Physical pain is an uncomfortable and multifaceted feeling. The presence of a pain factor indicates that there is a problem in the body. Based on the localization and the description of what pain the patient is experiencing, the practitioner will be able to identify their source and cause. If the presence of varicose veins is suspected, general clinical examinations (blood, urine) and possibly instrumental examinations will be required to accurately differentiate the problem.
But in order to independently determine the presence of the problem and get to a professional with it, it is important to highlight the background of the usual fatigue or malaise. What kind of pain does a person experience in varicose veins? What is their peculiarity? And what treatment is possible in this case? You will find answers to these and other questions in our article.
Pain in the legs with varicose veins: symptoms and causes
Varicose veins are not the only manifestation of this disease, but they cause serious discomfort. How severe is leg pain in varicose veins? Of course, there are differences in individual sensitivity thresholds, but the intensity of most pain syndromes is due to the characteristics of the actual pathological process.
Expert opinion
Varicose foot pain involves a wide range of discomfort: aches, cramps, cramps, burning, swelling, and pressure along the venous bed. They are sudden, sore and throbbing in nature.
As a general rule, pain syndrome is felt more or less fiercely, depending on the position of the body, whether or not it is currently under load. Pain also has characteristics such as time dependence. This means that with the arrival of a certain time of day, the pain syndrome begins to intensify. So the severe pain associated with varicose veins begins in the second half of the day. Varicose veins of the uterus and varicose veins, in which there are often strong aching pains in the lower abdomen, also have a similar time dependence.
An insidious disease like varicose veins covers the entire limb and can cause pain in the lower leg, calf muscle and popliteal cavity. The person experiences the sharpest discomfort in the area of neurovascular formations. In the area where the vascular bundle lies more superficially, edema of the legs may also occur. This is another sign that the varicose veins are advancing and are already violating the lymphatic outflow. Does swelling exacerbate leg pain? Yes of course. Puffiness due to abnormalities in the venous system of the lower extremities is characterized by compression over the affected vessel and even a rise in local temperature. A combination of signs such as venous pain and deformity, persistent, persistent edema, and trophic lesions are shown in Appendix II. This stage is considered to be an advanced form of the disease. To prevent this, it is important to know the provocative factors and exact symptoms of this vascular disease.
You should be warned and see a doctor for any of the following symptoms:
- feeling of heaviness in the legs and feeling of muscle weakness;
- tingling and burning along the veins;
- feeling of internal pressure or "bloating";
- the appearance of telangiectasias and an increase in the venous sample;
- bulging of deformed veins;
- trophic skin changes;
- long, non-healing wounds on the legs;
- edematous phenomena;
- numbness of the lower extremities;
- leg muscle cramps;
- pain syndrome.
There is no disease in itself. There are definitely factors that can be called provocative. Varicose veins are no exception and may be caused by:
- hereditary predisposition;
- congenital weakness of connective tissue and vessel walls;
- inactive lifestyle and static sports;
- excessive physical activity;
- forced prolonged standing or sitting (e. g. at work);
- malnutrition and overweight;
- the presence of bad habits;
- pregnancy and childbirth;
- hormonal imbalance;
- soft tissue injuries;
- surgical intervention;
- liver disease.
Based on the presence of these factors in a person, it belongs to the risk group for the development of vascular pathology. How can the risk of developing the disease be minimized? What can you do if you feel pain in your leg? How and how to relieve or reduce leg pain with varicose veins? How you can help yourself relieve the symptoms of varicose veins and treat your blood vessels, further in our article.
Leg pain with varicose veins: prevention and treatment
Before you start preventing and treating vascular disease, is it worth a little understanding of why there is pain in the legs with varicose veins? The pain in the legs with varicose veins is due to the fact that an irreversible pathological process occurs in the veins, under the influence of which it stretches and deforms, the blood circulation is disturbed and venous stagnation occurs. Therefore, the goal of preventive measures and treatment is to strengthen the walls of the veins, and not just to eliminate the pain. In case of varicose veins, the legs require special care and attention. What should be done when the first signs of pathology appear?
If something hurts, the first thing a doctor needs to do is.
If, after a series of manipulations, the specialist realizes that the pain is caused by varicose veins, they will choose the right treatment. It helps to get rid of varicose veins and improve quality of life because varicose veins are not a sentence.
In the treatment of absolutely any disease, the first is to recommend a lifestyle change. It is simply impossible to be a healthy person with a passive lifestyle, bad habits, an unbalanced daily routine, and a poor diet. Therefore, the first step that will help eliminate pain in the legs with varicose veins will be a change in quality and the development of a healthy lifestyle. It is necessary to bring harmony to the way you work and relax. Work should not be associated with excessive physical and mental stress. Rest should include a full, healthy night’s sleep. Leisure time should be spent actively - staying in the fresh air and playing sports. The latter include swimming, jogging, aerobics. With no shock and no overload with vigorous physical activity.
Expert opinion
In order for venous walls to be strong and flexible, proper nutrition is important. Here, depending on the stage and dynamics of the disease, the practitioner may offer a therapeutic diet. The main principle on which it is based is balance. The diet should include vitamins, fiber, plant fiber, flavonoids, etc. Fortified foods. Useful lean chicken or beef, as well as lean white fish, berries and fruits with vitamin C, dried fruits (raisins, dates), almost all vegetables, nuts and legumes, cereals, and natural non-carbonated drinks. Fried, salty, smoked and spicy foods should be excluded.
If, for any reason, an additional source of nutrients is required, a specialist will prescribe a complex of venotonic vitamins and plant extracts that act in several directions simultaneously due to the active natural ingredients in their composition. By using this treatment, you can strengthen and clean the walls of venous blood vessels, improve blood circulation, and reduce the permeability and fragility of capillaries.
Furthermore, depending on which specialist determines the stage of the disease, it also depends on how the disease is treated - conservative or radical.
Conservative treatments include:
- taking medications;
- use of external products;
- physiotherapy;
- wearing medical compression stockings.
The use of medications will stop the damage to the venous bed, regulate blood viscosity levels and blood clots, and will also have an antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effect. When used in combination with topical treatments, it increases the positive effect on the veins. You can use the ointment or cream for varicose veins not only for treatment but also for prevention. The operation depends on the composition of the product. The ingredients in it can be synthetic or natural. Synthetic products are used not only to eliminate swelling, fatigue and pain, but also to recover after venous surgery. You can resist in the early stages of varicose veins, during pregnancy, or in an endangered condition by using naturally formulated products. Their effectiveness is directly related to the active natural ingredients in the formulation. The foot cream containing chestnuts, green tea and ginkgo biloba extracts has a venotonic effect that helps relieve pain in the legs of varicose veins. Thanks to this cream, you can relieve inflammation and pain, as well as improve the appearance of your skin.
Medical gymnastics makes a significant contribution to improving the venous system.
Daily exercises, which are no more complicated than morning exercises, help remove the discomfort of numbness, cramps and heaviness in the limbs. The set of exercises is selected individually, taking into account the possibilities and the situation. At home, the most popular are "Bicycle", "Scissors" and a stand on the shoulder blades. In an office environment, sitting at a desk, you can stretch your legs simply by rotating your feet, bending your toes, and bending.
It is recommended to wear compression stockings daily to improve blood circulation and relieve unpleasant symptoms such as swelling and pain. The type of product and the degree of compaction are selected taking into account the dynamics of the disease.
Radical therapy involves invasive and minimally invasive methods. Professionals try to turn to them one last time, in cases where conservative treatment doesn’t help or they find the situation difficult.
Take care of your health!