Varicose veins are referred to diseases that quickly become chronic. The disease causes changes in the length and diameter of the veins, the appearance of nodes, thinning of the venous walls. Quite often, varicose veins are manifested during pregnancy, when a woman's body has significant loads against the background of hormonal changes.
Reasons for the appearance
If we consider the reasons under the influence of which varicose veins occur during pregnancy, there are several main ones:
- Weight change.During pregnancy, veins appear on the legs due to an increase in weight of ten or more kilograms, which leads to an increase in pressure and load on the vessels;
- Hormonal changes in the body.During the formation of the fetus, the hormonal background of a woman is repeatedly rebuilt, which injures the vessels - they lose elasticity, become fragile, prone to the appearance of varicose veins;
During pregnancy, veins appear on the legs due to an increase in weight of ten or more kilograms.
- During pregnancy, the work of the vein valves changes, as the volume of circulating blood increases. It should be noted that varicose veins after pregnancy, if not treated, does not disappear anywhere;
- Hereditary factors. If one of the parents of a pregnant woman is sick with varicose veins, the chances of her manifesting the same disease are high;
- Choosing the wrong clothes and shoes. Sometimes expectant mothers are surprised where varicose veins came from, without thinking that tight clothes and high-heeled shoes can provoke it;
- Decreased physical activity. In the veins of the legs during pregnancy, blood stagnation can begin if the pregnant woman moves 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 at the initial stages are difficult to detect, since 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;
- swelling, especially in the evening, if you sit for a long time;
- convulsions, 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 several types. The most common disease is:
- in the groin;
- on 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 most difficult to diagnose. With each pregnancy, the risk of varicose veins on the labia also increases (the symptoms are most felt after physical exertion or intercourse).
Diagnostics
Varicose veins and pregnancy have a great impact on a 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 sonography method is used today. This modern type of diagnostics has replaced the previously conducted ultrasound angioscanning and Doppler mapping. Duplex sonography is performed within twenty minutes and provides detailed information about the condition of both deep and superficial veins.
In some cases, for the purpose of additional diagnosis, carry out:
- Segmental Doppler.A simple but reliable test that indicates the condition of the arteries, establishing their patency and narrowing.
- BMR (magnetic resonance venography).If varicose veins are diagnosed during pregnancy, this examination allows you to assess the state of the vessels without using contrast, it does not cause any harm to the body.
- Computed tomographic phlebography.It is carried out using contrast, allows you to assess the state of the vessels at great depth. If varicose veins have unclear symptoms, this type of examination is prescribed.
Methods of disease treatment
Not all methods that can be used to treat varicose veins after pregnancy can be used during gestation. For example, during pregnancy, injections of certain drugs cannot be used; surgery is not always possible. These restrictions also apply to women with varicose veins in the legs, but planning pregnancy within 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 when drug treatment is not enough, then surgery is performed. For example, if severe thrombophlebitis is expressed or there are non-healing trophic ulcers.
In most cases, operations are performed at a gestational age of no more than six months, and sclerotherapy or frequency ablation is used, and further operations are performed after pregnancy. In the postoperative period, the wearing of special underwear and therapeutic exercises are prescribed - these recommendations apply to the postpartum period.
Today, if severe varicose veins are detected during pregnancy, they practice the use of a laser in treatment instead of a scalpel. The modern technique allows you to defeat varicose veins quickly and safely.
Medication
Doctors know perfectly well what the danger of varicose veins is, therefore they recommend contacting specialists at the first manifestations of the disease. In such a situation, a course of venotonic drugs and means for normalizing blood density is prescribed. There is also a large selection of special ointments and gels for external use, including those containing Gingko biloba. Any drugs that affect the tone of the veins are serious, so they should be taken only according to the scheme recommended by the doctor.
Alternative Treatment
People have been dealing with the tandem "pregnancy and varicose veins" for a long time, therefore, earlier, and even today, such folk methods as lotions, tinctures, ointments, baths are widely used in treatment. Of course, if the disease is neglected, then these techniques are considered exclusively as an auxiliary therapy, but in the early stages, alternative treatment is quite effective.
Compress tinctures:
- Tinctures from hops help well to overcome at the initial stages of varicose veins during pregnancy. You need to take 1 tablespoon of cones, pour 200 milliliters of boiling water and keep for 20 minutes. After that, the solution is drained and used for compresses. In a similar way, infusions are prepared from flowers or leaves of horse chestnut. Such compresses can be applied at night and kept on the leg until morning.
- Veins are treated during pregnancy with a powder from peeled horse chestnut fruits: 50 grams of this powder is 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 for compresses, which relieve inflammation, pain, swelling.
Varicose veins during pregnancy on the legs are recommended to be treated with trays of infusions of various medicinal herbs, the choice of which is wide enough in every pharmacy. Recommended for doing this:
- do not exceed the temperature of the solution in the bath over 38 degrees;
- take baths for no more than 15 minutes;
- after the procedure, do a relaxing massage;
- lie down at the end of the bath for 30-40 minutes with raised legs.
Varicose veins in pregnant women are also treated with decoctions of herbs that are taken orally:
- A decoction of meadow clover flowers is prepared: 1 tablespoon of chopped flowers is poured into a thermos and poured with 400 milliliters of boiling water. After two hours, filter the broth and take ½ glass 4 times a day;
- You can make a collection from the leaves of coltsfoot, strawberries and lingonberries, motherwort five-lobed, as well as flowers of calendula officinalis and viburnum. The ingredients are mixed in equal parts, 2 tablespoons of the resulting mixture are poured with 400 milliliters of boiling water and kept for 15 minutes in a water bath. After that, you need to hold the collection for 40 minutes in a warm place. Take ½ cup 4 times a day.
Disease Prevention
Varicose veins on the legs, like any disease, must not only be treated, but also preventive measures must be taken to prevent the disease or avoid its recurrence:
- It is not recommended to sit or stand for a long time. It is preferable to rest on the side to relieve stress from the veins of the legs and small pelvis.
- To relieve stress on the veins in your legs, keep your legs elevated when lying or sitting.
- To make your leg veins easier during pregnancy, wear special compression hosiery. Such underwear helps to redistribute blood through the veins, stimulates the blood in the veins of the legs, and reduces the likelihood of blood clots. Compression knitwear is recommended for wearing not only during, but also after pregnancy, for one and a half to two months.
Remember that varicose veins on the legs are less common in people who exercise and lead a healthy lifestyle. Even light exercise helps to keep fit and reduces the risk of developing varicose veins.