Phlebitis of the veins on the arm: treatment, causes, prevention

Why does phlebitis of the veins on the arm occur ? The treatment, diagnosis, causes and symptoms of this disease will be discussed below.

Basic information

What is the phlebitis of the veins on the arm (only the doctor should treat this pathology)? According to experts, phlebitis is called inflammation of a site of venous walls, which occurs for various reasons. We will discuss them further.

What can be caused by the disease?

In medical practice, inflammation of the veins is more common on the lower limbs. Varicosity is a predisposing factor for the development of such a pathology. However, it should be noted that varicose veins are never affected. Therefore, the inflammation of the veins on the upper limbs arises for other reasons.

Doctors say that the following violations lead to the development of such a pathological process:

• Propensity (increased) to thrombosis, which can be transmitted not only by inheritance, but also to develop throughout the life of the patient.
• Change in clotting factor.
• Decreased immunity.
• Delayed passage of blood through blood vessels. Usually, this condition is noted with functional failure of the heart and its various pathologies.

Why still there is a phlebitis of the vein on the arm, the treatment of which will be described below? The trigger mechanism for the development of such pathology is the damage to the walls of the blood vessel or the entry into it of an infectious agent.

Other reasons

Violation of the integrity of venous walls can also be traumatic. For example, post-injection phlebitis. The probability of developing such a pathology is especially high when staging a dropper, the needle of which for a sufficiently long time traumatizes the inner layers of the vein.

Also, the veins of the hands are slightly injured in diseases of the osteoarticular system. This is due to the fact that many blood vessels pass through narrow holes in the bone formations. Their changes lead to the fact that the holes narrow or the vein is squeezed by any pathological bone protrusion. Long-term traumatization eventually causes the development of phlebitis.

Infections

How to eliminate phlebitis of the vein on the arm? Treatment with antibiotics is prescribed only if the cause of this pathological condition is the infection. Usually this occurs as a result of penetration into the vein of the banal flora, including hemolytic streptococcus.

Infection of the vessel with bacteria can occur just before the development of phlebitis. The entrance gates for such microorganisms are the pharynx. Therefore very often the inflammation of veins develops immediately after tonsillitis, laryngitis or pharyngitis.

According to experts, in the patient's body, the infection can be constantly present in the form of pyelonephritis, chronic tonsillitis, caries, etc. When the blood characteristics change and immunity decreases, the pathogen starts to look for the most vulnerable places, and then causes inflammation.

Symptoms of the disease

How to recognize the phlebitis of the veins on the arm? Treatment of this disease should be started only after contacting a doctor and making the correct diagnosis.

Usually, inflammation of the venous walls is accompanied by severe swelling, pain syndrome and reddening of the soft tissues surrounding it. It is also possible to raise the temperature of the patient's body.

When lesions of deeper vessels reddening may not be observed. Quite often phlebitis on the upper limbs is taken for inflammation of the fingers, joints of the hand, elbow or neuritis of the ulnar nerve. This is due to the fact that the vein wall usually inflames next to the osteoarticular system, and redness and swelling are diffuse.

Other signs

To recognize the phlebitis of the veins on the arm, the first thing you should pay attention to is the nature of the pain. Quite often it becomes intense when the upper limb is lowered down. This is due to the influx of blood to the affected part of the vessel. Painful sensations in this case are tearing, pulling and pulsing, while neuritis and arthritis are characterized by their constant intensity.

Also, you should pay attention to the time of pain intensification. It does not subside during the immobilization of the hand and is often intensified at night.

It should also be noted that with the phlebitis of the veins, the skin of the upper limb changes. The area of the developed edema may be bluish or purple. If the inflammation was spread along the vein, then red lines appear. By the way, the skin temperature around the hearth becomes lower. This is due to a violation of blood flow.

Consequences of the disease

When developing such a disease, it must be remembered that inflammation of the blood vessel can cause the formation of a thrombus. If the latter detaches from its place of attachment, then with a blood stream, it can enter the heart cavity and clog the lumen of the most important arteries. Also, a thrombus can interfere with the blood flow in the area of inflammation, which eventually leads to the necrosis of the tissues and gangrene.

In connection with all of the above, it should be noted that every effort should be made to combat this pathology. Categorically it is forbidden to treat phlebitis with folk remedies and even more so to ignore it.

If the inflammation spread along the vein, then urgent hospitalization of the patient is necessary.

Favorable conditions for the elimination of the disease (prevention)

Treatment of phlebitis after a catheter, as well as other causes, must begin with the creation of optimal conditions for the elimination of inflammation. For this you need:

• More often give the upper limb an elevated position. This procedure will facilitate the outflow of blood and contribute to the removal of pain.
• Gently bandage the limb with an elastic bandage, which will greatly facilitate the work of the venous wall, which will make less effort to push through the blood. It should also be noted that the process of bandaging significantly reduces the severity of tissue edema. Use elastic bandage immediately after the patient wakes up, holding his arm upright. It is forbidden to squeeze the tissue, as this will disturb the blood flow. From time to time, the bandage should be removed. In this case, keep the arm in a raised position.
• Constantly apply cold to the focus of inflammation (compress on hand). It will slow the development of inflammation and prevent the spread of infection, as well as deactivate it.
• It is extremely important when phlebitis to comply with drinking regimen, which will help to thin the blood and remove the manifestations of intoxication.

Method of treatment

To treat phlebitis is not possible without correct choice of pharmacological agents. As a rule, in such a pathology, medicinal products belonging to the following groups are used:

• Venotonizing and affecting the rheological characteristics of the blood, as well as the state of the vascular walls. This group includes such drugs as "Troxevasin", "Trental", "Escuzan". Their price is quite acceptable, therefore, almost everyone will be able to buy such drugs.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs that help reduce or relieve pain intensity, as well as relief of inflammation. As a drug, any NSAID (eg, Ibuprofen, Meloxicam, Diclofenac and others) is allowed.
• Antibacterial medicines. Such medicines include: sulfonamides, cephalosporins, tetracyclines, macrolides and others. They are prescribed only if the phlebitis on the arm is due to infection.

Also in a hospital environment, drugs that dilute blood and prevent the formation of clots are actively used. Do this under strict control of blood indicators (for example, "Kurantil No. 25").

Use "Troxevasin", "Meloksikam", "Trental", "Diclofenac" and "Escuzan", the price of which does not exceed 500-600 rubles, should only be for the purpose of the phlebologist. It should also be noted that the treatment of the disease in question is a fairly long process.

After the end of drug therapy, discomfort in the affected area of the hand (veins), as well as edema in the surrounding area and redness, can persist for a very long time (up to several weeks).

Objective symptoms of improving the patient's condition are a decrease in the intensity of pain and redness, as well as the normalization of the body temperature of the patient.