Varicose veins - a condition characterized by gnarled, enlarged veins, especially in the legs and feet. For many people varices becomes only a cosmetic problem, in others it causes pain and discomfort. Varicose veins can lead to more serious health problems, and sometimes it refers to existing circulatory disorders.

Symptoms

Most often varicose veins is characterized by the following symptoms:

• Vienna, blue or purple, which are clearly visible through the skin.
• Gnarled, prominently protruding veins

Varicose veins are rarely painful, but they are accompanied by pain and / or feeling of heaviness in the legs, increased pain after a person sat or was on his feet, itching in the area of ​​the varicose veins and the formation of ulcers at the ankles. Ulcers are usually a sign of a serious vascular disease requiring medical intervention.

To prevent the deterioration of mild forms of varicose veins is possible by means of regular exercise, changes in diet and other simple measures. However, if you want to get rid of varicose veins for cosmetic reasons or if the symptoms worsen, seek medical attention.

Causes

Blood flows from the heart to the various tissues of the body through the arteries and returns to the heart - through his veins. The lower are the veins, the more effort is needed to make the body that promote blood from them toward the heart. Cut the leg muscles to perform the function of a pump of its kind; elastic vein walls and facilitate better movement of blood. In addition, the veins have valves that are closed at a certain point, preventing blood to flow back.

With age, the venous valves lose their elasticity and the valves become weaker. Because of this, the blood stagnates and veins increases.

Often it is developing varicose veins during pregnancy. The total volume of blood in the body of pregnant women is increased, but the flow of blood from the legs to the upper part of the body difficult. The growing fetus and the amniotic fluid under pressure your weight on the foot, which is why the blood stagnates in them. Hormonal changes also play a role in the development of varicose veins. Usually, the symptoms of this disorder are much less pronounced in the three months after childbirth.

Risk factors

• Age. The risk of developing varicose veins increases with age, as in aging blood vessels lose their elasticity, and functionality of venous valves worsens.
• Paul. Varicose veins are much more common in women than in men. This is due to take place in the course of life hormonal changes and pregnancy. Since the female sex hormones relax the walls of blood vessels, hormonal contraceptives also increases the risk of developing varicose veins.
• Family history. The likelihood of developing varicose veins is especially great for those whose close relatives suffer from this disorder.
• Obesity increases the risk of developing varicose veins due to high blood pressure How to deal with high blood pressure?   on the lower limbs.

In addition, varicose veins are often seen in those who by occupation is necessary to spend a long time sitting or standing.

Complications

One of the complications of varicose veins can be very painful formation of leg ulcers. This is due to the prolonged stagnation of fluid in the tissues because of increased blood pressure in the affected veins. Before the appearance of skin ulcers usually form spots whose color is different from the basic color. When these symptoms should immediately undergo a medical examination.

The formation of blood clots is another possible complication of varicose veins. The affected leg while visibly swells. This condition requires immediate treatment.

Heparin ointment used in the treatment of varicose veins. But, in addition, in this disease must change their way of life, move more, lose weight How to lose weight - basic principles . Only in this case, heparin ointment helps prevent chronic stagnation of blood in the veins and improve the appearance of the lower extremities.

Varicose veins - the beginning and the development of the disease

Varicose veins - a change of state of the veins of the lower extremities, in which the walls of veins and valves located within the veins, can not maintain the right (upward) movement of venous blood. Smooth muscle weakness of the vein walls and valves leading to the fact that the blood begins to move in the opposite direction, creating stasis in the veins, changing their appearance and breaking functions.

The walls of the veins become thinner, they appear bulging, blood stagnates for a long time in such veins, which promotes the formation of blood clots and the development of inflammation in the walls of the veins (thrombophlebitis), edemas and malnutrition surrounding tissues, resulting in formation of sores.

Varicose may occur in superficial veins or deep, but more often it is a combination. Varicose veins usually shows the surface in the form of branches of blue veins on the skin of the thighs or drumsticks. Varicose veins appear deep swelling, legs grow heavy, sometimes have cramps in the calf muscles.

The main risk of varicose veins associated with thromboembolism - a margin of thrombus (blood clot is called an embolus after separation), their "journey" through the circulatory system and the blockage of vital blood vessels, which leads to severe complications with unpredictable consequences.

The varicose veins can help heparin ointment

Heparin ointment used mainly for varicose veins and superficial varicose veins in the combined. When this ointment two - three times a day is applied a thin layer to the affected surface and gently rubbed into the skin. The course of treatment usually lasts about two weeks.

A feature of heparin ointment Heparin ointment - applied with caution   it is a composition that helps heparin rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and exert its effect. One component of the ointment is antispasmodic benzyl, it dilates blood vessels and contributes to the rapid and effective action of heparin. Another component of heparin ointment - benzocaine has analgesic effect.

Still, the main active ingredient of heparin is heparin ointment. It is an anticoagulant of direct action, which prevents blood clotting in the blood vessels directly. When applied to the skin ointments heparin heparin absorbed into the bloodstream and activates protein antithrombin III, which has anticoagulant activity. This leads to disruption of the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin inhibits the activity of thrombin, and reduces the rolling properties of blood.

The mechanism of action of heparin is associated with its ability to inhibit the aggregation (bonding) platelets. Blood clots in the bloodstream begins with platelet aggregation. Then formed platelets Platelets - what they are for the body?   impregnated with conglomeration of insoluble protein fibrin which surrounds it in the form of filaments. Thereafter reduced thrombus, becomes solid and occludes the vessel lumen. Heparin prevents the formation of fibrin.

Thus, applying for varicose superficial veins heparin ointment, can prevent the formation of blood clots in the veins, and if they are formed, then facilitate their resorption. It is the prevention of thrombosis, thrombophlebitis and thromboembolic events - the most dangerous complications of varicose veins.

Do all patients with varicose veins can be used heparin ointment?

Heparin ointment usually does not have a general (systemic) effects on the body and well tolerated. Her only side effects are allergic reactions Allergic reactions: how to understand why you tickle in the throat .

But in some cases, heparin ointment can not be used. Thus, it can not be applied to sores and tissue necrosis area - just around the ulcer, on intact skin. Heparin ointment applied in the form of courses of treatment, therefore, the state is set to clotting - if coagulation is reduced, heparin ointment is not applicable. Do not use it and when there is insufficient content in the blood platelet count (thrombocytopenia) - it can lead to bleeding.

In some patients the body exhibits enhanced sensitivity to heparin ointment - in this case, it also can not be used.

Appoint heparin ointment with varicose veins should be a doctor.

Galina Romanenko