With varicose veins, the legs and veins itch, what to do about the itching

What causes itchy legs with varicose veins?

Itchy legs with varicose veins are associated with dry skin. Dilated veins cannot provide proper nutrition and blood circulation to the tissues. As a result, the skin, muscles and other tissues suffer from trophic changes and oxygen starvation.

Due to insufficient blood supply, the skin on the lower extremities becomes dry, rough and dark in color. Thinning skin ceases to perform a barrier function. Small cracks and wounds appear on the legs.

Dry skin causes discomfort in the form of itching and burning. Scratching your feet in this state leads to possible infection, since an infectious agent can get into the cracks. This is why itching of the legs with varicose veins is dangerous.

Methods for eliminating itching

Having determined the main reasons why varicose veins itch, it is necessary to select adequate treatment. It is best to do this together with your doctor so as not to worsen your condition.

It is worth noting that further progression of the disease is the answer to the question of why legs itch with varicose veins, so this condition cannot be started. When treating varicose veins using medicinal and surgical methods, the symptoms of itching are significantly reduced, and simple rules will help eliminate discomfort during the treatment period.

External means

For varicose veins, the use of special creams and ointments helps well. They act directly on the affected area and provide optimal results. It is very important to regularly use moisturizers, especially after hygiene procedures, to prevent excessive dryness of the skin.

How to lubricate itchy areas of skin:

Baby cream. To nourish dry and sensitive skin, it is best to choose a hypoallergenic baby product. It definitely won’t cause any harm, and the skin will become smoother and more hydrated;
Panthenol. An indispensable product in the home first aid kit. The components of this drug have a very good effect on the skin, promote the healing of small wounds and effectively remove dryness;
Antibacterial ointments help relieve inflammation on damaged skin and speed up wound healing. Such agents include the most common: Levomekol, erythromycin and tetracycline ointment, as well as compositions based on them. They should be used for no more than five days and only on limited areas of the skin;
Hormonal agents. In some cases, and only as prescribed by a specialist, the use of hormone-containing ointments and gels helps. The most commonly used are Lorinden, Prednisolone, Afloderm, Cinacort and Locacorten.

Differential diagnosis: causes of itchy legs

Itchy feet can be caused by a variety of reasons. Among them are infectious (for example, erysipelas) and non-infectious (insect bites, poor hygiene, irritation after shaving, etc.). In order to make sure that itchy legs are associated with varicose veins of the lower extremities, the doctor carefully examines the patient.

If the itching is associated with varicose veins, then the phlebologist can detect pronounced tortuous veins and dry skin. But to accurately indicate the cause, it is necessary to conduct Color Dopplerography of blood vessels (a research method based on ultrasound).

What to do if your veins itch

If, in the absence of other symptoms, the veins itch, you should be diagnosed by a phlebologist.

Treating varicose veins at an early stage can lead to complete recovery.

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Itching in the legs with varicose veins can be eliminated using a combination of methods: with the help of medications, physiotherapy, proper nutrition and folk remedies.

Drug therapy

You can quickly relieve itching from varicose veins with the help of antihistamines (Zyrtec, Diazolin, Fenistil, Loratadine). The tissues become less swollen, spasms disappear, and vascular permeability decreases.

The affected veins can be very itchy, and in this case, hormone-containing ointments (Elocom, Advantan, Afloderm, Cinacort) are effective.

Sedatives based on motherwort, valerian, and mint (Sonata, Novopassit, Sedariston) can also soothe itching. Their action is based on normalizing sleep and the nervous system, relieving irritability caused by itching.

If scratching has turned into wounds and ulcers, they must be treated with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agents (Panthenol, Spasatel, Bepanten, Levomekol, zinc ointment). Their use will speed up the healing of damaged tissue and prevent the inflammatory process.

Additional medications for varicose veins are:

anticoagulants that prevent thrombus formation (Warfarin, Heparin);
thrombolytics that thin blood clots (Alteplase, Streptokinase);
angioprotective drugs that strengthen the walls of blood vessels (Troxevasin, Detralex);
anti-inflammatory drugs (Cetrin, Diazolin).

Physiotherapy

You can eliminate the itching of the extremities with varicose veins, relieve swelling and tension, and also prevent the development of the disease with the help of physiotherapy. This therapeutic method is based on physical impact on the affected area. Physiotherapeutic procedures include:

Electrophoresis. The procedure involves simultaneous exposure to direct current and medications.
UV irradiation. It is effective not only when the veins itch, but also for advanced trophic ulcers.
Laser therapy. Laser cauterization is effective for skin ulcerations and severe deformation of veins.
Darsonvalization. The procedure is carried out by applying electrical impulses to the skin.
Pressotherapy. The patient is put on a special suit, into which air is supplied under high pressure.
Lymphatic drainage. The permitted type of massage for varicose veins is performed with hardware and manually.

Physiotherapy will help relieve unpleasant symptoms of varicose veins, and in combination with other methods, cure the disease itself.

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Folk remedies

When the veins on the arms and legs itch, but the skin is not damaged or injured to the point of bleeding, you can resort to traditional methods.

It is useful to rub your feet with Kalanchoe tincture, birch decoction, lidocaine solution, lemon juice diluted with water (1:2).

A decoction of hop cones has a venotonic effect. 2 tbsp. raw materials are poured with 250 ml of water (+95...+100°C), kept on low heat for 15-20 minutes, filtered and drunk 3 times a day.

Compresses with a decoction of birch buds and honey effectively relieve burning and itching.

For varicose veins, it is useful to arrange a contrast washing of the limbs with warm and cool water, to do wraps with blue clay and baths with medicinal plants. To do this, 100 g of dry chamomile or string is poured into 2 liters of liquid and added to the bath water. Keep your feet in it for 10 to 15 minutes. The water temperature should not exceed 35°C.

When you are concerned about itching due to varicose veins of the legs, heating the affected areas is contraindicated.

Chamomile can be steamed with horse chestnut and stinging nettle bark (10 g of each plant) in 1 liter of boiling water and left for 1 hour. The mixture is added to the bath water, which is taken daily for 20 minutes.

To strengthen the venous walls, relieve swelling and normalize blood flow, you can add apple cider vinegar, garlic, sandalwood, and cumin oils to the bath water.

You can eliminate dermatitis using white willow bark (50 g) and honey (60 g), poured into 1 liter of boiling water. This mixture should be kept on low heat for 15 minutes, then filtered and added to the bath.

Diet therapy

When the veins in the legs itch at the initial stage of the disease, you can slow down its development by changing your diet. You should eat foods that contain:

magnesium and potassium (cereals, dried fruits, bran, cabbage);
rutin (rowan, currant, rose hips, tomatoes, lettuce, nuts);
vitamins C, E, D (greens, fresh vegetables and fruits, seafood, natural juices, vegetable oils).

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If your legs itch with varicose veins, it is recommended to reduce the consumption of fried and fatty foods, spices, salt, marinades, smoked meats and canned food.

To prevent blood thickening, you should drink 1.5-2 liters of water per day, and you should avoid coffee and alcohol.

Why is itching of the legs with varicose veins most often one of the indications for surgical treatment?

As noted above, itching of the legs with varicose veins occurs only in the later stages of the development of the disease. Varicose veins can be treated with conservative therapy only at stage 1, when large veins have not yet undergone dilation.

Moreover, even at stage 1, the Sclerotherapy procedure is recommended. With its help, small varicose veins and capillaries can be removed without pain or surgery. Starting from stage 2 of the disease, removal of dilated veins is required.

For this, modern technologies are used: Laser, Radiofrequency waves and Miniphlebectomy. Thanks to these technologies, vein removal does not take much time and does not require anesthesia. All modern operations for varicose veins are performed through mini approaches.

Drug treatment

The following groups of medications will help relieve itching with varicose veins of the legs:

Antihistamines;
Sedatives;
Emollient and wound-healing creams and ointments.

They are prescribed simultaneously to achieve the greatest effect.

Initially, herbal sedatives are used, which have the easiest and mildest effect. These include:

Valerian and motherwort. These are medicinal herbs, produced in the form of pills or drops. They need to be taken for a long time to achieve a lasting effect. May cause drowsiness during the day. Contraindicated in case of individual intolerance;
Novopassit. A complex preparation that includes valerian, lemon balm, St. John's wort, and hawthorn. Taken in tablets or solution. May cause dyspeptic symptoms (intestinal dysfunction);
Persen. This medicine contains valerian, lemon balm and mint. The drug is prescribed in tablets and can be taken for two months. Side effects include allergic reactions.

These medications eliminate irritability and normalize sleep.

Herbal sedatives to relieve itching in varicose veins

To eliminate swelling of the legs, reduce vascular permeability and relieve burning of the skin, antihistamines are prescribed. The most popular of them:

Zyrtec. The drug contains cetirizine. Taken in tablets and syrup. Causes drowsiness, headaches, and visual disturbances. Contraindicated in severe liver and kidney diseases;
Claritin. Contains loratadine. It is prescribed in tablet form. Side effects include increased irritability and drowsiness;
Fenistil. The main substance is dimethindene. Taken in tablets. A headache may occur.

At the same time, the use of topical drugs is indicated. They help soften the skin and reduce irritation. They have a wound-healing effect, eliminate scratches and abrasions:

Fenistil gel. Contains dimethindene, cooling components. Apply to skin twice a day;
Emolium. Hygiene products containing urea. They have a softening effect, eliminate dryness and flaking of the skin. Relieve itching and burning. Used in various forms to perform hygiene procedures;
Bepanten. The drug contains panthenol. Provides softening and healing of damaged skin. Apply twice a day.

The use of all these medications is allowed for a long time until a decrease in the severity of itching of the veins on the extremities is achieved. If an allergic reaction or severe side effects occurs, use of the medicine should be discontinued.

Important!
A proper diet helps enhance the effect of drug therapy. The diet of a patient suffering from itching of the veins due to varicose veins in the legs should include egg yolk, organ meats, and greens. You should avoid alcohol and strong coffee, preservatives and smoked foods.

Preparations for relieving swelling and burning in varicose veins

Useful tips - what to do

To stop pathological processes in the body, to get rid of unpleasant, painful symptoms, you need to lead an active lifestyle and eat right. It is necessary to exclude spicy, fatty, salty foods, sweets, and alcohol. Eat more fruits, vegetables, greens. You should also follow the recommendations:

maintain your weight in a normal range;
wear comfortable (wide, without heels) shoes and loose, non-constrictive clothing;
do not scratch the skin on the veins;
regularly arrange contrasting douches and foot baths with herbs;
walk every day for normal blood circulation;
to be treated in sanatorium-resort institutions;
use compression garments and elastic bandages to reduce pressure on the veins.

The only way to prevent such dangerous diseases and their relapses is to change your lifestyle - you need to get off the couch, engage in active physical exercise and sports, eat healthy, fortified foods, say “no” to all bad habits and breathe more fresh air.

Itching with varicose veins

When a person develops varicose veins, as a rule, it is accompanied by a huge number of different symptoms, one of which is itching. It is worth noting that such a sign makes itself felt when the disease is in an advanced state. Many people are interested in the question of how to overcome itching with varicose veins of the legs. But the whole point is that simply relieving itching without adequately treating the cause is pointless.

Why is itching so dangerous?

Most people perceive itching as one of the unpleasant symptoms of varicose veins, which does not pose any threat. But in fact, it is the itching that needs to be feared the most. Why is that? There are several reasons for this, namely:

if varicose veins are not treated in a timely manner, then such a defect makes a person nervous and more vulnerable;
when itching occurs, the patient is not able to fully rest;
if the symptom becomes pronounced, the patient is no longer able to restrain himself from scratching the affected area;
with constant scratching, the skin becomes thin and is easily susceptible to various injuries;
places where it itches especially badly become exposed to a horde of harmful bacteria;
Gradually, itching can lead to a person developing trophic ulcers in such places.

Thus, the conclusion suggests itself: itching is a symptom that can bring a lot of suffering to a person, both moral and physical. Therefore, the best thing to do is to seek help in a timely manner and not wait until the disease worsens.

What complications does it lead to?

In the absence of proper treatment, the course of the disease becomes more complicated: dermatitis turns into eczema, the skin on the legs flakes, itches, and becomes covered with exfoliated epidermis. Weeping eczema, with numerous pustules, is also possible.

The condition of the venous vessels also changes, the walls atrophy, scar connective tissue grows, which causes a narrowing of the lumen of the veins. The insufficiency of the valve apparatus, which must pump upward venous blood, is increasing. As a result, increased blood stagnation, impaired blood supply to the organ, lack of oxygen and essential microelements. The veins in my legs itch unbearably. Stagnation of blood contributes to the formation of thrombi - blood clots that can block a vein. This is fraught with inflammation of the venous walls - thrombophlebitis.

Pathological changes can lead to serious consequences - the formation of a trophic ulcer. This is an open wound that occurs as a result of the death of the soft tissues of the leg (or foot) due to venous insufficiency. Wound infection aggravates purulent-inflammatory processes and complicates treatment. The healing of such wounds can last for months and even years - this is a complex complex problem even for modern highly developed medicine. A protracted trophic ulcer leaves deep scars on the skin. Usually, ulcers are treated with conservative therapy; in severe, advanced cases, surgery is used.

Useful tips - what to do

maintain your weight in a normal range;
wear comfortable (wide, without heels) shoes and loose, non-constrictive clothing;
do not scratch the skin on the veins;
regularly arrange contrasting douches and foot baths with herbs;
walk every day for normal blood circulation;
to be treated in sanatorium-resort institutions;
use compression garments and elastic bandages to reduce pressure on the veins.

General recommendations

Experts recommend that patients:

Maintain normal body weight
Wear comfortable and practical shoes, loose clothing,
Use elastic bandages and compression stockings to relieve discomfort.
Don't scratch your veins
Have a contrast shower in the evenings,
Take baths with a decoction of medicinal herbs,
Avoid using alkaline soap while bathing.
Don't take a steam bath
To normalize blood flow, walk for a long time,
Horizontal body position and elevated legs improve blood circulation,
Undergo sanatorium-resort treatment.

Diet therapy consists of eating beans, vegetables and fruits, and beef liver. Walnuts, egg whites, and dishes prepared using grape leaves are beneficial. It is necessary to exclude salt, hot seasonings, coffee, canned vegetables and meat, alcohol, fried and fatty foods from the diet of patients. You should drink at least 1.5 liters of water daily (if there are no contraindications!).

If there is no effect from conservative therapy, varicose veins are removed surgically. Typically, a classic operation is performed and minimally invasive methods are used. Removal and, in some cases, shunting of damaged areas of blood vessels makes it possible to permanently get rid of this pathology.

How can you get rid of itching?

Itching with varicose veins of the legs: what to do? This question is asked by absolutely all people who have encountered such a problem. Itching is an unpleasant symptom that can drive anyone into hysterics; for this reason, absolutely all people suffering from such an illness want to get rid of it.

But at the same time, in the overwhelming majority, the use of folk remedies or even certain medications does not give the expected result. And as a rule, the disease does not go away, and even gets worse. It is for this reason that self-medication is considered a rather dangerous undertaking.

If itchy skin occurs, you should immediately seek help from a specialist, and in this case, it is not recommended to delay the trip.

Only a doctor can determine what stage of development this disease is at and prescribe appropriate treatment. Moreover, therapeutic therapy in such a situation will be complex.

As described above, treatment requires an integrated approach, namely:

taking antihistamines;
use of sedative medications;
use of herbal compresses.

Antihistamines

In order to reduce itching, and in some cases, relieve severe burning of the skin, you will need to take anti-allergic medications. Diazolin is mainly prescribed for such symptoms.

Such a drug can cause drowsiness, which in this case will only benefit the patient, since he will be able to fully rest.

It is worth noting that this drug is suitable specifically for those people who can take sick leave or those who are unemployed.

Sedative drugs

Such drugs are also successfully used to improve the condition of the human nervous system.

Doctors often recommend taking motherwort tincture or valerian in order to relieve severe irritability.

Herbal compresses

The use of such tinctures is a prerequisite for complex treatment. The fact is that herbal medicine can have an effective anti-inflammatory effect on the surface of the affected skin.

If you use compresses, the swelling, itching and redness of the skin in the affected areas will noticeably decrease. It is worth noting that chamomile copes well with this task; it is what is most often prescribed.

But at the same time, every person suffering from this disease must understand that such therapy will only help to significantly reduce the feeling when the affected areas itch very much, but, unfortunately, this treatment will not be able to get rid of the main provocateur of these consequences.

Folk remedies

When you are concerned about itching due to varicose veins of the legs, experts in traditional methods of treatment will tell you what to do. The following remedies can help alleviate the condition:

Tincture of aloe leaves, which is rubbed on the feet every evening;
Warm foot baths with the addition of a decoction of chamomile and string;
Rubbing itchy areas with peppermint tincture;
Foot masks made of blue or white clay;
A decoction of hop cones has a calming effect; it is taken orally in a glass before bedtime;
General baths with the addition of a decoction of St. John's wort and lemon balm.

In order for your legs to itch less with varicose veins, you must carefully observe personal hygiene, wear clothes and shoes made of natural fabrics, loose fit. A contrast shower has a good effect. Sufficient physical activity is indicated - swimming, race walking, squats, therapeutic exercises. It is important to give up bad habits, especially smoking.

Itching on the legs should be treated only in combination with treatment of the underlying disease, that is, varicose veins. Otherwise, there will be no effect from either medications or folk remedies.

Itching with varicose veins of the legs is a symptom of disease progression. Its appearance indicates the need for more thorough examination and treatment of the person.

Prevention of varicose veins

The main preventive measure that will help prevent the disease is to avoid activities in which you will be in one position for a long time. If this is not possible, follow a few simple rules:

when working sedentarily, during breaks, just walk or do simple exercises;
take a contrast shower regularly;
When sleeping, place a small pillow under your feet;
wear comfortable shoes with low heels. The sole should not be completely flat, and the heel should not exceed 5 cm in length.

An additional point that is often included in the prevention of varicose veins is wearing compression stockings. The fabric creates a tight-fitting effect and prevents veins from expanding.