In many home medicine kits, you can find old and time-tested medicines. One of them is heparin ointment. It has been used for many years to treat various ailments. This is an anticoagulant that directly affects the source of the disease. It has a resolving effect. In addition, the drug eliminates pain of various etiologies, fights inflammation.
Heparin ointment effectively copes with bruises and bruises, signs of venous insufficiency. Could there be an allergy to heparin ointment? Yes, and such an adverse reaction develops on heparin - the active active substance, as well as on auxiliary components of the drug. But how to understand what allergy is manifested in?
Only a doctor can establish an accurate diagnosis and identify the substance that provoked a negative reaction of the body, having examined the patient and prescribed the necessary studies. When using this drug, it is important to remember that heparin ointment is, first of all, a drug that should be used only as directed by a doctor. Before you start using the drug, you must carefully study the instructions.
Release form
Heparin ointment (Unguentum Heparini) - a drug for external use. Available in aluminum tubes of 10 and 25 grams, which are packed in cardboard boxes.
Heparin ointment: composition
A homogeneous white mass, sometimes having a yellow tint. The active substance of the ointment is an anticoagulant - heparin. The drug, absorbed through the skin, resolves hematomas, eliminates puffiness and reduces inflammation in the soft tissues, prevents the risk of blood clots with varicose veins of the lower extremities.
The ointment is based on petrolatum, which gives the dosage form ease of application and elasticity. Contains other excipients heparin ointment. The composition includes the following substances:
- Benzocaine, which relieves pain.
- Glycerin, ensures the stability of the composition.
- Benzyl nicotinate. Due to the dilatation of the capillary network, it accelerates the penetration of heparin through the skin.
- The drug also includes nipagin, which acts as a preservative and provides a long shelf life of the drug with the same therapeutic properties.
- Peach oil provides an additional anti-inflammatory effect.
Indications for use of ointment
There are indications and contraindications for the use of any drugs. Heparin ointment is no exception. To avoid side and negative effects, you must read the instructions and strictly follow the conditions of use. Indications for the use of ointments are:
- varicose disease, including trophic ulcers;
- thrombophlebitis and phlebitis, including post-injection;
- chronic hemorrhoids;
- lymphatic insufficiency (lymphangitis of any etiology, elephantiasis);
- injuries complicated by hematomas, edema and infiltrates;
- superficial mastitis.
Ointment is also used in cosmetology:
- to stimulate skin regeneration;
- getting rid of edema and bags under the eyes;
- accelerate the delivery of nutrients to the deeper layers of the skin, activate metabolism;
- acne treatment;
- eliminate the symptoms of cellulite in the first two stages.
Bags under the eyes
Cosmetologists do not consider heparin ointment as a panacea for wrinkles and bags under the eyes. Reviews indicate that it helps some women better, others consider the effect of treatment to be insignificant. However, with proper use of the drug, it can improve the appearance, get rid of excessive swelling.
This is due to a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, the ointment helps to thin the blood. Applying it to the lower eyelid region helps to normalize blood flow, restore tissue microcirculation. It is important to use the composition correctly, after consulting with a specialist. Check out the most common methods for applying ointment:
- Mix the ointment in equal proportions with the cream for eyelid care. For additional skin hydration, add 2 ml of almond oil to the mixture. The prepared mass is applied to the lower eyelids with light massaging movements in the morning and evening. Treatment lasts no more than 20 days.
- Halve the cotton pad. On each part of it, no more than 0.5 g of heparin ointment is applied and evenly distributed on the surface. Attach them to the lower eyelids for 20 minutes. Applications are made daily in the evenings during the week.
Contraindications
In accordance with the instructions for use of the ointment, contraindications to its use include:
- any, even minor violations of the integrity of the skin (cracks, scratches, abrasions, wounds, including those accompanied by purulent inflammation);
- low level of blood coagulability (history of bleeding, hereditary thrombophilia);
- arterial hypertension of the II and III stages;
- an ulcer of the duodenum and stomach (a history of ulcers in the period of exacerbation);
- liver diseases (tumor processes, cirrhosis).
Heparin ointment should be used with caution during menstruation, with gynecological diseases, which are accompanied by large blood loss.
Causes of allergic reactions to the drug
Recently, doctors have noted that patients are more often allergic to heparin ointment. It was previously believed that this drug can not cause such a pathology, but in practice, everything is different. Benzyl nicotinate is part of the heparin ointment. It causes a decrease in the tone of the walls of small vessels, thereby increasing their permeability. Due to this effect, heparin is actively absorbed through the skin into the blood. The production of bradykinin, an active substance that stimulates mast cells, occurs. They throw out a lot of inflammatory mediators. So the cascade process of allergy to heparin ointment is launched.
The increased sensitivity of cells and tissues (sensitization) of the body leads to the application of ointment on damaged skin. Scratches, cracks, trophic ulcers contribute to a more pronounced and vivid picture of the pathology. Therefore, it is important to apply the drug on an intact (intact) surface.
Symptoms of a Heparin Allergy
Symptoms on this ointment are similar to other allergic reactions. They can be various, including anaphylactic shock. The most common signs of the disease are:
- redness of the skin;
- itching
- peeling;
- edema;
- blisters.
As a rule, at the site of drug exposure, a clinical picture of urticaria is observed, which often has a drain, massive character. The more severe forms of allergies to heparin ointment include rhinitis, conjunctivitis, Quincke's edema, and bronchospasm.
All manifestations of a negative reaction to a drug require seeking qualified medical help.
Allergy to heparin ointment: what to do?
When, after applying this remedy, characteristic signs appear - edema, hyperemia, peeling, skin itching or a more severe reaction has appeared, the ointment should be rinsed immediately with plenty of water at room temperature. Sometimes this is enough to prevent the further development of the reaction.
If washing does not lead to a decrease in symptoms, you should consult a doctor. The use of various alcohol-containing substances, soothing tinctures is strictly prohibited. Alternative medicine is allowed to be used only after consultation with a doctor. They can become auxiliary agents in complex therapy.
Heparin response treatment
After questioning and examining the patient, the doctor makes a diagnosis - an allergy to heparin ointment. It is very important to tell the specialist how the reaction began, how it developed, what the patient experienced. Only after this, the doctor will prescribe a comprehensive treatment of the pathology.
For the relief of symptoms, antihistamines are used in tablets (Suprastin, Zovirax, Tavegil), as well as local drugs (Lorinden C, Celestoderm B, Nezulin, Elokom, Fenistil and others ) Alternative medicine may be recommended. In more severe cases, doctors use desensitizing injectable forms and glucocorticoid drugs. Only a doctor can choose a method of treatment depending on the condition of the patient.
Pregnant Allergy
The body of a woman carrying a child is in a state of marked natural suppression of the immune response (immunosuppression), which ensures the preservation of pregnancy. At later dates, symptoms of venous insufficiency often arise and hemorrhoids develop. Therefore, quite often, pregnant women are prescribed heparin ointment. Allergy in women in this position develops very often.
Even if there was no tendency to this disease before, during pregnancy with a high degree of probability a pathological reaction to the drug may develop. Therefore, you should not neglect tests for sensitivity to this tool. If, when applying the minimum amount of ointment to the inside of the forearm, there are no signs of allergy, then treatment can continue. Otherwise, the use of ointment should be discarded. The doctor will choose a woman an alternative method of treatment.
How to replace heparin ointment?
If the diagnosis of an allergy to heparin ointment is established, you can not use any drugs containing heparin.
Today, pharmacists can offer many tools that help improve venous outflow. The most effective and efficient should include:
- "Venoruton."
- Troxevasin.
- Detralex
- "Aescusan."
- "Flebodia" and others.
In addition, pharmacies are widely represented biologically active additives. But it is necessary to remind once again that the choice of remedies for treatment remains with the doctor. This will help to avoid negative reactions.