Obliterating endarteritis is a rare pathology for women, diagnosed in most cases in men. With this disease, damage to small blood vessels in the legs is observed, mainly in the feet, with a gradual obliteration - overlapping lumen. We will learn more about the manifestations, causes and consequences of pathology.
Obliterating endarteritis - causes
The disease begins with persistent vascular spasm in the feet, which provokes the inflammation of the walls of the vessels and the narrowing of their lumen due to thickening of the inner layer. Most specialists read that the obliterating endarteritis of the vessels has an autoimmune origin, In the blood of patients, autoantibodies and circulating immune complexes are detected.
Obliterating endarteritis of the vessels of the lower extremities is associated with the following factors:
- tobacco smoking;
- alcohol abuse;
- frostbite of the feet;
- wearing uncomfortable shoes;
- leg injuries;
- neuritis;
- chronic infections;
- prolonged stress.
Obliterating endarteritis of the lower extremities - symptoms
In addition to the pathological processes in the vessels themselves, the disease is accompanied by inflammatory-dystrophic processes in the perivascular fatty tissue, which causes the latter to thicken by squeezing the vessel from the outside. In conditions of insufficient intake of blood, foot tissues lose oxygen and nutrients, they begin to die. At the initial stage, the symptoms of obliterating endarteritis are not pronounced clearly and often include:
- heaviness in the legs;
- increased fatigue of the lower limbs;
- sweating of feet;
- periodically arising chills of the feet;
- blanching, dry skin in the affected area;
- inconstant pain in the legs convulsive.
As the pathology progresses, more pronounced manifestations are added:
- painful pain in the legs;
- sensations of numbness, creepy crawling, convulsions ;
- strong pallor and dryness of the skin, hair loss on the legs;
- constantly cold feet;
- deformation of nail plates;
- intermittent claudication - a syndrome characterized by a rapid onset of acute pain in the muscles of the legs during walking, somewhat subside after a short stop;
- the appearance of ulcers;
- lack of pulse in the lower limbs.
Obliterating endarteritis - diagnosis
The endarteritis of the vessels of the lower extremities is confirmed by the following modern diagnostic techniques that help to determine the extent of the lesion:
- angiography of blood vessels and arteries of the legs;
- dopplerography of the vessels of the lower extremities;
- volumetric sphygmography;
- capillarography, capillaroscopy;
- rheovasography.
Obliterating endarteritis of the lower limbs - treatment
Due to the fact that there is an opportunity at an early stage to establish obliterating endarteritis, treatment of this pathology can have good results. Although full recovery is currently not possible, due to careful implementation of all medical recommendations, in many cases it is possible to alleviate the symptoms, to stop the progression of the lesion.
If the obliterating endarteritis of the vessels of the lower extremities is diagnosed, treatment should begin with the elimination of harmful factors provoking spasm of blood vessels: smoking, drinking alcohol, hypothermia, stress, embarrassing shoes and clothes, etc. The feet of the patients must be kept warm and hygienic must be especially careful . Patients are recommended dosage physical activities, including daily walks. Physiotherapeutic methods are effective:
- thermal procedures (UHF-therapy, ozocerite applications);
- baromassage;
- medical baths (hot, contrasting);
- magnetotherapy ;
- electrophoresis and so on.
Obliterating endarteritis - treatment, drugs
Conservative methods of therapy of obliterating endarteritis necessarily include the use of medications, which are aimed at eliminating vascular spasm and inflammation, reducing soreness, improving the rheological properties of the blood, normalizing the functioning of the nervous system. Endarteritis treatment medication involves the appointment of such groups of drugs:
- antispasmodics (angiotrophin, Tifen, Redergam, etc.);
- vitamins (groups B, C, E and PP);
- antithrombotic agents (Aspirin, Trental, etc.);
- anticoagulants (Fibrinolysin, Hirudin, Pelentan, etc.);
- anti-inflammatory hormonal drugs (Prednisone, Cortisone, etc.).
Obliterating endarteritis - operation
The triggered endarteritis of the lower extremities, the treatment of which is ineffective by conservative methods, involves surgical intervention. It can be both minimally invasive techniques, and radical operations with amputation of a part of a limb. Often the endarteritis of the lower extremities is treated by such types of operations:
- sympathectomy;
- bypass surgery;
- trombendarteriectomy;
- autoplastic replacement of the artery;
- necrotomy.
Endarteritis of the vessels of the lower extremities - treatment with folk remedies
With the diagnosis of endarteritis treatment with folk remedies is a good complement to the main therapeutic course, but it should only be carried out with the permission of the doctor. To reduce vascular spasm accompanied by obliterating endarteritis, traditional healers recommend infusion.
Recipe for infusion
Ingredients:
- leaf vinca small - 10 g;
- cumin seed - 10 g;
- hawthorn flowers - 20 g;
- leaves and stalks of mistletoe white - 30 g;
- water - 2 cups.
Preparation and use:
- Raw pour boiling water and insist a couple of hours.
- Take 4 times a day after an hour after a meal of 100 ml.
- The duration of the course is 2 weeks, then a week-long break. To carry out 3 such courses.
Obliterating endarteritis - complications
In the absence of proper treatment, the obliterating endarteritis of the lower extremities can be complicated by necrosis and the development of dry or moist gangrene in the area of the heel, the back of the foot, and the fingers. When a large number of toxins enter the blood, the risk of death is high. Therefore, it is so important to discover the pathology in time and start treating it.