Varicose veins: why they appear in the legs, symptoms and how to treat them

Varicose veins are dilated, swollen and tortuous veins and their path is twisted and their appearance is more frequent in the legs.

They are produced by chronic venous insufficiency, by this we mean that the veins are not capable of returning blood to the heart. These are caused by an injury to the return valves of the veins, if they fail, there will be a return in the blood with an increase in venous pressure, generating dilation, this is called varicose veins.

Other causes of chronic venous insufficiency (varicose veins) may be motor disorders or an obstruction due to a venous thrombosis, for which the blood would not pass, making it difficult for it to return to the heart.

Who is at higher risk of contracting Varicose veins?

Varicose veins in the legs there are some factors, which can increase your chances for varicose veins to appear in the body.

• Age: The probability increases as the years go by in people.
• Being a woman: Women tend to have varicose veins more frequently.
• The pregnancy: Many women report that during their pregnancy they have appeared varicose veins or spider veins.
• The use of oral contraceptives: they can cause slight fluid retention that generates spider veins.
• The obesity.
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Jobs where you have to be on your feet for a long time.
• Direct heat sources on the legs constantly.
• Family background.
• History of deep vein thrombosis or surgery/trauma to the legs.
• Cardiovascular risk factors.

What types of Varicose veins are there?

They are divided into 4 types of different grades:

• Grade I: They are more aesthetic and have small spider veins.
• Grade II: They are larger and have symptoms of tired legs.
• Grade III: They are large and visible to the naked eye.
• Grade IV: They are those that present several complications in the legs.

Are varicose veins dangerous?

They are a benign process, which should not cause any problems, and will depend on the severity they have, but as time goes by and depending on the work or physical condition you have, it can present very annoying symptoms that will affect your quality of life and also affect aesthetically.

In case they burst, it can generate a slight hemorrhage in the area that will yield only compression, in the end the area will be bandaged and you should go to a doctor and a vascular surgeon will have to review it to see if some type of surgical intervention is necessary.

How to prevent Varicose veins or their process?

The main thing is to fight risk factors by having good physical activity, good weight control and a balanced diet, exercising with the legs or calves as it increases muscle tone and helps venous return.

It is recommended not to wear tight clothes or high heels, avoid standing for a long time and if you are sitting, do not cross your legs and change your position from time to time or stand slightly with your legs raised.

If you already have symptoms, these are the same recommendations that you should follow: baths with cold or lukewarm water and when you sleep if you feel discomfort, sleep with your legs slightly raised with a cushion, massage the area to help blood return to the heart.

What is the Treatment of Varicose Veins?

You have to make changes in your lifestyle, exercising more consecutively will help a lot; On the other hand, there are graduated compression stockings, there are 3 types: Light, Normal and Strong, which favor venous return. This is recommended not to cure them but to improve symptoms and they are changed every 3-6 months.

If you are severely deficient in vitamin K, it is recommended that you visit your GP who can prescribe vitamin supplements that contain high concentrations of this and other vitamins. At XTRALIFE we have a range of products that contain varieties of vitamins, these will help you recover and reach optimal levels in the body again.

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