Prevention of varicose veins in the legs

Prevention of varicose veins in the legs should be started when the first signs of vascular wall elongation are seen. If therapy is neglected, the disease progresses further, leading to serious complications. Lifestyle change is the key to preventing varicose veins. The patient should balance their daily routine, review their wardrobe and diet. We will talk about all the methods for preventing varicose veins.

Causes of varicose veins

Prevention of varicose veins affects everyone because everyone is exposed to the negative factors that cause the disease to develop. The first of these is physical inactivity. Most modern people spend 80% of their time in the office. A sitting position adversely affects the work of the muscular system. Therefore, people who are thinking about how to protect their feet from varicose veins are required to introduce daily gymnastics into their schedule. The causes of the disease are as follows:

  • abuse of fatty and sweet foods;
  • significant excess weight;
  • severe leg injuries;
  • bad habits;
  • taking hormonal drugs;
  • excessive load on the legs.

Before you start preventing varicose veins in your legs, you need to determine your risk of developing the disease. There are certain groups of people who are most likely to experience this disease. They should see a phlebologist 1-2 times a year to prevent the onset of varicose veins.

bad habits as a cause of varicose veins

The most vulnerable groups of people

Prevention of varicose veins begins with determining whether or not you are prone to developing this pathology. Only a phlebologist can answer this question accurately after assessing the condition of the veins, but you can try to classify yourself. The following people are at high risk of developing varicose veins:

  • hereditary predisposition to vascular disease;
  • pregnant and pregnant women;
  • people who do heavy physical work and stay up almost all day;
  • women who are constantly wearing high heels;
  • lovers of spicy and too salty foods;
  • alcohol consumers;
  • who like to take a very hot bath or sauna;
  • women with dyshormonal disorders;
  • patients with increased foot swelling.

How to prevent varicose veins

How to avoid varicose veins 100%, doctors will not be able to tell tk. there is no such way. Follow all the recommendations of your doctors, but you will still have to face this disease. On the other hand, the implementation of preventive measures contributes to the normalization of bodily functions and blood flow, which significantly slows down the development of the disease. The most effective ways to prevent the progression of varicose veins are:

  • physical education;
  • wearing comfortable shoes;
  • balanced diet;
  • normalization of body weight;
  • gymnastics;
  • wearing compression stockings;
  • foot massage;
  • choosing a job under more normal working conditions.

Of course, not all recommendations can be implemented immediately in practice, but everyone can eat less fatty foods and exercise for 20 minutes a day. Don’t be too fanatical about preventing the disease, trying to improve the condition of your blood vessels can seriously harm yourself.

gymnastics to prevent varicose veins

Moderate activity

Working with weights and very intense physical activity cannot help fight varicose veins. On the contrary, they provoke the destruction of the valves and the elongation of the vessel walls. Prevention of varicose veins means performing special exercises that normalize blood flow. Classes should be kept at a strong pace and should not cause pain. Sports methods for the prevention of varicose veins include:

  • water aerobics and swimming;
  • racing walk;
  • easy running;
  • stretching.

Quality shoes

To prevent varicose veins, many doctors recommend wearing an orthopedic insole. They contribute to the even distribution of the load while walking. An important aspect is the shoes themselves. To prevent varicose veins on your feet at home, you may want to wear sneakers supported by your feet. The type of insole and the height of the rise should be selected by your doctor. The footwear purchased must meet the following characteristics:

  1. Do not have flat feet and heels higher than 6 cm.
  2. Sit well on your feet. Loose shoes on the foot increase the likelihood of injury to the ankle and depression causes poor circulation.
  3. The sole / heel must be stable. Even summer shoes should have a non-slip coating.
comfortable and uncomfortable shoes to prevent varicose veins

A suitable job

To prevent varicose veins in the legs, doctors recommend normalizing work and rest. For many patients, this is due to a change in job or specialty. Not everyone agrees to take such a radical step, but if you are now employed, try the following recommendations when choosing a new job:

  1. Work should not be combined with heavy physical work.
  2. You can’t stay in a position for 7-8 hours. Look for companies where employees can get up every 2-3 hours and do easy warm-ups.
warming up at work to prevent varicose veins

In general, all work can be made suitable by hourly warm-up. If you don’t want to change your field of activity or specialization, simply take part in physical education at work. The point is not to allow the blood in the lower legs to increase due to the immobility of the leg.

Proper nutrition

If you have thoughts on how to avoid the development of varicose veins on your feet, pay attention to your diet. Those who abuse fatty, salty and very sweet foods are more likely to suffer from this disease because they are more likely to experience high cholesterol and being overweight. Vegetables high in fiber should be eaten to normalize intestinal function. If you have practically not eaten raw carrots or cabbage so far, you should not consume them in kilograms immediately. It is enough to eat 300 grams of such vegetables a day.

People prone to varicose veins should take care to maintain their water balance. At least 1. 5 liters of clean water should be consumed daily. Juices, soups, teas are not included in this norm. The body perceives them as food, so the kidneys and intestines are excreted quickly. The use of still water is not desirable. If you are prone to relapse, carbonated and sugary drinks should be excluded. A similar rule applies to high-caffeine beverages.

Weight normalization

Maintaining a normal body mass index is important in preventing varicose veins. Simple physics works here. The heavier a person is, the stronger the pressure on the dishes. Of course, you need to compare your body weight to your muscle volume, height, and your own physique. At the same height, the difference in weight between the mesomorph and the ectomorph can reach 15 kg.

weight control to prevent varicose veins

If you decide that the amount of fat in your body is predominant than muscle, reduce the calories in your daily diet. This approach allows you to lose weight without feeling a strong appetite. If you drastically change your diet, it will lead to breakdowns and mass growth. You should include more high-fiber vegetables in your daily diet to reduce calories. They help not only to lose weight but also to normalize digestion.

Rejection of bad habits

Prevention of varicose veins in the legs affects all areas of human life. Bad habits are also on this list. Smoking, alcohol and the tendency to overeat have a detrimental effect on blood vessels. This includes a state of constant stress. While it is relatively easy to cope with overeating, heavy alcohol and tobacco dependence requires medical attention. A hobby or group therapy session can help relieve stress.

Unloading tournament

To prevent varicose veins in the legs, it is imperative to perform exercises that help relieve excessive tension in the muscles of the lower extremities. The maximum duration of such workouts is 5-10 minutes. Doctors recommend that it be done at least once a day, but preferably twice a day. The following physical activities are considered helpful:

  • Exercise bike. Lying on a solid surface, lift your legs, and then begin to perform movements similar to cycling. If you can’t communicate with your legs one by one right away, just take turns pulling them to your body.
  • exercise bike to prevent varicose veins
  • Bending / extending the foot. The exercise is performed in a sitting position. Perform 20 movements with each foot.
  • bending and stretching the legs to prevent varicose veins
  • It rolls from heel to toe. They contribute well to the scattering of blood when a person is in a sitting position for a long time.
  • rolling exercise to prevent varicose veins
  • Rise to the toes. The operations are performed first simultaneously, with two feet, and then alternately. Stay at the highest point for 10-15 seconds and then lower to the starting position.
  • exercise to prevent varicose veins

Foot massage

If you are not sure how to prevent varicose veins in your legs, try a gentle massage. The reflex effect on the skin and blood vessels alone has a tonic effect on the whole body. Due to the short manipulations, the flow of blood and lymph increases, and the nutrition of the epithelium normalizes. The foot massage can be performed independently or by a specialist. In case of a tendency to recede, pressure and hip movements should be avoided during the procedures. Self-massage is done as follows:

  1. The patient should sit on the floor or on the bed / couch with his knees slightly bent.
  2. Rubbing movements should be performed from the toes to the feet.
  3. The foot should be wrapped around the toes with the thumb on the back of the foot and the others on the inside.
  4. The segment wrapped around your arm should be squeezed lightly, moving slowly toward the top of your foot.
  5. The side surface of the heel should be screwed in with your fingers on both sides and then compressed for a few seconds. You will then need to step from the Achilles tendon to the knee.
  6. The procedure ends with a caress of the foot.
self-massage of the legs to prevent varicose veins

Compression clothing

The means of preventing varicose veins are different. Compression therapy is one of them. You can also take part in special physiotherapy procedures on request, when the effect of pressure is performed with special devices, but it is easier to buy medical tights and stockings.

Compression stockings must be selected individually. In the absence of a tendency, it is sufficient to wear underwear with an initial degree of compression. If you have symptoms of varicose veins, your doctor should consider choosing a jersey. The recommendations for selecting medical bedding are as follows:

  1. You have to be comfortable. If you feel uncomfortable with the first outfit, then this underwear is not right for you.
  2. The compression class should be in accordance with your doctor's recommendations. If you’ve been told to wear first-class compression stockings, you can’t buy zero-class knee-length pants.
  3. The products must be of good quality. It is better to buy compression stockings in specialty stores and not in the market or in any sales because there is a high probability that you will run into a fake that will stretch over time and lose its therapeutic effect on your feet.

Additional recommendations

Measures to prevent varicose veins include the use of special external cosmetic products (gels, creams, etc. ). They cool the surface of the legs, which contributes to the natural contraction of the blood vessels. Those who are prone to varicose veins should avoid overloading the muscles of the lower extremities. Hygiene is important to prevent the development of diseases. Not only is it easy to clean the skin of your feet, but also a contrast shower. In addition, it has a local irritating effect on the blood vessels, which improves skin tone.

How to stop varicose veins

The prevention and treatment of varicose veins are closely related. The spread of the disease can be stopped at an early stage with medication and alternative therapy, but only surgery can help with a rapidly progressing disease. The phlebologist should develop a treatment plan for patients with varicose veins. It is impossible to choose drugs on your own and pursue any oriental practice. Any rash action can worsen the condition of the blood vessels.

Drug therapy

Drugs are able to stop the development of varicose veins at an early stage. The disease usually begins to develop because the vessels do not have enough nutrients to maintain the elasticity of the walls. In this case, an increased accumulation of blood in the limbs is often observed. Venotonics / phlebotonics - medicines that improve the outflow of fluid from the legs. They also help restore blood vessel walls. OK:

  • natural;
  • combined;
  • synthetic;
  • based on rutoside.

In case of high blood viscosity, patients are prescribed medications containing heparin. They help improve blood flow, but are contraindicated in people who are prone to bleeding.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help reduce pain in the second stage of varicose veins. They also help relieve the itching and burning sensation that often accompanies this disease. External treatments help the skin to heal. The duration of medication should be determined by your doctor, but often the usual course of treatment is 6-8 months, so you should not expect all symptoms of the disease to go away within 2 weeks of taking the medication.

Traditional therapy

It is not considered life-threatening in the early stages of the disease, but it should not be allowed to drift. Sclerotherapy is a traditional, minimally invasive method of preventing the further development of varicose veins. Can be used to remove stars and small blood vessels. Traditional therapy includes:

  • echosclerotherapy;
  • microsclerotherapy;
  • thermocoagulation;
  • electromagnetic therapy;
  • darsonvalization;
  • electrical stimulation;
  • manual lymphatic drainage;
  • use of flexible leg compression;
  • hydrotherapy;
  • balneotherapy;
  • pressotherapy.

All of these techniques help prevent the disease from progressing further. They activate the natural process of vascular regeneration.

Unusual methods

You can use mud therapy to improve the condition of your feet. The patient should remember that the wraps should only be cold. Heating the veins with varicose veins is very harmful to the body. Ayurveda helps to get rid of the chronic stress that causes the blood vessels to lengthen. It is a variant of alternative medicine based on the Hindu philosophical system. Various plants are used as medicine. Non-traditional methods of treating varicose veins include:

  • yoga;
  • homeopathy;
  • natural medicine;
  • Tibetan tournament.

Surgery

A special surgery is the most effective way to normalize blood flow to the lower extremities. Perfect methods of surgical treatment of the disease are characterized by minimal invasiveness and a rapid return to normal patient life. They allow you to get rid of the affected veins completely, which slows down the development of the disease. Modern methods of surgical treatment of varicose veins include:

  • short stripping;
  • video endoscopic surgery;
  • microflebectomy;
  • laser coagulation;
  • venectomy;
  • safenectomy.

These methods are most commonly used to treat varicose veins. The method of surgery to remove a vessel is chosen by your doctor based on the size and general condition of the vein. Sometimes only part of the vessel needs to be cut off, and sometimes it needs to be completely removed and an alternative channel for blood flow created.

Folk method

Folk remedies that improve the condition of veins are divided into external and internal parts. If it is not certain that the cause of varicose veins was a high platelet count, the use of various tinctures should be postponed because they contain herbal decoctions that help dilute the blood. Effective external treatments for varicose veins:

  • Softwood salt baths. Add 300 grams of dry matter to hot water and dip there. If pine salt is not sold in the area, you can replace it with baking soda. It is recommended to take such a bath 2-3 times a week.
  • Apple cider vinegar compress. The product is diluted 1: 1 with water and applied to the skin. From the top, wrap your legs in bandages and secure everything with plastic wrap. You can simply apply apple cider vinegar 2-3 times a day. Irritating to veins.
  • items for compresses to prevent varicose veins
  • Rubbing with horse chestnuts. A finished tincture based on this plant can be purchased at the pharmacy or prepared yourself. In the latter case, seeds will be needed with the skin of the plant. Pour 400 g of dry product with 1. 5 liters of vodka and infuse for a week in the dark. Once the tincture is complete, they begin to wipe the parts of the legs damaged by varicose veins.
  • horse chestnuts to prevent varicose veins

Prevention forecast

In women with a low susceptibility to the disease, it occurs in only 5% of cases during the prevention of varicose veins in the legs. The disease is mild and can be treated quickly. With a moderate susceptibility to the disease, the disease occurs in 30% of patients. More often, it is a mild to moderate form of the disease. In addition to a pronounced predisposition to varicose veins, the disease develops rapidly into an average form. Without prevention, the disease quickly becomes severe, making further treatment very difficult.

Clinical examination of the population

All citizens have access to a free medical examination. Usually, not all medical tests are important, but only the results of a surgeon’s visit and a general blood test. The surgeon may notice the first changes in the blood vessels and then refer them to a phlebologist. In addition, you should be careful if platelets dominate the printing of a general blood test, you should see a phlebologist. This may indicate vascular thrombosis.

How to avoid varicose veins during pregnancy

During the carrying of the baby, the load on the woman's internal organs increases significantly. During pregnancy, there is an increased risk of developing varicose veins in the legs, pelvis and external genitalia. In particular, the risk increases in the second and third trimesters when the fetus begins to grow actively. The phlebologist can tell you in detail how to prevent the development of varicose veins in pregnant women. All preventive measures shall be initiated in consultation with him. Doctors recommend that a woman be in the following position:

  • wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes (completely flat soles are also harmful);
  • do not drink too much fluid;
  • go water aerobics for pregnant women;
  • I place my feet more often during the day;
  • wear a compression and support jersey.

Why disease prevention is important

It is much easier to think about how to prevent the development of varicose veins in the legs than to deal with treating an already established disease. Many people who suffer from this disease are genetically predisposed to developing the disease. The main purpose of preventive measures is to maintain the ship in normal condition. This can be done in different ways. All preventive measures can be divided into two types:

  • is targeted at people who have a hereditary predisposition to the disease or who have unfavorable working conditions;
  • It is designed for patients with any stage of varicose veins.

Approximately 80% of phlebologists believe that a disease is much easier to prevent than to treat, so every conscientious citizen should spend at least 10 to 20 minutes a day on foot care.