Varicose veins are diseases that quickly become chronic. The disease causes changes in the length and diameter of the veins, the appearance of nodules, thinning of the venous walls. Often, varicose veins appear during pregnancy, when the woman's body has significant loads in the context of hormonal changes.
Reasons for the appearance
If we consider the reasons why varicose veins occur during pregnancy, there are several main reasons:
- Weight change.During pregnancy, veins appear in the legs due to the weight gain of ten or more kilos, which leads to an increase in pressure and load in the vessels;
- Hormonal changes in the body.During the formation of the fetus, the woman's hormonal background is repeatedly reconstructed, which injures the vessels - they lose elasticity, become fragile, prone to the appearance of varicose veins;
During pregnancy, veins appear in the legs due to an increase of ten or more kilograms in weight.
- During pregnancy, the function of the valves in the veins changes as the volume of circulating blood increases. It should be noted that varicose veins after pregnancy, if left untreated, do not disappear anywhere;
- Hereditary factors. If a parent of a pregnant woman has varicose veins, there is a high chance of manifesting the same disease;
- Choosing the wrong clothes and shoes. Sometimes pregnant women are surprised where varicose veins come from, without thinking that tight clothes and high-heeled shoes can provoke them;
- Decreased physical activity. In the veins of the legs during pregnancy, blood stagnation can begin if the pregnant woman moves around a little and does not do special exercises.
Some of the causes that cause varicose veins during pregnancy are easy to eliminate - just change your habits.
Symptoms and signs
Varicose veins during pregnancy in the early stages are difficult to detect as there are no pronounced symptoms.
However, it is worth contacting your doctor if the following symptoms are present:
- feeling of heaviness and pain in the legs;
- edema, especially at night, if you sit for a long time;
- seizures, especially at night;
- redness or darkening of the skin;
- the appearance of vascular networks;
- seals on the skin, the appearance of trophic ulcers;
- Inflamed veins during pregnancy are easily palpable.
Types of varicose veins during pregnancy
Varicose veins during pregnancy can be of various types. The most common disease is:
- in the groin;
- on the legs;
- in the vagina;
- in the uterus.
The manifestation of varicose veins in the small pelvis has symptoms similar to some gynecological diseases, so it is more difficult to diagnose. With each pregnancy, the risk of varicose veins on the lips also increases (symptoms are more felt after physical exertion or intercourse).
Diagnosis
Varicose veins and pregnancy have a major impact on the woman's body, causing additional stress on many organs, so it is important to identify the disease at an early stage.
To identify varicose veins in pregnant women, the duplex ultrasound method is currently used. This modern type of diagnosis replaced the ultrasound angioscanning and Doppler mapping carried out previously. Duplex ultrasound is performed in twenty minutes and provides detailed information about the condition of the deep and superficial veins.
In some cases, for additional diagnostic purposes, run:
- Segmental Doppler.A simple but reliable test that indicates the state of the arteries, establishing their patency and narrowing.
- BMR (magnetic resonance venography).If varicose veins are diagnosed during pregnancy, this test allows to assess the condition of the vessels without the use of contrast, does not cause any damage to the body.
- Phlebography by computed tomography.It is performed with contrast, allows to assess the condition of the vessels in great depth. If varicose veins show unclear symptoms, this type of examination is prescribed.
Methods of treating diseases
Not all methods that can be used to treat varicose veins after pregnancy can be used during pregnancy. For example, during pregnancy, injections of certain medications cannot be used and surgical intervention is not always possible. These restrictions also apply to women with varicose veins in their legs, but who plan to become pregnant in the next two years.
Surgical treatment
As mentioned earlier, varicose veins during pregnancy are dangerous due to limitations in treatment options. However, there are situations in which drug treatment is not enough, so surgery is performed. For example, if there is severe thrombophlebitis or trophic ulcers that do not heal.
In most cases, operations are performed at a gestational age of no more than six months, and sclerotherapy or frequency ablation is used, and other operations are performed after pregnancy. In the postoperative period, the use of special underwear and therapeutic exercises is prescribed - these recommendations are valid for the postpartum period.
Today, if severe varicose veins are detected during pregnancy, they practice using a laser in the treatment instead of a scalpel. The modern technique allows you to defeat varicose veins quickly and safely.
Medication
Doctors know perfectly well what is the danger of varicose veins, so they recommend contacting specialists in the first manifestations of the disease. In such a situation, a course of venotonic drugs and means to normalize blood density is prescribed. There is also a large selection of special ointments and gels for outdoor use, including those that contain Gingko biloba. Any medications that affect the tone of the veins are severe, therefore, they should be taken only according to the schedule recommended by the doctor.
Alternative treatment
People have been dealing with the "pregnancy and varicose veins" tandem for a long time, so before and even today, popular methods like lotions, tinctures, ointments and baths are widely used in treatment. Of course, if the disease is started, then these techniques are considered exclusively as auxiliary therapy, but in the early stages, alternative treatment is quite effective.
Compressing dyes:
- Hop tinctures help to combat the early stages of varicose veins during pregnancy. You need to take 1 tablespoon of cones, pour 200 milliliters of boiling water and hold for 20 minutes. After that, the solution is filtered and used to make compresses. Likewise, the infusions are prepared with flowers or leaves of horse chestnut. These compresses can be applied at night and kept on the leg until morning.
- The veins during pregnancy are treated with peeled horse chestnut powder: 50 grams of this powder are poured with 200 milliliters of vegetable oil and the legs are massaged with the resulting composition before bedtime;
- If early varicose veins are detected during pregnancy, scalded cabbage leaves are used to make compresses, which relieve inflammation, pain and swelling.
It is recommended that varicose veins in the legs during pregnancy be treated with infusion trays of various medicinal herbs, the choice of which is wide enough in all pharmacies. Recommended when doing this:
- do not exceed the temperature of the solution in the bath above 38 degrees;
- bathe for a maximum of 15 minutes;
- after the procedure, have a relaxing massage;
- lie down at the end of the bath for 30-40 minutes with your legs raised.
Varicose veins in pregnant women are also treated with herbal decoctions that are taken orally:
- A decoction of meadow clover flowers is prepared: 1 tablespoon of chopped flowers is placed in a thermos and poured with 400 milliliters of boiling water. After two hours, filter the broth and drink ½ cup 4 times a day;
- You can make a collection of coltsfoot leaves, wild strawberries and blueberries, five lobed motherwort, as well as marigold and viburnum flowers. The ingredients are mixed in equal parts, 2 tablespoons of the resulting mixture are poured into 400 milliliters of boiling water and kept for 15 minutes in a water bath. After that, it is necessary to hold the collection for 40 minutes in a warm place. Take ½ cup 4 times a day.
Disease prevention
Varicose veins in the legs, like any disease, must not only be treated, but preventive measures must also be taken to prevent the disease or prevent its recurrence:
- It is not recommended to sit or stand for a long time. It is preferable to rest on your side to relieve stress from the veins in your legs and small pelvis.
- To relieve stress on the veins in your legs, keep them raised when lying or sitting.
- To facilitate leg veins during pregnancy, wear special compression stockings. This underwear helps to redistribute blood through veins, stimulates blood in the leg veins and reduces the likelihood of blood clots. It is recommended that compression stockings are worn not only during, but also after pregnancy, for one and a half to two months.
Remember that varicose veins in your legs are less common in people who exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle. Even light exercise helps to maintain fitness and reduce the risk of developing varicose veins.