According to statistics, varicose veins of the legs in the stronger sex are about 3 times less common than in women. However, everyone, including men, is susceptible to this disease.
According to phlebologists and vascular surgeons, there are no fundamental differences between varicose veins in men and women, but unfortunately the former seek help much later, when the disease has developed and is much less treatable. The article will focus on the peculiarities of the course of the disease in men, as well as methods of dealing with it.
The influence of heredity and bad habits on the development of varicose veins
First of all, it is worth understanding that varicose veins or varicose veins in medical practice are called pathology accompanied by deformation of the venous vessels. In this case, the latter expand, stretch, their walls become thinner and the valve system ceases to perform its functions. The consequences of the progression of the pathological process are the following:
- Blood stasis in the veins, respectively increased venous pressure.
- Circulatory disorders are accompanied by worsening lymph flow.
- Vascular nodules, also called spider veins, appear.
- Vascular rupture and hematoma.
- Occurrence of trophic ulcers.
- Increased risk of thrombophilia.
Examining the etiology of varicose veins, doctors concluded that the disease was more likely to develop due to genetic predisposition. However, the hereditary factor does not concern the varicose veins themselves, we are talking about a predisposition to weakness of the valve system, as a result of which the venous valves weaken and wear out faster. This process is the cause of impaired blood circulation in the vascular bed and, as a consequence, the development of congestion, deformation of the veins, ie the varicose veins themselves.
In addition, bad habits, in the list of which smoking and alcohol are in the first place, play an important role in the anamnesis of patients. Abuse of tobacco and alcohol negatively affects the functioning of the cardiovascular system, as well as the condition of blood vessels and even the composition of the blood. Again referring to harsh statistics, both habits are more likely to affect men, it is this fact that puts smoking and alcohol addiction at the top of the list of causes of varicose veins.
However, the two causes described are not the only ones, there are several other factors that are considered the most likely in the list of causes of pathology:
- Excessive stress on the legs due to professional activities (cooks, surgeons, etc. ), overweight, excessive physical exertion due to sports or the same professional activities (loaders, builders, etc. );
- The medal has a drawback, varicose veins can be caused by a lack of effort or rather by a sedentary or just sedentary lifestyle. From this point of view, drivers, office workers, and people who move little for other reasons, including reluctance, are susceptible to the disease;
- Given the fact of smoking and hereditary predisposition, one of the serious and very common causes are various diseases in which blood clotting is impaired.
As for hormonal disorders, wearing uncomfortable shoes and similar factors, they are more common in women for the same reasons (due to the higher number of triggers), the fairer sex is more likely to suffer from varicose veins.
The main symptoms of varicose veins
As for the clinical picture of the disease, much depends on the stage of its progression, as well as on a number of individual factors and causes of varicose veins. However, there are a number of symptoms that men most often experience:
- The initial stage of varicose vein development rarely worries the patient. There may be slight fatigue in the legs, worse in the evening, a feeling of pulling or squeezing, slight swelling. In most cases, men do not pay attention to such phenomena and in vain, as the disease progresses and over time the symptoms become more pronounced and cause more trouble. As the pathological process progresses, the veins begin to appear under the skin. Initially, these are vascular networks and separately protruding varicose veins, which are then supplemented with vascular "stars". The more the disease develops, the more obvious this clinical sign becomes, in the later stages of the disease the veins protrude under the skin. , nodules form and the risk of trophic ulcers increases.
- Unpleasant bursting sensations, a feeling of heaviness in the legs, as well as puffiness, which previously appeared in the late afternoon or at the end of the working day, are felt more and more. Over time, the unpleasant sensations develop into systemic pain that spreads along the vessels affected by varicose veins.
- In places where varicose veins and vascular network are clearly visible, itchy skin appears.
- Cramps, most commonly affecting the foot or calf muscle, can also break at night.
Important to remember!All the described clinical signs of varicose veins tend to increase in the evening, but this is due to fatigue. That is, the symptoms also become more intense with increased physical activity.
Stages of venous disease in men
As mentioned earlier, the symptoms and, in addition, the patient's health and methods of treating varicose veins are highly dependent on the degree of disease progression. There are a total of three stages in the development of the pathology:- Compensatory or mild- in this case the symptoms are the least intense, and the patient himself complains practically nothing. Slightly protruding vessels may appear on the legs in the first stage, but men do not pay attention to this.
- Moderate- this stage of the disease is also called subcompensatory. The veins are more clearly visible on the surface of the skin, but their dilation and deformation can still be considered insignificant, as can the pressure inside the vessel. At this stage, other symptoms worsen, swelling, fatigue and pain appear for the first time.
- Stage of decompensation- the most severe form, the case when varicose veins reach their peak. They notice severe swelling, severe pain that may bother you throughout the day, the veins stand out strongly on the surface of the skin and change. At this stage, vascular nodules form, excessively increased vascular pressure leads to damage to the walls of the veins and hematomas appear. In particularly advanced cases, trophic ulcers and eczema appear. In the third stage, conservative methods of treatment are absolutely powerless, the patient needs surgery, the specificity of which is chosen by the doctor.
Treatment of varicose veins
As with symptoms, the principles of treatment are directly related to how advanced the varicose veins are. It is important to understand that conservative therapy bears fruit mainly in the first, sometimes in the second stage of the disease, otherwise the methods of conservative treatment mainly limit the disease, but do not allow you to completely get rid of varicose veins. Nevertheless, it is worth considering a wide range of methods to deal with the pathology.
Conservative therapy
For treatment with conservative methods is very important integrated approach, which involves mainly dietary adjustments and lifestyle changes.
In terms of nutrition, it is important to limit the use of unhealthy foods, fatty and fried foods, pastries in large quantities, to minimize salty, spicy and sour foods, as all this contributes to fluid retention in the body. and worsens lymph flow.
When it comes to adjusting your lifestyle, you should try to move as much as possible without overloading your legs. Do light sports, take regular walks, if you have to sit a lot at work, do a warm-up every hour. It is also very important to eliminate bad habits, quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption as much as possible.
Drug therapy
Without the use of certain drugs, complete treatment is impossible, so in contact with a phlebologist, a specialist may prescribe drugs from the following groups:
- Anticoagulants - change the composition of the blood, reducing its viscosity, which improves blood circulation and prevents the formation of blood and lymph congestion.
- Venotonics - as the name suggests, drugs from this group improve vascular tone. In turn, it also helps to improve blood circulation, but is based on a different principle of action.
- As a symptomatic treatment, ointments from the category of NSAIDs are prescribed, which reduce pain and stop the inflammatory process, and also prescribe special ointments for varicose veins, eliminating swelling and other symptoms.
- Also, as part of conservative treatment, it is necessary to wear compression underwear, which prevents the progression of varicose veins and improves the patient's condition as a whole.
Surgical treatment
If conservative treatment does not give the desired results or the disease is too advanced, a decision is made for surgical intervention, in which case one of the types of operations is chosen:
- Sclerotherapy- a substance (usually in the form of foam) is injected into a vein that sticks to the walls of the vessel, excluding it from the circulation. Over time, this vessel is removed, replaced by connective tissue.
- Phlebectomy- a complete operation during which the anastomosis of a vein is tightened and a subsequent excision of the affected area is performed. This method is the most effective and at the same time radical, as it involves incision, imposition of words and a long period of rehabilitation.
- Miniphlebectomy- a variation of phlebectomy that is performed mainly on small vessels. A puncture is made on the skin, through which a part of the vein is removed with the help of a special surgical instrument for subsequent dissection. The operation is painless, the puncture heals quickly and no rehabilitation is required.
- Laser coagulation- a method similar to sclerotherapy, but instead of introducing a special composition into the lumen of the vessel, a thin catheter equipped with a laser is immersed there. The thermal action creates the effect of sclerosis, due to which the vessel is also glued together.