The blood in the body circulates through the veins and arteries.
Damaged veins widen, causing venous insufficiency.
Atherosclerosis concerns the arteries which gradually narrow with age and often with high above the level cholesterol, causing, depending on the place of narrowing, ischemic heart disease, cerebral stroke, and lower limb arterial occlusive disease.
Chronic venous insufficiency is a disease that often affects almost half of the population today. It is not contrary to previous beliefs, an aging effect of the organism. It is obvious that the disease progresses with age, but venous insufficiency often affects young people, not only women, but men as well.
Chronic venous insufficiency is a disease most often resulting from damage to the valves, which were genetically too weak, and with several additional factors, such as:
- a standing or sitting job
- living an inactive lifestyle
- pregnancy
- obesity
- constipation
- excessive heating of legs by e.g. hot baths, sunbathing, the veins cannot withstand the blood load and get damaged
The blood in the veins flows properly towards the heart, valves prevent it from receding. Damaged valves allow blood to retract, which by gravity eagerly falls down and pushes the veins to form venous shin ulcers.
Blood stays in the varicose veins and decomposes, which over a time creates discoloration on the skin, and damaged ,discolored skin tends to crack with even minor trauma or spontaneously, forming venous shin ulcers.
The lymphatic circulation is closely related to the venous circulation, each major superficial venous stem is accompanied by a lymphatic vessel.
The consequence of venous insufficiency lasting longer is also a damage to the lymphatic circulation, which is manifested by oedema (edema, swelling).
Patients often ask: “Where will the blood flow when we close the main venous trunk, e.g. the saphenous vein”?
The answer is simple: in the legs (shins), 90% of the blood is carried through the deep veins, only 10% are superficial veins, i.e. those from which varicose veins arise, so removal of even all the inefficient stems of superficial veins (which no longer work because they are damaged), it will not disturb the venous circulation, if the circulation in the deep veins is correct ( we always check them before surgery by an ultrasound examination), and in most cases it is normal.
The most dangerous consequences of untreated venous insufficiency can be venous thrombosis or even pulmonary embolism.
We currently have medicine to treat and prevent these complications, but nevertheless they are very dangerous and are often detected too late.
Therefore you should see a doctor as soon as possible when you notice varicose changes on the legs or a type of heaviness in the legs, edema, night cramps, because it may be a symptom of venous insufficiency.
After having carried out the Doppler ultrasound of the veins it is possible to assess whether the changes are serious and suitable for treatment, or whether prophylaxis is enough. Vein color Doppler ultrasound is a non-invasive test, it can be carried out on pregnant women.
In the clinic, the ultrasound test is carried out with the use of a new, high-class Philips HD6 ultrasound device.
A PHLEBOLOGIST is a doctor (physician) who deals with venous diseases – from diagnostics, through prophylaxis to treatment-of spider veins, Varicose veins, thrombosis, shin ulcers.
Thus, Phlebology is an interdisciplinary field.