Characteristic symptoms and methods of treatment of varicose veins in women

From this article you will learn: the main symptoms and methods of treating varicose disease in women. Effective drugs and ointments that stop the symptoms of the disease( their advantages and disadvantages).The value of compression therapy.

• Typical symptoms of leg varicose in women
• Flebosclerosing methods
• Surgical phlebectomy
• Conservative therapy( medication and compression)

According to statistics, up to 20% of the population suffers varicose veins of the lower extremities, while in women the disease occurs in 2 times more often. It is proved that women have additional predisposing factors contributing to a decrease in vascular tone( pregnancy, estrogen-progestative medication, unbalanced sex hormones). Types of treatment of leg veins in men and women do not differ, however, the frequency of postoperative relapse in women is higher due to the additional influence of hormones( estrogenic and progesterone effect).

Venous leg diseases should be treated with a phlebologist who is dealing with this particular pathology. Different methods of treating varicose veins are not radical, since they are not aimed at eliminating the main pathogenetic cause - the failure of the valvular vein apparatus. Surgical and conservative treatment delay the progression of the disease on long lines. The percentage of relapses is high and reaches 10 to 50% at 5 years after surgery.

Treatment of varicose veins should be comprehensive. There are three groups of methods for eliminating varicose veins:

Each type of treatment has its advantages and disadvantages, a certain frequency of relapse. The choice of the method is conditional, since the phlebologist must combine all three methods to achieve the most favorable outcome.

Characteristic symptoms of varicose veins in women

Common manifestations typical for both men and women

Symptoms of varicose veins begin with the appearance of functional disorders such as a feeling of heaviness in the legs, swelling of the ankles at the end of the day. On the skin of the feet, the spider veins first form.

Vascular asterisks are one of the first symptoms of the development of leg varicose

The main signs of the disease - the union of varicose veins, appear after a few years from the onset of the disease.

In the absence of treatment at this stage, there are symptoms such as cramps in the gastrocnemius muscles, itching of the skin on the legs.

Signs of trophic disorders: skin pigmentation in the lower third of the shin, cyanosis, sclerotic changes of the subcutaneous tissue, eczema, against which a trophic ulcer is formed.

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Symptoms of varicose symptoms in women

• Painful symptoms appear cyclically, intensify before menstruation, which is associated with a change in the level of sex hormones;
• during pregnancy, the emerging signs of varicose veins after delivery can disappear;
• in the second half of the menstrual cycle because of the action of progesterone the diameter of varicose veins increases, therefore the symptoms of puffiness and heaviness in the legs are more pronounced;
• signs of varicose aggravation during hormone therapy.

Now let's talk about the methods of therapy.

Flebosclerosing treatment methods

Radiofrequency ablation and endovenous laser coagulation

Radiofrequency ablation of veins

The method is based on the introduction under ultrasound of a special disposable catheter in the lumen of an enlarged vein.

The catheter is equipped with a special electrode, the working part of which under the influence of radio-frequency radiation heats up to 120 degrees. Advancing the catheter through the vein leads to gluing or "brewing" the vascular wall. Obliterated veins are cut off from the circulation system of the legs.

Endovenous Laser Coagulation

The technique of the operation consists of puncture of the affected vein and insertion of a laser light guide into its lumen under ultrasound guidance. Under the action of laser radiation, coagulation of the vascular wall proteins takes place, as a result of which the vein collapses and after a time it overgrew with a connective tissue.

Radiofrequency ablation( RFA) and endovenous laser obliteration( EVLO) are relatively new methods of treating varicose veins. Despite the differences in the technique of implementation, they have common characteristics.

Advantages and disadvantages of RFA and EVOLO

Advantages of	Disadvantages of
Do not require hospitalization	High price
Speed ​​of execution( from 30 minutes to 1 hour)	Relapse rate to 10%
Painless	Failure to perform the procedure with some anatomical features of veins( violent tortuosity of blood vessels)
Bloodless
Performed under local anesthesia
No postoperative scar( desired cosmetic effect for women)
Short-term rehabilitation of

RFA andwhether EVLO is chosen by women wishing to treat varicose in outpatient settings with minimal restriction of physical activity in the postoperative period and with the preservation of the aesthetic appearance of the legs.

Flebosclerotherapy

In the lumen of the affected segment of the vein is introduced a special drug that has a sclerosing( "gluing") action on the vascular wall. The sclerosing agent can be used in liquid form or as a foam. Preference should be given to foam sclerotherapy because of the greater area of ​​contact of the substance with the wall of the vein.

Advantages and disadvantages of phlebosclerotherapy:

Advantages of	Disadvantages of
Absence of postoperative scar	Long-lasting pigmentation of skin at puncture site( up to 2 years)
Is performed on an outpatient basis	In rare cases, postoperative venous inflammation( phlebitis)
Surgery without anesthesia	Edema andreddening of the tissues within 2 days after the procedure
Manipulation is practically painless( minor burning at the puncture site)	Allergic reaction in vivo(
) Relapse rate up to 50%

The recurrence of varicose veins after sclerotherapy depends on the lumen of the affected vessel - the wider the clearance, the higher the risk of recanalization in it. Sclerosing therapy is chosen in the treatment of recurrence of varicose veins after surgical phlebectomy.

Surgical phlebectomy

Surgical surgery is a more radical method of eliminating varicose veins. The principles of surgical treatment are to eliminate the pathological discharge of blood from the deep to the superficial veins of the legs and the removal of the dilated vessels themselves. Stages of combined phlebectomy:

Advantages of Advantages of Radiation Radicality Hospitalization from 5 to 7 days Possibility of performing the operation at any stage of the disease Scar on the legs Spinal or general anesthesia Injury of surrounding tissues during stretching of the vein Complications: bleeding, wound infection Relapse rate up to 20% Treat promptly, preferably with a stem type of lesion, when varicose deformity of large or small subcutaneous veins occurs significantlym length. And also, when there are signs of trophic disorders of soft tissues and symptoms of decompensation of venous insufficiency. Miniflebectomy Miniflebectomy is a separate surgical intervention, in which it is possible to treat varicose veins in the initial stages. It is often used in the presence of single varicose extended nodes on the legs. A puncture of the skin is performed over the pathological formation and a vein is drawn and crossed using the hook. The operation does not require general anesthesia and the imposition of cutaneous sutures. Conservative therapy To begin to treat varicose disease on the legs it is necessary with the use of medicamental and compression therapy. The appointment of drugs that improve blood circulation and the wearing of medical compression jersey are the main conditions that determine the outcome of any surgical intervention in the veins of the legs. Medication Therapy Drugs remedy symptoms of venous insufficiency, are used as preoperative preparation and postoperative rehabilitation. Groups drugs for the treatment of varicose veins: Flebotoniki( improving tone of the venous vessel) Detraleks Phlebodia 600 Troxerutin Venoruton Antiplatelet agents( improve blood flow, prevent thrombosis) Aspirin Trental Curantil Aktovegin Local dosage form( eliminates edema symptomsand heaviness in the legs) Lyoton 1000 Heparin ointment Venolife Venitane Drugs for the treatment of leg varicose Treat phlebotonic and atiagregantnymi drugs varicose veins on the legs is necessary for a long time continuously or as repeated courses. Compression therapy Elastic compression of the legs is the leading method of treatment in those cases when surgery is contraindicated. As compression tools, you can use elastic bandages and special medical knitwear: stockings, golfs, tights. Medical products are very durable, they retain the initial level of compression for a long time, they are comfortable to wear, which is important for women. There are 4 classes of elastic knitwear, depending on the degree of compression. It is recommended to treat varicose veins with the use of 2nd class products in the absence of disease progression for up to 6 months and with further use during physical exertion or with prolonged stay on legs. If there are signs of damage to the valves of deep veins or severe symptoms of impaired lymph flow, then class 3 jerseys are appointed until the progression of varicose veins stops. The therapeutic effect of compression knitwear is due to: by reducing the vein volume, which leads to less blood discharge into varicose vessels; increase in the absorption of tissue fluid in the bloodstream, so that the signs of puffiness and the symptoms of heaviness in the legs disappear; improves blood flow, which prevents the formation of blood clots. Widely used products of compression jersey of the following manufacturers: Sigvaris, Relaxsan, ORTO, INTEX.