Vasculitis is a common peripheral vascular disease. The exact cause of vasculitis is not yet fully understood, but many factors have been found to trigger its onset, such as male hormones, smoking, cold and damp environments, trauma, and immune dysfunction. In the later stages of vasculitis, ulcers and necrosis can easily occur, eventually leading to amputation. Therefore, patients with vasculitis must not be careless. Besides active and regular treatment, self-care for vasculitis patients is also very important. Below, we will invite experts from Shanxi Yikang Vasculitis Hospital to introduce methods of self-care for vasculitis patients.
Starting from the causes of vasculitis, we need to strengthen care in the following areas. Vasculitis is more common in men than women, and most are young adults, which is clearly related to male hormones. Therefore, sexual activity should be moderated to avoid worsening the condition.
Strict smoking cessation: Most vasculitis patients have a history of smoking, and nicotine in cigarette smoke can cause vasoconstriction, which is detrimental to arterial blood supply. Therefore, strict smoking cessation is necessary.
Cold protection and warmth preservation: Cold and dampness can cause or exacerbate vasospasm, ultimately leading to arterial occlusion. It is known that in warm environments, blood vessels dilate and skin color becomes rosy; otherwise, the skin appears pale. Therefore, proper warmth preservation during cold seasons and in air-conditioned rooms is very important for vasculitis patients. Cold will cause vasoconstriction, further reducing blood flow, and symptoms caused by ischemia will worsen.
Preventing trauma and timely treatment: Trauma not only exacerbates vascular damage and spasm but also reduces the anti-infection ability of limbs already in an ischemic state, causing wounds to heal poorly. Even fungal infections like athlete's foot, which are usually overlooked, can pose a threat to affected limbs. Therefore, collisions and pressure injuries to the feet should be avoided, and any external injuries or fungal infections on the feet should be treated promptly.
Limb exercise: Functional exercise can prevent muscle atrophy, increase blood flow in the limbs, promote collateral vessel opening, and maintain limb activity. However, limb exercise should not be rushed, and the amount of activity should be appropriate. Since the affected limb itself is in an ischemic state, excessive activity will inevitably worsen the symptoms. Here, "appropriate activity" means not causing limb pain.
Reducing blood viscosity: Slow blood flow and increased blood viscosity can lead to thrombosis, causing complete obstruction of already narrowed arteries. Treatment can include drinking more water, eating more black fungus regularly, and taking low-dose aspirin.
The above is a detailed introduction by experts on self-care methods for vasculitis patients, hoping it can help you. For more questions, you can consult online with experts from Shanxi Yikang Vasculitis Hospital. Finally, I wish you good health.
For more details, please visit the Vasculitis Special Section of Shanxi Yikang Vasculitis Hospital: http://www.sxykmgy.com/maiguanyan/ or consult experts for free. Experts will provide detailed answers based on the specific conditions of patients.
If you reprint this article, please indicate the source as Shanxi Yikang Vasculitis Hospital: http://www.sxykmgy.com/mgyyf/3178.html