From Proyar Laboratory we want to share with you the 1st part of an exclusive article for our clients, written by Dr. Jorge Alonso. Physician, MN 67.640, Director of the Phytomedicine postgraduate program at U.B.A. and President of the Latin American Society of Phytomedicine.

Varicose veins and hemorrhoids

It is a set of dilated and tortuous subcutaneous veins that generate a bulge below the skin (preferably in lower limbs). These veins have lost the ability to maintain blood flow in only one direction due to malfunctioning of the valves. This causes blood stagnation (stasis), causing pain, heaviness and complications.

Statistics

This type of venous insufficiency can affect 30 to 40% of the total population. Its incidence is higher in women, and can appear from early times (adolescence).

How they are generated

Under normal conditions, venous valves work by propelling returning blood toward the heart. They do this against the law of gravity, that is, from "below" to "above". However, this capacity is lost under certain circumstances, such as pregnancies, thrombophlebitis, obesity or also a genetic predisposition. The result of this deficit is blood stagnation in the veins especially of the legs, producing visible aesthetic alterations determined by tortuosity and bulging of the venous pathway, added to edema in the limb.

As long as they are not resolved, varicose veins tend to grow in size over time, potentially leading to important problems or complications, such as thrombophlebitis.

Causes that produce it

Excluding hereditary causes, the rest of the predisposing factors are the following:

– Pregnancy
– Intake of certain contraceptives
– Obesity
– Standing for long periods of time.
– Sitting for prolonged periods
– Bed immobilization for long periods
– Immobilization during long trips
– Prolonged surgeries
– Heart failure
– Smoking

What clothing to wear

For a long time it was said that tight clothing such as ankle socks, garters, tight shoes or high heels were harmful and triggered varicose veins. Today we know that garters and ankle socks do not harm or create varicose veins, although one should not make abusive use of them. Finally, high heels are not contraindicated since when a woman has her heel raised, she contracts the muscle pump of the calf muscles thus facilitating better venous return of blood.

Signs and symptoms

Initially the condition can debut with physical and not aesthetic symptoms: leg heaviness (greater during summer), nocturnal cramps, muscle pain after extensive walks, skin tension, etc. On other occasions, aesthetic alterations appear first and then physical ones. These aesthetic alterations generally correspond to telangiectasias or spider veins (small dilations, tortuous, that branch out from a central nucleus), which are usually the starting point of the problem. In summary, the outstanding symptoms are:

– Enlarged veins visible under the skin of the legs.
– Brown-grayish coloration of the ankles or calves.
– Pain
– Skin ulcers on the ankles (in very advanced cases).
– Leg heaviness
– Inflammation (edema)
– Tension of the underlying skin
– Nocturnal cramps
– Sensation of heat

Types of Varicose Veins

Basically they are classified into:

1 – Truncular: these are those that affect any of the main veins of the legs (internal saphenous, external saphenous).
2 – Reticular: these are those small bulging varicose veins that are located in any territory of the leg and that do not correspond to the territories of the saphenous veins.
3 – Intradermal venectasias (Telangiectasias): these are fine venous ramifications, also known as spider veins. They are violet or red in color, whose importance is primarily aesthetic.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of varicose veins should be performed with the patient standing, in a very well-lit environment. In most cases, simple visualization of the affected area is sufficient, and if not, an ultrasound known as Ecodoppler is performed (which assesses the permeability and functioning of the venous system).

Continued in second installment.