Chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins are widespread ailments: according to statistics, in developed countries, one in three people experience them. A particular risk group includes the fair sex, to which this pathology causes both physical and psychological discomfort. In this article, we will look at why vascular diseases occur in women, what are their signs and symptoms, what to do to treat and prevent this disease.
According to statistics, men are less likely to suffer from varicose veins than women, who suffer from vascular disease 1. 5 times more likely. What is the reason for the gender characteristic of this pathology?
In addition to these exclusively female prerequisites for the development of the pathology, varicose veins in women can be triggered by the following factors:
Pathological dilation of the pelvic vessels is a common problem facing 15-25% of women of childbearing age. This disease is often confused with infectious and inflammatory processes localized in the reproductive organs of the female genitourinary system. In connection with a wrong diagnosis, inappropriate treatment is prescribed and the patient does not receive relief. Therefore, the problem of the proper diagnosis and treatment of pelvic varicose veins is an urgent problem in modern phlebology and gynecology.
The blood supply to the pelvic organs is due to the uterine and ovarian veins, as well as the venous plexuses - uterovaginal, vesicovaginal, uviform, rectal, etc. The cause of pelvic varicose veins in women is a violation of blood flow in these vessels. It is usually caused by blood stasis, which can be caused by the following:
Expert opinionThe main symptom of this venous disease in women is the presence of chronic pelvic pain syndrome. It is represented by pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the area of the pubis, sacrum and perineum.
The pain peak usually occurs in the second half of the menstrual cycle, supplemented by severe PMS and dysmenorrhea. Psychosomatic disorders can join these symptoms.
As noted above, the diagnosis of pathology is complicated by the fact that the symptoms of this venous disease in women can be mistakenly interpreted as signs of purely gynecological problems. Therefore, to make the correct diagnosis, it will be necessary to perform transvaginal ultrasound, Doppler ultrasound, venography, and in some cases, diagnostic laparoscopy.
For the treatment of varicose veins of the small pelvis, conservative and surgical approaches are used.
In the first case, the aim of treatment is to increase the tone of the venous walls, to normalize the nature of blood flow and the viscosity of the blood. To solve these problems, patients are prescribed venotonics, hirudotherapy, ultrasound and magnetotherapy sessions, as well as exercise therapy exercises. If the conservative treatment of this disease of the pelvic vessels is ineffective, surgical intervention is performed - sclerotherapy or embolization with veins in pregnant women.
Varicose veins are a problem for most pregnant women. This is due to the changes that occur in the body of the pregnant woman during gestation. During this period, there is a complete restructuring of the hormonal background, which is directly related to the condition of the vessels. For example, the growth of estrogen leads to changes in the structure of the muscle layer of the venous walls and vasodilation.
Besides the hormonal changes accompanying the gestation period and the birth of a baby, pregnancy and childbirth can cause the development of venous diseases in pregnant women and for other reasons. First of all, this is an increase in body weight and a concomitant increase in the load on the lower extremities, as well as excessive stress that a woman in labor experiences during labor.
During pregnancy there is an increase in the total circulating blood volume, which occurs due to an increase in the content of plasma and erythrocytes.
Depending on the stage of development, varicose veins on the legs manifest themselves in different ways:
There are two main approaches to solving this problem: conservative and surgical. The first of them is usually used at the initial stages of the development of pathology, while the second is justified to combat the later stages of the disease.
Conservative therapy includes taking medication, using external products, participating in physiotherapy sessions, wearing compression stockings, correcting physical activity, daily routine, diet and alcohol consumption. In addition, you can use additional remedies to combat varicose veins - for example, Normaven® Foot Cream. Its regular application on the lower limbs makes it possible to overcome puffiness, fatigue, heaviness and discomfort of the legs, the disappearance of nocturnal cramps and a reduction in the severity of the vascular pattern.
Due to its natural composition, the cream can also be used during pregnancy.
The surgery is aimed at the complete or partial removal of the varicose vein. Modern vascular surgery can offer the following types of operations:
Regarding the treatment of venous disease in women 50-60 years old and in older patients, surgery is usually not done because it is stressful on the body.