Chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins

• Chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins

Varicose veins are a disease whose history is as long as the history of humanity. B.C. It can be noticed even in statues dating back to the 400th year. Contrary to popular belief, varicose veins are not a disease; is a result. Varicose veins are called varicose veins when the superficial veins grow irregularly, become twisted, and form folds. This disease, which is mostly seen in the legs due to gravity, occurs in approximately 25 out of every hundred people in the world, in other words, in one out of every 4 people.

It is estimated that 10 million people in our country suffer from this disease to varying degrees. However, it is possible to get rid of varicose veins in a short time, which can cause serious health problems if treatment is delayed.

• How do varicose veins form? It occurs as a result of the veins that collect blood from the body and carry it to the heart not performing their duties adequately. The flow direction of blood in the venous system is from bottom to top, in the exact opposite direction of gravity. Blood flows in this direction due to the vacuum effect due to the negative pressure in the abdomen and, most importantly, the blood being pushed upwards as a result of the contraction and relaxation of the calf muscles through which the veins pass. However, considering that each pump has a contraction and a relaxation phase, the blood succumbs to gravity and begins to flow in the opposite direction, that is, from top to bottom. At this stage, the valves that have been present in these veins since birth and work on the principle of a unidirectional valve, which ensure that the dirty blood that has been collected and advanced to a certain level does not fall and flow too much, come into play.

  The valves close and the blood flows more smoothly. They prevent it from falling too low, and in the next contraction, the blood is pushed to a higher level and carried to the body to be cleaned. When these valves cannot function well enough due to problems that occur in the valves due to various factors, blood begins to accumulate and pool in the legs, especially in the veins below the knee, which are the closest part to the ground, under the influence of gravity. When the pressure and volume increase in the veins as a result of blood accumulation becomes chronic, the veins lose their elasticity and expand, causing external pressure. They become visible.

  • What kind of symptoms do they cause?

  Varicose veins; visible in the veins It manifests itself with becoming more pronounced, folding, swelling in the legs, increasing pain later in the day, feeling of heaviness and fullness and cramps, itching, burning in the soles of the feet, and edema in advanced stages, color change on the skin and wounds.

  • What health problems does it cause?

  Varicose veins are generally seen only as an aesthetic problem. However, it is a disease that can cause serious health problems if treatment is delayed. If precautions are not taken in the early stages, varicose veins can cause wounds that are difficult to heal, and more importantly, although rare, blood clots in the veins.

  • Who is at risk of varicose veins?

  Those who have a family history of varicose veins, those who are overweight, those who are constantly exposed to gravity because they work in a fixed position, those who use drugs containing estrogen hormones, those who have had difficult or frequent pregnancy periods, those who frequently wear shoes with heels higher than 5 centimeters in their daily lives, those in the risk group. Those who work in professions (such as teachers, bankers, stewardesses, hairdressers, sales personnel, clerks, healthcare personnel) are at risk of developing varicose veins.

  • Why is it more common in women? ?

  The most important reason for this is hormonal factors. The female hormone estrogen causes the vascular walls to become slightly looser and eventually wider than in men. In addition, pregnancies and long-term use of birth control medications also cause varicose veins to be more common in women. Most of the varicose veins that formed during pregnancy regress within 1 year, as the amount of blood in the circulation increases after birth and decreases, the obstacle to flow (uterus and baby) disappears and the hormonal balance is restored. However, a second pregnancy during this period may cause varicose veins to appear again and permanently. Therefore, it is beneficial for women to take a break of at least 2 years between pregnancies.

  • What should be done to prevent the formation of varicose veins?

  Varicose veins prevention of formation If labor or disease has developed, the most important thing to do to prevent the problem from progressing is to move around a lot. Continuous sports such as walking, swimming and cycling should be done regularly every day. If working in fixed positions or standing, care should be taken to move as much as possible. For example, teachers should walk around teaching the lesson, and desk workers should stand up and walk around every half hour. They should not forget to lift their feet onto their toes from where they sit. To get rid of the effect of gravity, feet should be kept high while resting. Showering your legs regularly with cold water once a day when you come home in the evening can also be effective in reducing accumulated dirty blood by taking advantage of the astringent effect of cold on the veins.

  • What behaviors should be avoided?

  Care should be taken not to gain weight or remain inactive, not to smoke and limit alcohol consumption.

  Hot environment causes the vessels to expand in diameter due to the increased heat effect and slow down the existing blood flow within this vascular system. It can lead to an increase in the amount of circulating blood. As a result of these effects, varicose veins progress faster. Therefore, it is beneficial to stay away from hot places such as saunas and hot springs, as well as the sun and hot sand. Clothes that are too tight should not be worn as they make blood flow difficult, belts should not be too tight, and care should be taken to ensure that pantyhose do not squeeze the waist. Again, office workers or housewives should avoid sitting with their legs crossed. Otherwise, varicose veins occur, which are common behind the knees, especially in women.

  • Is there a relationship between varicose veins and nutrition?

  Varicose veins or venous insufficiency is also related to nutrition. For vein health, animal fats should be avoided or their consumption should be reduced. Fruits and vegetables should be consumed at least 5 times a day, and at least 2 liters of water or unsweetened tea (preferably green tea) should be drunk daily. Consumption of rice, pasta, muesli, alcohol and coffee should also be limited.

  • What methods are used for diagnosis?

  Only by eye. visual examination minus k is definitely insufficient. For this reason, it is necessary to resort to the 'color Doppler ultrasonography' technique for accurate diagnosis. With Doppler ultrasonography; It is checked whether there is an increase in the diameter of the vessels and whether there is a loss in the functions of the existing valves. If this is the case, it is determined whether the loss of function is mild, moderate or severe and the venous insufficiency is graded. The type of treatment is decided according to the results of the Doppler ultrasonography examination. One of the most important points in the treatment of diseases of the vein system and varicose veins lies in a carefully performed Doppler ultrasonography to fully and accurately diagnose the disease.

  • When do varicose veins come into play?

  With the external pressure they apply, compression stockings prevent the veins from expanding in diameter and accumulating dirty blood in positions where they are directly exposed to gravity during the day. In this way, it prevents complaints such as pain, swelling and feeling of fullness that occur in varicose veins. Compression stockings are an effective and beneficial method when used correctly and regularly. During the period when socks are used, the progression of existing varicose veins stops and the complaints decrease significantly. However, socks do not have the effect of eliminating varicose veins, and when the use of socks is stopped, complaints and varicose veins reappear.

  • Can socks be taken randomly?

  Compression socks should be purchased with a doctor's advice and from people or businesses trained in choosing the right socks, taking into account a number of factors such as the patient's existing varicose veins and ultrasonography results. Otherwise, if the socks are given in a small size according to the patient's leg size, they will be tight and cannot be worn; if they are given in a large size, they will be too loose and cannot produce the desired effect.

  • How often should socks be changed?

  Since research has shown that even the best quality compression socks do not reflect the desired pressure rates from the 6th month onwards and lose pressure and their effectiveness decreases in the 6th month, it is recommended that regularly used socks be renewed every 6 months.

  • What are the treatment methods for varicose veins?

  The form of treatment for varicose veins is determined according to the stage of the varicose veins and the complaints caused to the patient and the impact on the quality of life. Treatment can be applied only to the superficial vein on the skin, to the deeper main systems, or to both. In treatment; Radiofrequency, laser, sclerotherapy and, if deemed necessary, surgical methods are used.

  • What are the treatments applied externally through the skin?

  Radiofrequency waves and It can be done using laser beams or by "sclerotherapy", known as injecting a drug into the varicose veins to dry them out.

  • In which cases are laser beams and radio waves effective?

  It is beneficial for blue and red capillaries with a diameter of less than 1 millimeter. With laser, existing capillary varicose veins are burned with the help of laser beams. In the radiofrequency method, a radio wave is delivered to the varicose vein with the help of a needle thinner than 1 millimeter, and a kind of burning process is performed. Although it varies depending on the prevalence of the problem, 3-4 sessions of this treatment are usually sufficient. Sessions last around 30-45 minutes on average, and although they vary depending on people's skin structures, an average success rate of around 60-80 percent is achieved.

  • How is sclerotherapy applied?

  If the diameter of the vein is 1-2 millimeters or thicker, sclerotherapy is used. This method; It is based on the principle of blocking the vein by administering medication to the problematic vein with very thin needles. Medicine according to the diameter of the veins; It is given as a liquid to thin veins and as a foam to thicker ones. Although the duration of the treatment varies from person to person, it usually consists of 3-4 sessions, each lasting 30 minutes. After the procedure, patients are given compression pressure with an elastic bandage or compression stocking applied to the area where the medication is given for 10 days. After the procedure, the person can continue his daily life.

  • Do treatments applied to the skin offer a permanent solution?

  Success rates are high after sclerotherapy. However, the main thing to pay attention to is the treatments applied on this type of skin.

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