Varicose veins are venous high blood pressure caused by factors such as blood stasis and weak vein walls and manifest as tortuous, dilated superficial veins and bulges or bulges on the skin surface. Hemorrhoids, as we know them, are a type of varicose veins.
What are the common causes of varicose veins?
Varicose veins occur in different locations and are of various types with different causes. Some types have unknown causes. The following only introduces some of them.
- Varicose veins of the lower limbs: It is generally believed that varicose veins of the lower limbs are related to insufficiency of the superficial vein valves of the lower limbs, weak venous walls, and acquired venous hypertension. The two promote each other and are cause and effect. If both parents are sick, there is a 90% chance that their children will also be sick; if only one parent is sick, the risk for their children is 25% to 62%.
- Abdominal varicose veins: circulatory disorder caused by portal hypertension.
- Esophageal and gastric varices: mainly caused by cirrhosis and portal hypertension.
- Varicocele: Mainly related to the special anatomical characteristics of the spermatic vein. It mostly occurs on the left side. It is caused by the defect of the left venous valve and the increased internal pressure of the left spermatic vein.
- Hemorrhoids and varicose veins: Long-term increase in venous pressure causes venous dilation and congestion, leading to hemorrhoids.
- Sublingual varicose veins: rare. It is currently believed that it may be related to portal hypertension. The wider the diameter of the portal vein, the greater the degree of sublingual varicose veins.
- Orbital varicose veins: caused by congenital abnormal development of intraorbital blood vessels.
- Pulmonary varicose veins: A rare vascular disease with unknown cause, which may be caused by increased pulmonary venous pressure.
What are the main manifestations of varicose veins?
Varicose veins of the lower limbs: In the early stage, the symptoms caused by varicose veins of the lower limbs are mild, mainly manifesting as soreness, discomfort, and pain in the affected limb. Later, superficial veins will be dilated and tortuous, such as skin pigmentation, seborrheic dermatitis changes, and ulcer formation. Pain along the veins caused by superficial thrombophlebitis, varicose vein rupture and bleeding, etc.
Varicose veins of the lower limbs can be divided into the following stages according to the progression of the disease, corresponding to different symptoms: C0: No obvious symptoms. C1: Telangiectasia. C2: Varicose veins. C3: Edema. C4a: Hyperpigmentation and/or eczema. C4b: Liposcleroderma and/or white atrophy. C5: Healing venous ulcer; C6: Active venous ulcer
Abdominal wall varicose veins: A cluster of varicose veins can be seen in the patient’s umbilicus, centered on the navel and radiating to all sides, resembling a jellyfish head.
Esophageal and gastric varices: manifested by vomiting blood, mostly bright red blood (when esophageal and gastric varices rupture), melena, palpitations, dizziness, amaurosis or syncope, clammy skin, decreased blood pressure, etc.
Varicocele: Most patients are asymptomatic and are usually discovered during a physical examination, a painless earthworm-like mass in the scrotum during self-examination, or due to infertility. Some patients may experience scrotal swelling, discomfort, or pain. The pain may affect the lower abdomen. The symptoms worsen after standing or walking for a long time and maybe relieved or disappear after lying down.
Pelvic varicose veins: The main manifestations are “three pains, two more and one less”, namely pelvic pain, low back pain, dyspareunia, menorrhagia, leucorrhea, and a few positive signs in the gynecological examination.
Hemorrhoids and varicose veins: External hemorrhoids are generally painless, not easy to bleed, and only have a foreign body sensation. If infected, local itching, redness, swelling, and pain may occur. The main symptoms of internal hemorrhoids are prolapse blood in the stool, and pain when incarceration occurs.
Sublingual varicose veins: In mild cases, they are mildly bulging, with a cord-like appearance; in severe cases, they are bulging, uneven in appearance, and curved in direction. In more serious cases, they may become nodular or tumor-like.
Orbital varicose veins: manifests as proptosis of the eyeball, decreased vision, and in severe cases, optic nerve atrophy, irreversible vision loss, and even vision loss.
Pulmonary varicose veins: generally asymptomatic, a few patients will have hemoptysis, and most are discovered during physical examination.
How are varicose veins treated?
Varicose veins of the lower limbs are mainly treated with medication, pressure therapy and surgery.
- Drug treatment: such as vasoactive drugs, flavonoids, resins, and coumarins, mainly to relieve symptoms and discomfort.
- Compression therapy: Elastic bandages, elastic stockings, and intermittent pneumatic compression devices can be used to gradually reduce the pressure from the distal end to the proximal end of the lower limbs and promote the return of blood from superficial veins to deep veins. Preventive elastic stockings are recommended for high-risk patients with mild symptoms, and therapeutic elastic stockings (foot and ankle pressure is 20 to 30 mmHg) are recommended for moderate to severe patients. It needs to be worn when going to the ground for activities and can be taken off when lying down and resting.
- Surgical treatment: This is the most effective method to treat varicose veins of the lower limbs. It can be performed through high ligation of the great saphenous vein, surgical stripping of varicose veins, thermal ablation treatment (laser ablation, radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation), chemical ablation (injection of sclerotherapy), etc.
What impact do varicose veins have on life?
Some varicose veins are visible to the naked eye, which not only affects their appearance, but can also cause a series of problems such as pain, bleeding, and ulcers, such as varicose veins in the lower limbs.
Although some varicose veins are invisible to the naked eye and may not be noticeable in the early stages, they can affect your health as the disease progresses. For example, esophageal and gastric varicocele rupture can cause massive bleeding and shock, which can threaten life and health, and varicocele can cause infertility.
How to prevent varicose veins?
Exercise regularly and avoid sitting or standing for long periods to promote venous blood return and reduce venous pressure.
Elevate the affected limb: Elevate the affected limb during rest to improve venous return by reducing the influence of gravity.
Eat more fiber-rich foods and fresh fruits and vegetables: Dietary fiber-rich foods, fruits, and vegetables can increase gastrointestinal motility, reduce abdominal pressure, and avoid constipation.
It is strictly forbidden to soak your feet in hot water for a long time: it can cause the dilation of veins and blood vessels, worsen blood stasis, and then aggravate varicose veins.
Quit smoking and lose weight.