Varicose veins are a disease that is based on an irreversible increase in the diameter of the veins and loss of function of the venous valves.
Where is the second heart
In order to understand the causes of varicose veins, it is necessary to turn to the specifics of the structure and mode of operation of the venous system.
Veins refer to blood vessels that carry blood from tissues and organs. Unlike arteries, which carry blood from the heart and distribute it from top to bottom, most veins in the body flow from bottom to top. The main driving force in the arteries is the energy of the heart's contractions. On the way to the organs it is almost completely used up and cannot guarantee a stable blood return to the heart.
The structural features of the venous system help maintain full blood flow. They can be divided into:
- central;
- peripheral.
The central ones are the residual blood pressure, which is transmitted to the veins after the blood has passed through the arterial system, and the suction effect of the diaphragm. It is a muscular septum that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen. Large venous vessels pass through the diaphragm. When inhaling it falls and compresses the venous vessels, when exhaling it rises. These movements act like a pump and help blood flow through the veins to the heart.
Peripheral factors include:
- Muscle vein pump;
- Venous valves;
- venous tone.
The role of these factors in the bloodstream is so great that they are called the body's second heart.. . . Malfunction of any of them can be the starting point for the development of varicose veins.
Musculo-venous pump
The main force that causes the blood to flow from the organs to the heart is the contraction of the muscles that surround the veins. This is called a muscle vein pump. When walking, exercising, muscle fibers contract, this leads to a narrowing of the lumen of the venous vessels, which pushes blood into the sections above.
Venous valves
To prevent the blood from flowing back at the moment the muscle fibers relax, there are valves in the veins. They are outgrowths on the inner surface of the vessel wall that are a thin elastic plate. The valves are directed towards the heart.
The principle of their work is as follows: when the muscle fibers relax and the blood returns to the bottom by gravity, it enters the space formed by the valve leaf and vessel wall. The pressure created by the blood in this area causes the valves to close, preventing it from flowing back.
Venous tone
The venous tone ensures the maintenance and regulation of the vascular capacity. It is provided by connective tissue and muscle fibers that make up the vein wall. Special nerve cells, which are located in the thickness of the blood vessels, respond to blood pressure by signaling muscle cells and connective tissue fibers. The lumen of the vein is reduced, which causes the blood to move to the heart.
Thus, the stable functioning of the venous system depends on the correct functioning of all of its components. Understanding these mechanisms means making treatment for varicose veins as effective as possible.
Between cause and effect
To date, there is no uniform theory of the development of varicose veins. The main difficulty is to separate the direct cause of the disease and conditions that only contribute to its manifestation.
Varicose vein disease is a genetic condition that manifests itself only when exposed to certain unfavorable factors.
In people prone to varicose veins, a congenital disorder of the structure of the vascular wall and a decrease in the number of valves have been noted. As a result, two of the most important mechanisms of blood flow from the organs to the heart suffer: the venous tone decreases and the valve apparatus does not work.
The simplified development of the disease in this case is as follows. The blood, which is pushed through the vessels due to the muscle contraction, tends to go down under the influence of gravity during the relaxation phase of the muscle fibers. If there are a few venous valves, or if their valves are unable to effectively close the vessel lumen, the blood flows back into the lower sections. With insufficient elasticity and elasticity of the vein wall, there is a pronounced expansion of the vessel diameter. This causes the valve leaflets to move further apart so that even more blood can flow downwards. A pathological vicious circle develops. These are varicose veins.
However, in a healthy body, even with congenital changes in the venous vessels, the disease does not develop. In order for this mechanism to work, one or more adverse factors must be influenced. These include:
- Way of life;
- Hypodynamia;
- Obesity;
- hormonal imbalance;
- Pregnancy.
way of life
Lifestyle features lead to increased pressure in the veins, which leads to increased stress on the vascular wall.
This is most often observed when standing or sitting for long periods of time and when doing work that involves constant lifting of weights. The development of varicose veins is provoked by tight underwear, jeans, squeezing large veins at the level of the inguinal folds. Diet is also important: the consumption of refined foods, the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables in the daily menu - sources of fiber. Such a diet leads to the development of constipation, which increases intra-abdominal pressure.
Hypodynamia
The musculature is known to be the second heart of the veins; their contraction compresses the vessel walls and the blood moves. This circulatory mechanism is lost in a sedentary lifestyle. The degree of muscle build-up also plays an important role - the better the muscle is developed, the easier it is to cope with the blood-stimulating work. This is the reason for the rare occurrence of varicose veins in athletes.
obesity
Obesity is a reliable risk factor for the development of varicose veins in women. At the same time, there was no such dependence in men.
Hormonal imbalance
Female sex hormones - estrogens, progesterone - act on the vein wall in amounts that exceed physiological norms and reduce their tone. This is due to the gradual destruction of the binding fibers, which give them strength and elasticity. Hormonal contraceptives, hormonal drugs used to treat menopause, play an important role in the development of varicose veins.
pregnancy
An increase in circulating blood volume, the compression of large veins by the uterus that run behind the posterior wall, and an increase in intra-abdominal pressure make pregnancy a major cause of varicose veins in women.