Varicose veins refer to diseases that quickly become chronic. The disease changes the length and diameter of the veins, the appearance of nodes, and the thinning of the venous walls. Quite often, varicose veins occur during pregnancy when a woman’s body has significant loads underlying hormonal changes.
Reasons for appearance
Considering the causes of varicose veins during pregnancy, there are several main reasons:
- Weight change.During pregnancy, the veins appear on the legs due to an increase in weight of ten kilograms or more, leading to an increase in blood pressure and load;
- Hormonal changes in the body.During the development of the fetus, the woman's hormonal background recovers, which damages the blood vessels - they lose their elasticity, become fragile, prone to varicose veins;
During pregnancy, veins appear in the legs due to an increase in weight of ten kilograms or more.
- During pregnancy, the work of the venous valves changes as the volume of circulating blood increases. It should be noted that varicose veins after pregnancy, if not treated, do not disappear anywhere;
- Hereditary factors. If one of the parents of a pregnant woman has varicose veins, there is a good chance that the same disease will manifest;
- Choosing the wrong clothes and shoes. Sometimes expectant mothers are surprised where the varicose veins come from, without thinking that tight clothes and high heels can provoke;
- Decreased physical activity. During pregnancy, blood stagnation in the blood vessels of the legs can begin if the pregnant woman does not move much and does not perform special exercises.
Some of the causes of varicose veins during pregnancy can be easily eliminated - just change your habits.
Symptoms and Signs
Varicose veins during pregnancy are difficult to detect in the early stages because they have no pronounced symptoms.
However, if you experience any of the following symptoms, you may want to see a doctor:
- feeling of heaviness and pain in the legs;
- edema, especially in the evening if sitting for a long time;
- cramps, especially at night;
- redness or darkening of the skin;
- appearance of vascular networks;
- seals on the skin, appearance of trophic ulcers;
- Inflammatory veins during pregnancy are easily palpable.
Varicose veins during pregnancy
Varicose veins during pregnancy can be of several types. The most common disease is
- in the groin;
- legs;
- in the vagina;
- in the womb.
Pelvic varicose veins have symptoms like some gynecological diseases and are therefore the most difficult to diagnose. With each pregnancy, the risk of developing varicose veins in the labia is also increased (symptoms are most noticeable after physical exertion or intercourse).
Diagnostics
Varicose veins and pregnancy have a major impact on a woman’s body, causing additional stress to many organs, so it is important to identify the disease at an early stage.
Duplex sonography is now used to identify varicose veins in pregnant women. This state-of-the-art diagnostics replaced the previously performed ultrasound angioscanning and Doppler mapping. Duplex sonography is performed within twenty minutes and provides detailed information on the condition of both deep and superficial veins.
In some cases, do the following for additional diagnostics:
- Segmental Doppler.A simple but reliable test that indicates the condition of arteries, their patency and narrowing.
- NMR (magnetic resonance venography).If varicose veins are diagnosed during pregnancy, this test allows you to assess the condition of the vessels without using contrast, without causing harm to the body.
- Computed tomography phlebography.Contrast allows you to assess the condition of blood vessels at great depths. If the varicose veins have no clear symptoms, this type of test is prescribed.
Methods of treating the disease
Not all methods can be used to treat postpartum varicose veins during pregnancy. For example, injections of certain medications cannot be used during pregnancy, and surgery is not always possible. These restrictions also apply to women who have varicose legs but plan to become pregnant in the next two years.
Surgical treatment
As mentioned earlier, varicose veins during pregnancy are dangerous due to the limitations of treatment options. However, there are situations where medication is not enough, surgery is performed. For example, if severe thrombophlebitis is expressed or there are incurable trophic ulcers.
In most cases, surgeries are performed at up to six months of gestation, sclerotherapy or frequency removal are used, and additional procedures are performed after pregnancy. Special lingerie and therapeutic practices are prescribed in the postoperative period - these recommendations apply to the postpartum period.
Today, if severe varicose veins are detected during pregnancy, a laser is used instead of a scalpel in the treatment. Modern technology allows the varicose veins to be defeated quickly and safely.
Medication
Doctors are well aware of the risk of varicose veins, so they recommend that you consult a specialist when the disease first appears. In such a situation, a course of venotonic drugs and means to normalize blood density are prescribed. There is also a wide range of special ointments and gels for external use, including Gingko biloba. Any medication that affects the tone of your veins is serious and should only be taken according to the schedule recommended by your doctor.
Alternative treatment
People have long been confronted with the tandem of "pregnancy and varicose veins, " so folk methods such as body lotions, tinctures, ointments, and baths have been widely used in the treatment in the past and even today. Of course, if the disease starts, these techniques are considered only as adjunctive therapy, but in the early stages, alternative treatment is quite effective.
Compress tinctures:
- Tinctures from hops help to overcome varicose veins in the early stages of pregnancy. You should take 1 tablespoon of suppositories, pour 200 ml of boiling water and hold for 20 minutes. The solution is then filtered and used for compression. Similarly, infusions are made from horse chestnut flowers or leaves. Such compresses can be applied at night and kept on your feet until morning.
- During pregnancy, the veins are treated with a powder of peeled horse chestnut fruit: 50 grams of this powder is poured with 200 ml of vegetable oil and the legs are massaged with the composition thus obtained before going to bed;
- If early varicose veins are detected during pregnancy, the scalded cabbage leaves are used for compresses, which relieve inflammation, pain, swelling.
Varicose veins on the legs during pregnancy are recommended to be treated with infusion trays of various herbs, the selection of which is quite wide in every pharmacy. Recommended for
- do not exceed the temperature of the solution in the bath above 38 degrees;
- bathe for up to 15 minutes;
- perform a relaxing massage after the procedure;
- lie down at the end of the bath for 30-40 minutes with your legs raised.
Varicose veins of pregnant women are also treated with decoctions of oral herbs:
- Make a decoction of meadow clover flowers: pour 1 tablespoon chopped flowers into a thermos and pour 400 ml of boiling water. After two hours, strain the soup and take ½ cup four times a day;
- You can make a collection of foal leaves, strawberry and blueberry leaves, five-lobed womb, and marigold and viburnum. The ingredients are mixed in equal parts, 2 tablespoons of the resulting mixture are poured into 400 ml of boiling water and kept in a water bath for 15 minutes. You should then keep the collection in a warm place for 40 minutes. Take ½ cup four times a day.
Disease Prevention
Varicose veins on the legs, like all diseases, must not only be treated but also preventive measures taken to prevent or prevent their recurrence:
- It is not recommended to sit or stand for long periods of time. It is beneficial to rest on your side to relieve stress on the veins in your legs and pelvis.
- To relieve stress on the veins in your legs, keep your legs raised while lying down or sitting down.
- Wear special compression stockings to ease the leg veins during pregnancy. Such underwear helps redistribute blood through the veins, stimulates blood in the veins of the legs, and reduces the likelihood of blood clots forming. Compression stockings are worth wearing not only during pregnancy, but also after one and a half to two months.
Keep in mind that varicose veins on the legs are less common in people who exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle. Even light exercise helps maintain physical fitness and reduce the risk of developing varicose veins.