Every girl has more than once encountered the problem of bruises on her legs. They appear with bruises and other injuries. If bruises appear on your legs for no reason, especially in women, you should consult a doctor. This may signal a disease. You need to take seriously the appearance of bruises on the thighs, legs, and feet after scratching (due to itching).
Causes of bruises on legs
There are three reasons that lead to bruising on the legs of women:
- capillaries pass close to the skin, so the slightest touch leads to the formation of a bruise;
- mechanical damage to the capillaries - bruises, falls and prolonged compression;
- various diseases.
Determining the cause in the first days after the appearance of a hematoma makes it easy to get rid of even a serious illness.
Diseases that appear as spots on the legs
After examination and a series of studies, it sometimes turns out that hematomas are a consequence of the disease. Which doctor should I contact to establish an accurate diagnosis? A dermatologist or surgeon will look into the problem of bruising on the body. They will refer you for an ultrasound examination of your legs. Based on its results, a preliminary diagnosis will be established.
Diseases that provoke the appearance of symptoms:
- hypovitaminosis;
- varicose veins - red spots appear on the lower leg, observed in women after 30 years, often after childbirth;
- impaired blood flow in the extremities, chronic venous insufficiency;
- hemorrhagic diathesis is a group of diseases accompanied by subcutaneous hemorrhages;
- thrombophilia is a hereditary pathology that leads to the formation of blood clots, which provokes miscarriage during pregnancy or infertility.
If hematomas appear on the legs, consultation with a specialist is necessary, especially for those who have relatives suffering from thrombosis.
For hematomas on the legs, you need to remember about diseases of the blood system - thrombocytopenia, leukemia. They are characterized by bleeding and bruising on the legs. Such diseases are rare, the diagnosis is made by a general blood test. It should be the first investigation when hematomas occur. Timely diagnosis and detection of the disease at an early stage allows for a cure or long-term remission.
Factors not related to disease
Bruises do not always indicate illness; there are other factors:
- Insufficient amount of vitamin K. It is responsible for clotting. Its total lack leads to hemorrhages in any part of the body. Pathologies of the thyroid gland, liver and pancreas can lead to a decrease in this vitamin.
- Low vitamin C or rutin. The purpose of these beneficial substances is to strengthen blood vessels. Their deficiency leads to fragility and fragility of capillaries.
- Taking medications. Often hematomas appear in those who take corticosteroids, Aspirin, Citramon. They reduce clotting. Also, a similar effect is caused by food supplements with antithrombic activity, recommended for people with heart and vascular problems.
- Critical days. In women before menstruation, as well as in pregnant women before the onset of labor, hematomas easily appear on the legs. The reason for this is weak blood vessels and a decrease in the number of platelets. In addition, pregnant women experience stress on their lower limbs, so bruises after childbirth are a common occurrence.
- Drinking alcoholic beverages. The appearance of hematomas may be a consequence of alcohol intake. It thins the blood and reduces the amount of vitamin C in the body, destroying blood vessels.
Diagnostics
What tests should I take to find out the cause of the bruises? This is a general blood test to determine the number of platelets. In women, the norm is no more than 320 * 10 9 / l, in pregnant women - 380, in adolescents - up to 480. A slight deviation is a consequence of a stressful situation or an incorrect lifestyle, an inflammatory process, and a decrease in the level below 100 is thrombocytopenia. It is a side effect of some powerful medications. If the patient is not taking medications at the time of the test, he is additionally recommended to:
- do an ultrasound examination of the liver, pancreas, spleen;
- donate blood for HIV, hepatitis and herpes.
Also, with leukemia, the patient may experience a decrease in platelets, while the level of leukocytes increases. To confirm the diagnosis, the bone marrow is tested.
What to do if blue spots appear
If the cause is determined, treatment should begin. It is necessary to improve blood circulation by the following methods:
- Sports – daily walks in the fresh air, morning exercises, systematic visits to the gym. For those who spend a long time at the computer, it is recommended to take active breaks.
- Foot massage. To do this, use a cream with a moisturizing effect, apply it to the legs and rub in with light movements from the knee and above, and then go down below.
- Shoes should be comfortable, preferably with low heels.
- No tight stockings.
- A balanced diet, which should be enriched with foods containing calcium and vitamin C, and a strict drinking regime.
- Limit physical activity; it is not advisable to lift heavy objects.
- Body weight control.
All these rules will help avoid bruising.
How to treat bruises
The treatment of spontaneous bruises (large or small) should be approached with caution, especially if they appeared without injury. An experienced specialist will easily find out the cause and select treatment options.
Important! Self-medication can be dangerous to health.
If bruises are a consequence of contusions, medications based on heparin and badyagi will help speed up the healing process. These products may contain nicotinic acid and benzocaine. Heparin helps thin the blood, causing bruises to resolve faster and swelling to decrease. Nicotinic acid helps dilate blood vessels, benzocaine relieves pain and skin sensitivity.
Today in every pharmacy you can find products that effectively relieve subcutaneous hemorrhages:
- Heparin ointment copes well with all types of hematomas.
- Troxevasin gel containing troxerutin helps get rid of extensive bruising. Only those who have experienced them know how bruises hurt, so it is important to remove the pain syndrome, which is what the gel does. It also eliminates swelling in the bruised area.
- A cream containing vitamin K will help improve blood clotting and prevent hematomas.
- Healing ointments promote the resorption of dried blood and do not cause allergies. They can be used to treat bruises in children and adults.
If the appearance of hematomas is caused by a deficiency of nutrients in the body, it is important to replenish their deficiency. To do this, it is useful to take complex vitamins regularly.
How to get rid of it using traditional methods
Round spots and small bruises that appear for no reason are a consequence of injury or illness. If they occur on the calves or inner thighs, first aid is to apply ice wrapped in a towel.
When cooled, the blood vessels constrict, thereby reducing bleeding. Cool the place for no more than 15 minutes. This procedure will only help on the first day after the injury.
The following compresses are also suitable for rapid resorption of hematomas:
- an aloe leaf cut lengthwise is applied to the sore spot and wrapped with a cloth; such a compress must be kept all night;
- raw potatoes, grated, perfectly relieve swelling - they can also be used to make night compresses;
- Chopped parsley helps a lot;
- Cabbage leaf helps to cope with hemorrhages. Simply apply it to the sore spot.
Blue and black clay helps a lot. It is diluted to the consistency of sour cream, spread on gauze and applied to the place where veins protrude and hematomas are visible.
Salt compresses are also effective. 2 tsp. salts are diluted in ¼ glass of water. Transfer the contents to gauze and apply to the hematoma for two hours.
If spots often form on the lower extremities, it is important to find out why this is happening. You should seek qualified help from a specialist, especially when bruises do not resolve for a long time. The doctor will select a comprehensive treatment that will help remove the hematomas.
What to do with a callus that has just appeared or has been bothering you for more than a week? Calluses on the feet appear from the friction of shoes against the skin, resulting in the formation of a pocket, which over time turns into a hardened callus. To ensure your feet are always comfortable, you should purchase comfortable shoes. But what to do if tumors have already appeared?
Before you remove tumors, you need to know what you absolutely cannot do with calluses. Cutting or puncturing a blister or releasing liquid from it is strictly prohibited, as this can cause infection. A callus that has been pierced takes much longer to heal. It is more advisable to steam it in hot water, lubricate it with baby cream or bactericidal ointment, cover it with gauze and secure the bandage with a bandage.
If it is not possible to take a hot bath for your feet, and the callus begins to hurt and interferes with movement, you can cover it with a bactericidal plaster. This pharmacy essential should always be carried in your purse. With its help, healing will not occur, but it will not come into contact with the shoes. It is also recommended to steam the hardened callus, then you can apply grated raw potatoes, a piece of hot baked onion or lemon peel to its surface. The mass must be secured with gauze or adhesive tape and left for several hours.. It is better to do this procedure at night. It must be repeated daily for a week.
Another option is to lubricate the surface of the rough skin with regular hygienic lipstick. If the procedure is repeated regularly, the skin will soften and can be removed. An old callus should not be cut off without steaming, as there is a risk of infection.
Remedies for corns and dry calluses
There are many effective folk procedures that can be done with calluses:
- You can steam the legs in a hot bath with the addition of soda in a 1:1 ratio. After the rough skin has steamed, you can scrape off the growth with a pumice stone. Do not cut it with a blade or scissors, so as not to damage healthy skin. If you repeat the procedure regularly, after a while the callus or corns will disappear. After the bath, apply olive or linseed oil to the damaged area. If both oils are not available, you can replace them with heated sunflower oil. You should put plastic bags on your feet and warm wool socks on top. It is better to do the procedure at night.
- You can get rid of dry calluses using hydrogen peroxide. To do this, pour half a bottle of peroxide into a plastic bag, put it on your foot and secure it on top with a regular sock. The compress is left for 30 minutes, after which it is removed and the callus is cleaned with a pumice stone. After the procedure, the damaged areas should be lubricated with baby cream or oil.
- The next method is suitable for those who do not know what to do if a callus appears on their finger. An aloe leaf cut lengthwise and applied to the sore spot will help get rid of it. Secure with aloe polyethylene and bandage. After a day, the compress needs to be replaced with a new one. Over time, the rough skin will become softer, and then it can be cut off.
These methods help to painlessly get rid of old calluses and corns. You should be careful with the peroxide compress, as it may burn. If tingling occurs, the procedure should be stopped immediately and the feet should be washed.
Remedies for wet calluses
Wet calluses appear when shoes rub the skin on your feet. They look like a bubble of skin with liquid inside. It is this that protects the wound under the skin from the effects of various bacteria. If wet calluses appear, you can use 2 ways to eliminate them:
- The damaged area should be sealed with a bactericidal plaster and only wear soft shoes to avoid further rubbing. Over time, the bubble will burst, become crusty and come off easily. A wet blister should not be punctured to release fluid. It will appear again, but there is a risk of infection.
- If the neoplasm causes a lot of inconvenience due to its size or location, you need to wash your feet in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. Without wiping, you need to dry your feet in the air, and then apply any disinfectant ointment, for example, streptocide, to the damaged area. It will dry the skin and speed up healing. A bandage is applied to the ointment and changed every day.
When treating wet calluses using any of the methods, it is important to choose more comfortable soft shoes to avoid complications. If the lump does not go away within a few days or pain occurs, you should consult a doctor.
Pain may appear due to the development of infection and the appearance of pus, in which case the doctor will suggest opening the abscess and prescribing antibiotics and ointments for speedy healing.
Prevention of calluses
In order to avoid the appearance of calluses on your feet, you need to follow several rules:
- wear loose and light shoes as possible;
- It is not advisable to wear shoes on bare feet; it is better to wear tights or stockings;
- It is better to break in new shoes at home, putting them on for 15 minutes every day;
- It is better to buy new shoes in the afternoon, as your feet swell a little and become fuller.
If it was not possible to avoid the appearance of calluses, and you have to wear tight shoes, for example, according to the dress code in the office, then you can put a soft wool cloth or a piece of sponge in places that constantly chafe.
If this is not found, you can seal the callus with a bactericidal plaster, which has a strip of gauze in the center. Such minimal rules will help avoid discomfort.
What to do if spider veins appear on your legs? Why can't you sit in a cross-legged position? How to change your diet to avoid vascular problems? Associate Professor, Department of General Surgery, First Moscow State Medical University named after. I.M. Sechenova, phlebologist surgeon Igor Tsarenko will talk about diagnosis, modern treatment and prevention.
Most often, women aged 30 to 40 years turn to specialists in the treatment and prevention of vein diseases: it is during this period that the vascular network becomes a pronounced cosmetic defect. However, the ill-fated “stars” appear much earlier - at 20-30 years. In addition to women with a hereditary predisposition, there is also a certain risk group.
Those who are on their feet all day
Those who spend the whole working day standing are more susceptible to venous changes than others. Employees of beauty salons and shops - be on the lookout!
What to do?
For those who need to stand on their feet for duty, doctors recommend stretching their feet at every opportunity, transferring body weight from heel to toe and back. You can also walk up and down a few steps. This warm-up has a positive effect on vascular function and blood flow in the lower extremities. And flight attendants do several exercises every 1.5 - 2 hours to improve blood circulation.
The appearance of spider veins on the legs is the first manifestation of chronic venous insufficiency. The main reasons: congenital weakness of the venous network, hormonal imbalance and unhealthy lifestyle.
Bad habits
Smoking, excess weight and excessive sunbathing can provoke changes in the functioning of blood vessels. Thin capillaries burst, forming an unsightly mesh under the skin.
What to do?
It's difficult to give up bad habits. Try cutting down on cigarettes. Watch your weight. Morning jogging kills two birds with one stone: the blood vessels in the legs are strengthened, and the desire to smoke a cigarette is noticeably reduced. During the hot season, try to be in the sun only in the morning and evening hours.
Gynecology
It has been noticed that after pregnancy and taking hormonal contraceptives, a venous network may appear.
The fact is that during pregnancy, the expanding fetus compresses important blood vessels. And contraceptive drugs can change hormonal levels, negatively affecting the condition of blood vessels.
What to do?
Before taking any contraceptives, it is extremely important to consult a gynecologist. And those who are going to become a mother should visit a phlebologist and choose special knitwear for pregnancy and childbirth.
What does the vascular network mean?
The location of the burst vessels indicates one or another change in the body:
- the lower third of the leg is affected due to venous insufficiency;
- the inner or outer thighs may suffer due to hormonal changes.
Diagnosis of varicose veins
If you find spider veins or vascular networks in yourself, you need to contact a specialist - a phlebologist.
- First of all, the doctor will ask you about similar illnesses in your relatives.
- Then he will examine the legs using a special lamp with a light guide. This procedure is called transillumination.
- There is also another, more modern diagnostic method - Doppler ultrasound. You will have to do an ultrasound of your legs, with the help of which the doctor will be able to practically see through the vessels, the blood flowing through them, measure the speed of the flow and determine the condition of the valves of the veins. The procedure usually takes no more than 30 minutes.
Stars on legs: removal and treatment
Today, there are invasive and conservative methods for removing varicose veins.
Invasive therapy
- Venous mesh with a diameter of less than 0.2 mm can be quickly, safely and almost painlessly removed using a gold or Teflon-coated electrode. This method is called microthermocoagulation. With it, the capillaries are sealed with a high-frequency pulse using a thin electrode. There are no side effects after this procedure, because the treatment takes place without medications. Microthermocoagulation can be done only after consultation with a phlebologist. The procedure, depending on the area of skin damage, lasts about 20 minutes. In the postoperative period, you should follow the lifestyle prescribed by your doctor.
- A venous network with a diameter of more than 0.2 mm can be eliminated using microsclerotherapy. Using an ultra-thin needle, a specialist injects a special drug that “glues” the lumen of the capillary. The procedure is also carried out in medical centers after consultation with a phlebologist.
Be careful: invasive methods are contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation. In addition, the doctor always pays attention to the psychological state, the presence of allergies and the general condition of the patient’s blood vessels.
Prevention of varicose veins
Do you want to be proud of healthy and beautiful legs without signs of venous complications for as long as possible? Then follow our advice:
- Do not wear high-heeled shoes for a long time or often. Choose shoes with heels no more than 4-6 cm;
- Take care of your legs not only during the day, but also at night: make sure that they are slightly elevated during sleep. This way you will not only avoid bursting blood vessels on your legs, but also get rid of swelling.
- Replace tight, tight socks and socks with tight elastic bands for looser, seamless underwear. It is very important that blood circulates freely through the vessels so that they are not pinched. For the same reason, avoid the cross-legged pose.
- The most suitable and useful sports are: swimming, running, aerobics or cycling. Such physical activity strengthens the leg muscles and has a beneficial effect on vascular circulation in the lower extremities.
- At the end of the day, take a relaxing foot bath and then lie down with your legs elevated for about 15 minutes.
- Eat right. Remember that the condition of blood vessels and weight are closely interrelated, therefore: reduce the amount of fatty and carbohydrate foods, consume more fiber and vitamin C (you will find both in vegetables and fruits). By the way, before starting a course of treatment with a phlebologist, many patients are observed for some time by a nutritionist.
“The most important thing is not to hide the venous mesh under a tan. Corrective creams, auto-bronzants, creams with a shimmering effect - there is a really wide choice,” says the phlebologist surgeon. “They can disguise the mesh on the legs. But, alas, for varicose veins, as well as for edema "And cosmetics do not save painful sensations. At least at night, use special foot creams, and before the onset of the summer season, take a course of veinotonics recommended by your doctor."
The appearance of a bone on the thumb initially attracts attention only as a cosmetic defect. But the problem is much more serious than it might seem at first glance.
Symptoms
At the very beginning, the disease occurs without particularly pronounced symptoms: the pain in the foot that occurs towards the end of the day is disturbing, which is attributed to ordinary fatigue. Treatment of feet at this stage comes down to relaxing foot baths and rubbing various oils into the foot. Such actions really bring relief and eliminate discomfort.
Within two weeks, along with swelling at the site of formation of the future bone, a curvature of the thumb “pleases” the eye with its appearance.
Doctors divide the disease into several stages:
- Changes in the shape of the lower leg are barely noticeable and amount to a deterioration in appearance: redness, a small growth or callus appears.
- The stage is characterized by a pain syndrome that appears from time to time - a bone in the leg hurts. At the same time, the shape of the foot continues to change, the bumps stick out more and more.
- The disease is in an advanced state. The big toe deviates very much, difficulties arise while walking, and choosing shoes becomes a problem. The deformity is pronounced; the large bones on the legs are striking.
- I am worried about almost unrelenting pain in the joints. The foot is disfigured: the big toe is twisted and “lies” on the other toes.
The first stage of the disease is successfully treated with traditional methods. The more advanced the disease, the more radical measures are required to get rid of it.
Bunion on the foot - causes
In fact, bunions are a disease called hallux valgus in the medical world. And like any other disease, it has its own symptoms, causes, complications and treatment methods.
