During pregnancy, the female body undergoes a serious load, which can entail the development of complications in a state of health. One of the most common problems is varicose veins in the legs during pregnancy. What to do if it appeared, how to prevent it and what measures to take, you can learn from this article.
What is varicose veins and where does it come from
Varicose veins are not only a cosmetic flaw, but also a great danger to the health and life of the mother and baby. Visually, varicose veins can be in the form of a vascular network, visible through the skin, or a strong expansion of the main veins that protrude above the skin and look like “worms”.
The vascular mesh, as a rule, has a bluish or purple hue, while the swollen and bulging veins are green. With progressive varicose veins, thrombophlebitis or trophic ulcers may develop, but the most dangerous is the formation of blood clots, which, when they come off, carry a serious threat to the life of the mother and fetus.
For these reasons, it is important to start treatment for varicose veins in a timely manner. Reviews of pregnant women about the course and treatment of the disease are so numerous and contradictory that it is worth considering this pathology in more detail.
The mechanism of development of varicose veins is a violation of the outflow of venous blood from the lower extremities. It turns out that the blood flows to the legs, but does not flow back because the vein is pinched somewhere. Stagnation of blood in the lower extremities provokes an increase in pressure and stretching of the vascular wall.
When the venous wall is stretched, the valves located in the veins and ensuring the correct outflow of venous blood cease to function.
Causes of the disease
Varicose veins in women is an unpleasant phenomenon and can develop due to:
- pregnancy is the most common cause that causes much unrest in expectant mothers and in certain cases poses a threat to the health and even life of a woman and a baby;
- rapid weight gain or the presence of extra pounds - maintaining the optimal weight ensures the proper functioning of all body systems, as excessive exposure to body fat is excluded;
- the presence of vascular nets before pregnancy - the lack of timely treatment of varicose veins before pregnancy provokes a significant deterioration in the state of the veins of the lower extremities during gestation;
- hereditary predisposition to the disease;
- a sedentary lifestyle - in the absence of mobility, swelling, numbness and bloating of veins on the legs appear; eliminating these consequences can be difficult, and the lack of medical intervention is dangerous for the mother and child;
- frequent wearing uncomfortable high-heeled shoes ;
- prolonged sunbathing - under the influence of ultraviolet rays, the skin becomes thinner, which contributes to the negative impact of radiation on the state of the vessels of the lower extremities;
- strong physical exertion (in particular, weight lifting);
- waxing .
Of all the reasons, pregnancy is the most common. This applies especially to the last trimester, when the weight increases rapidly, the volume of circulating blood also increases markedly. If the proper nutrition and other recommendations of the doctor are not followed, the venous walls lose their elasticity and swell, bulging above the surface of the skin.
In addition, the growing uterus exerts strong pressure on the main vascular arteries, causing varicose veins. Treatment and prevention of the disease in the presence of a genetic predisposition must begin at a young age. This is, first of all, proper nutrition, moderate exercise, a contrast shower and wearing comfortable shoes and clothes.
Symptoms of the disease
At the initial stage, varicose veins are almost asymptomatic, therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the sharp appearance of swelling, pain and fatigue in the legs, as well as seizures. With the further development of the disease, deformation of the veins occurs.
Increasing blood volume during pregnancy and constantly increasing weight exert strong pressure on the vessels of the lower extremities, as a result of which the venous wall weakens and stretches, and the vein begins to protrude strongly above the surface of the skin. This forms varicose veins in the legs during pregnancy. What to do with a progressive disease is difficult to say without a full examination of the pregnant woman.
With hormonal changes in the body, some women may experience severe pain in their legs without visible changes in blood vessels, while others may not have pain even in the advanced stage of varicose veins, with severe deformations of the vessels. Therefore, the symptomatology of the disease manifests itself very individually.
Varicose veins during pregnancy: what to do?
Having discovered the first symptoms of the disease or already noticeable nets and swelling of the veins, it is necessary to tell your doctor about them. He, in turn, must conduct an examination and refer the woman to a phlebologist - a doctor specializing in solving problems with the vessels of the body.
After a full examination and ultrasound of the vessels of the lower extremities, we can conclude on the state of the veins and the degree of development of varicose veins. During the first pregnancy, varicose veins develop in about a quarter of pregnant women. With subsequent pregnancies, the risk of developing varicose veins is greatly increased, and if the disease was discovered earlier, it is exacerbated. That is why with age, a woman needs to more carefully monitor her lifestyle.
All women sooner or later begin to worry about varicose veins in the legs during pregnancy. What to do to prevent this disease can be found in specialized literature from experienced mothers, or better just by consulting a doctor.
Prevention of varicose veins
Preventive measures should apply to all pregnant women, without exception. The simplest and most effective way is to wear special stockings. During pregnancy, it is preferable to use tights for varicose veins. Only a doctor should prescribe such clothes, since it is difficult to choose them yourself, especially taking into account your situation, so as not to harm either yourself or your future baby.
It is necessary to monitor the weight gain, since an excessive and rapid increase in it very negatively affects the health of the mother and the general condition of the baby, and also provokes the development of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
To improve blood flow, sleep is recommended on the left side. Do not cross your legs while sitting and stand for a long time. A strong load on the lower extremities will contribute to the rapid progression of varicose veins.
If you still have to spend a long time on your feet, you periodically need to rise on your toes to disperse stagnant blood. It is useful to use a special gel for varicose veins, which will relieve fatigue from the legs and improve the condition of blood vessels, making the venous wall more elastic.
Shoes should also be comfortable and not cause foot fatigue. Do not go to extremes, having gone through the entire pregnancy on stiletto heels, or, on the contrary - in flats with a flat sole. For the physiologically correct location of the foot and the distribution of the load on it, the shoes should have a small heel - 3-5 cm.
Varicose veins treatment
The optimal treatment and diet for a pregnant woman with varicose veins can only be prescribed by a doctor. In no case should you buy and use any advertised remedies for varicose veins of local or internal use on your own, you can’t also choose tights for varicose veins on your own, this can harm a developing baby.
During the gestation period, many drugs are contraindicated, so preference is given to ointments, gels or folk remedies of local effect. Preparations for internal use are prescribed only in the presence of complications of varicose veins, or when the disease is in an advanced stage.
The doctor, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body, the features of the course of pregnancy and heredity, will select the appropriate drugs that provide the greatest effectiveness in a particular case. During pregnancy, popular medicines are popular, for example, tincture of chestnut from varicose veins. With especially advanced forms of varicose veins, surgical intervention is allowed. However, it is justified only in the case of a real threat to life. Pregnant women can only have surgery for up to 6 months. It is also effective to carry out sclerotization of veins with the help of special solutions.
Alternative methods for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins
At all times, people have more confidence in folk treatments. For the prevention of varicose veins, lotions and compresses based on medicinal herbs are effective. However, before using any external prescription, you need to consult a doctor so as not to harm the baby.
To relieve fatigue and heaviness in the legs will help tincture of Kalanchoe. It is enough to take the crushed plant and vodka in a ratio of 1: 1, insist and rub the lower extremities daily with tincture.
Chestnut tincture from varicose veins is the most effective folk remedy. To prepare the tincture, you need to prepare half a liter of vodka and 50 g of crushed shells of chestnut fruits. The ingredients are placed in a suitable glass container. Three weeks later, the tincture is ready for use.
Note! The container with tincture should be shaken periodically.
For compresses, you can use white cabbage. Cabbage leaves are smeared with soap and placed on damaged areas, which must first be sprinkled with soda. This compress should be left overnight, secured with a warm cloth.
The method of delivery for varicose veins
Depending on the state of the pregnant woman and the degree of varicose veins, the doctor may advise a natural birth or cesarean section. In most cases, preference is given to independent childbirth, this process is much better for both the mother and the child.
With the natural birth of a pregnant woman, it is necessary to rewind her legs with an elastic bandage. This will prevent the backflow of blood during attempts. After childbirth, doctors recommend allocating time for daily therapeutic exercises, it will be necessary to visit a phlebologist.
Caesarean section is prescribed only in extreme cases, mainly varicose veins is only an additional contraindication, which is based on other prohibitions. For example, with incorrect presentation of the fetus, when the child is too large, or when carrying twins.
If in the process of diagnosis (as a rule, an ultrasound of the lower extremities is performed), deep vein thrombosis is detected, the patient must undergo surgery. Otherwise, the blood clot, coming off, carries a serious threat to life.
Features of the course of varicose veins during pregnancy
Throughout pregnancy, you need to visit a phlebologist and regularly undergo an examination. A responsible attitude to your health will help prevent or detect thrombosis in time. Massage with varicose veins has a positive effect on the state of blood vessels, preventing stagnation of blood in the legs.
Massage should be started from the hip, capturing the buttock area, then move on to the legs, and only after massaging the feet. The technology of massage consists in continuous shaking and rubbing the muscles. The patient is located on his back, slightly bending his legs at the knees. This approach will not only eliminate numbness and heaviness in the legs, but also remove cramps and itching.
You need to carefully monitor your diet, weight gain, activity and comfort in terms of shoes and clothes. It is very useful to visit the pool during pregnancy. Swimming helps not only relieve tension from the muscles and nervous system, but also improves blood circulation, helping to strengthen the vascular walls and saturate the body with enough oxygen. All this will contribute to the proper development of the fetus and the well-being of the pregnant woman.
Exercise for varicose veins
Moderate physical activity is the key to health and well-being. Sports exercises for varicose veins are not contraindicated, and given that a woman has a baby, moderate exercise must be present.
The main thing is to choose the right sport so that it brings pleasure to mom and fills the body with new forces. The best option can be called walking, swimming, after childbirth is not superfluous to add jogging.
Note! Before you begin any classes, you need to consult with your doctor. This will avoid unforeseen complications and a heavy load on a weakened and vulnerable female body.
Pregnant women are advised to relax a lot, avoid heavy stress, consume a lot of vitamins and lead an active lifestyle. It will not be superfluous to attend courses for pregnant women or yoga classes. This will not only improve health, but also provide easier labor.
The most effective recipe for varicose veins is a healthy lifestyle. A woman who adheres to proper nutrition and leads an active life is not afraid of varicose veins.