockings based on the stage of the varicose veins. He also tells you how to wear it properly and how long to wear it.
The use of the right foot jersey determines its effectiveness. We consider Swiss compression knitwear to be the most reliable and high quality.
Surgical treatment methods
When conservative therapy does not help, surgical treatment is used. Doctors have the opportunity to choose the most suitable method, which will be the most effective and the least traumatic at a certain stage of varicose veins.
- Sclerotherapy.The doctor injects a special solution into the lumen of the affected vein, which causes the walls to stick together and stop blood flow through the treated vessel. Veins stop protruding above the surface of the skin and are gradually replaced by connective tissue.
- Endovascular laser therapyknown under two names: EVLO (endovenous laser vein ablation) and EVLC (endovasal laser vein coagulation). The essence is the same: with the help of a laser pulse, the affected vein is sealed and stops working. The intervention does not affect the surrounding tissues of the lower leg and does not require general anesthesia. Can be done on an outpatient basis. Fast recovery, leaving no traces on the legs. Laser therapy is possible at any stage of varicose veins, except those accompanied by complications.
- Phlebectomy.A standard surgical procedure used for severe disease and performed under general anesthesia. The affected part of the vein is removed. After the operation, a scar about half a centimeter long remains, almost invisible on the skin. The recovery period after phlebectomy is long. The patient spent about two weeks in the hospital. Currently, he wears compression stockings, takes medication and visits the physiotherapy room. After the sutures are removed, the patient is discharged to continue treating varicose veins at home. Complications are rare.
Surgery to remove varicose veins on the lower leg is only performed when the patient has maintained blood flow through the deep veins. After the operation, the blood should rise freely through the bypass so that there are no complications.
Prevention of varicose veins on the legs after treatment
After a successful treatment of varicose veins on the legs, the patient should not lose vigilance. If the cause that leads to the disease is not eliminated, other veins may expand and everything will repeat itself. First of all, you need to abandon bad habits, eat right, lead an active lifestyle, wear compression stockings during increased physical activity, choose shoes with low heels, visit your doctor regularly for preventive examinations and follow his recommendations.
The tips are simple and easy to follow. If you follow them, you are less likely to encounter varicose vein complications and the need for a hospital stay. And if someone from your family joins you, it will also benefit him. And remember: the best treatment for varicose veins is prevention. If you have suspicious or risky symptoms, contact your doctor immediately!