HOME REMEDIES TO PREVENT VARICOSE VEINS FROM OCCURING

Varicose veins are veins under the skin of the legs, which have become widened, bulging, and twisted. Varicose veins are very common among women and and do not cause medical problems in most people. It is advisable to maintain your body with good exercises to prevent it coming at an young age. In case you are already affected you can manage your health with few simple remedies.

Maintain good hygiene and take care of your feet by regular massage. This will be very helpful in treating varicose veins.

Home remedies for Varicose Veins:

Ayurveda suggests that a well balanced diet is ideal to maintain health and relieve body from stress and constipation.

• Eat a proper diet with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, whole grains, soya products and fish. Avoid food rich in carbohydrates and fats.

• Eat fibrous food, as this will keep the bowels clean. This will prevent varicose veins from occurring and will also keep you away from various other ailments.
• Fresh fruit juices are very helpful to minimize Varicose veins. Pineapple is also very effective in the treatment of varicose veins. Pineapple juice should be consumed once a day in case there is severe pain and swelling.
• Raw vegetable juices are highly beneficial. A combination of carrot juice and spinach juice is proven home remedy for treating varicose veins. You can have 300 ml of carrot and 200 ml of spinach juice at a time.
• Onion, ginger and garlic are effective for proper blood circulation in the body. Include them while cooking food. It will minimize the pain of varicose vein.
• Supplements of Vitamin E & Vitamin C are found to be favorable home remedies for varicose veins.
• Avoid starchy foods like potatoes.
• Blackberries and cherries are also effective in preventing varicose veins from occurring

Massaging the affected areas:

You can apply and massage the affected areas . You will see good improvement.

• Apply equal quantities of Almond oil and Vitamin E oil onto the affected areas and you will feel the relief from pain and heaviness. You can apply the oil mix daily for good results.
• A good home remedy for varicose veins is applying some apple cider vinegar on skin and around the affected area. This is to be done twice a day.
• Application of Vitamin E oil or comfrey, white oak bark or witch hazel tea. You can apply any one of this on the affected area.
• Fuller’s earth or Multanni mitti is popular for its magical effects on skin. When mixed with water and applied on the varicose veins affected areas as a pack, leave it overnight. You will witness great results.
• Applying castor oil over the swollen veins will reduce the swelling and heal the varicose veins fast.
• Massage the swollen veins with rosemary oil, as this will give relief from the pain.
• The herb called marigold is very good home remedy for varicose veins. A compress of marigold can be applied externally around the affected area. the flowers of this herb can also be tied around the varicose veins. Marigold reduces the swelling and pain.
• An alternate hot and cold bath is ideal. You can keep both the waters and pour alternatively on the affected area. A huge relief from the pain and tiredness.
• Hot Epsom salt bath is recommended. This strengthens your veins and may make them straight.

Exercise is a major remedy for varicose veins. 

• Practice yoga daily. Yoga postures are very effective as home remedy for varicose veins as revealed by latest researches. Yoga postures such as gomukhasana, shalabhasana, sirshasana, viparitakarni, padmasana, vajrasana and sarvangasana are very helpful in reducing the pressure on the veins by draining the blood from the legs.
• Legs that are exercised are less likely to have varicose veins because they have good circulation.  Perform leg exercises like squats, calf raises and leg lifts every other day.

Watch outs:

• Do not wear skintight pants or bottom wears. This may give pressure to the circulatory system and can create varicose veins.Instead use a stocking set that gives support to feet. You get in different sizes . Contact your nearest pharmacists.
• Be sure to maintain a clean and healthy colon. Never remain constipated. This will minimize the appearance of varicose veins. Lukewarm water enema neutralizes the toxins from the body and colon. This is also useful in treating various disease including varicose veins.
• Varicose veins may turn into the surgical side. If home remedies and internal or external therapy does not work for long time, you need to consult the medical practitioner for further inputs on the problem. If it is left untreated, it may end up in major complications.
• Do not walk hard or run. Keep your legs slightly up when you sleep.
• In case you have to stand for long time while working then balance your weight equally on both the legs. Don’t put extra pressure on one leg.
• Rest is also important part of the day. Take rest whenever possible. Daily sleep of six to seven hours is a must for all of us.
• While watching television or reading books it is a good practice to rest your legs on a stool or chair in elevated position. This will reduce the pressure from your veins and help in treating the symptoms.
• Keep your legs elevated by 6 inches while sleeping.

Take good care of your health and spend time to pamper your skin too.

 

WHY DOES VARICOSE VEINS OCCUR FOR WOMEN AND THE AGED?

Many of us have heard women complaining of pain in the legs after standing for long durations at functions or gatherings where we are constantly doing one errand or the other and develop severe pain by the end of the day. The pain is due to varicose veins, a common phenomenon for nurses and people with long standing jobs.

What are Varicose veins?

Varicose veins are large, raised, swollen blood vessels that twist and turn. They usually develop in the legs and can be seen through the skin.

But Spider veins are smaller, red, purple, and blue vessels that also twist and turn. Spider veins are easily visible through the skin as well. They are also most often seen on the legs and face.

Varicose veins and spider veins often run in families and there may be a hereditary component.   Women are more likely to suffer from varicose veins and up to 50% of women may be affected. High chances for people above 50 years to get affected by varicose veins due to weakness in valves of veins.

Causes of Varicose Veins

There are a number of factors that influence a person to varicose veins. These include:

• Prolonged standing – Occupations that involve a lot of standing, such as nurses, hair stylists, teachers, and factory workers.
• Obesity or bloated belly.
• Age – Generally, most elderly individuals show some degree of varicose vein occurrence.
• Hormonal influences during pregnancy, puberty, and menopause.
• Postmenopausal hormonal replacement or HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy).
• The use of birth control pills.
• Heredity.
• A history of blood clots.
• Conditions that cause increased pressure in the abdomen including tumors, constipation, and externally worn garments.
• Pregnancy is associated with an increase in blood volume. Also, added pressure on the veins in the legs by the weight of the growing uterus and the relaxation effects of the hormones estrogen and progesterone on the vein walls contribute to the development of varicose veins during pregnancy.
• Straining: Chronic constipation, urinary retention from an enlarged prostate, chronic cough, or any other conditions that cause a person to strain for prolonged periods of time causes an increase in the forces transmitted to the leg veins and may result in varicose veins. These mechanisms also contribute to the formation of hemorrhoids, which are varicosities located in the rectal and anal area.
• Prior surgery or trauma to the leg: These conditions interrupt the normal blood flow channels.
• Defective or damaged valves within the veins  is the main cause. Valves prevent backward flow of blood within the vein. They keep blood in the vein moving towards the heart. Due to poor functioning of valves the blood flow actually reverses and flows down the superficial veins, when it should be flowing up, towards the heart.

Composition of a Varicose Vein

Veins are blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood to the heart (except for pulmonary veins, which transport oxygenated blood). Varicose veins are the result of a breakdown or faulty design of the valve structure within the veins. Folds in the vein’s inner wall form valves that close temporarily after each heartbeat to prevent the blood from flowing backward until the next pump of the heart moves it on. This assists in returning blood to the heart against the pull of gravity. If these valves become weakened and blood does not flow, blood pools in the area and vein walls can ­become swollen and inflamed—the condition known as ­varicose veins.

Symptoms of Varicose Veins

Individuals experience severe pain, described as an aching or cramping in the legs. Other common symptoms include tiredness, restlessness, burning, inflammation, itchy, or heaviness in the legs.

In women, symptoms may be worse during certain parts of the menstrual cycle or during pregnancy. Patients also may develop swelling, ulcers (deep sores), and an increase in the pigmentation or darkening of the color of their skin, especially in the ankle region.

Occasionally, varicose veins can form a painful blood clot with inflammation of the vein called thrombophlebitis. Rare causes of profuse bleeding from the veins occur due to obstruction of blood flow or superficial injury on the sores in extreme cases.

Preventive measures

It is advised to consult the Medical Practitioner when you feel excess pain and swollen up veins. There are instances where varicose veins spontaneously disappear, but often they do not.  Many treatments are available, so check with your doctor.  The Doctor will guide you on the tips to prevent re-occurrence of varicose veins. Common preventive measures include:

• Avoid standing in one position for long periods of time.  If it is inevitable that you must stand, prop one foot on a stool for 5 minutes, and then switch legs.  Stand with knees slightly bent, not locked in position.
• Put your feet up at the end of the day.  Pain caused by varicose veins is usually relieved by elevating the legs. You can elevate your legs by placing a stool during seating positions and place an additional thin pillow to raise your feet approximately 6 inches during bed time. With this height you need not fear about gravity, blood flowing towards the head.
• Massage your foot .  Pressure from massage facilitates blood away from the feet and legs. Avoid wearing high heeled foot wear as high heels puts additional pressure and minimizes blood flow.
• Keep your weight down.  It is more difficult for the heart to pump blood efficiently when you are overweight. Reduce over weight. Do walking daily at least for 30 mins in the morning.
• Minimize salt intake: Sodium, or salt, causes swelling in tissue, which can impede blood flow and put strain on leg veins.
• Avoid alcohol.  Alcohol dilates veins, increasing blood flow to feet and legs.
• Quit smoking. It may contribute to high blood pressure, which can aggravate varicosity.
• If you sit for long periods, stand up periodically. The same is true if you stand for long periods, sit periodically. Keep your body constantly changing positions.  Keeping one position for long periods is very demanding on a body.
• Wear support stockings.  Support hose keeps blood from pooling in feet and legs, and helps the veins return blood back to the heart. These stockings can generally be purchased at any surgical supply store and at some pharmacies.
  

Simple Exercises to strengthen your legs:

Legs that are exercised are less likely to have varicose veins because they have good circulation.  Perform leg exercises every other day.  Some examples of leg exercises include:

• Squats:  Slowly lower your rear as if you are going to sit down in a chair.  Make sure your knees are not over your toes when in squat position.  Hold the squat position for three seconds and slowly rise back to standing.  Perform this move until you are unable to perform a squat with proper form.
• Calf Raises:  With a wall nearby for support, stand with legs straight and slowly raise up onto ball of foot and lower.  For greater intensity, perform on stairs, extending heels below stair level for maximum stretch.  Do as many as you are able until calves are fatigued.  To increase intensity, do calf raises one leg at a time.
• Leg Lifts:  Sit on floor with legs straight out in front of body.  One leg at a time, raise leg and make small circles with foot and leg, keeping leg straight.  Do ten circles in one direction, and ten in the other.  Switch legs.
  

Treatment options

The treatment for varicose veins depends on the diagnosis and the severity of the problem for the patient. In few cases Sclerotherapy,  Endovenous Laser Treatment, Radiofrequency Occlusion, Lasers and Intense Pulsed Light and Surgery is recommended.

Surgery is done for individuals with large varicose veins or severe clots. Surgery may be performed using local, spinal, or general anesthesia. Most patients return home the same day as the procedure.

Ayurveda recommends simple home remedies to minimize Varicose veins:

Simple home remedies for you to implement

• Mix fuller’s earth with water to form a thick paste. Apply this as a pack on your legs and let it remain overnight. This reduces the swelling and pain. Wash away with warm water.
• Use the herb called marigold . Marigold flower as a compress can be applied over the painful areas. The flowers can be tied around the areas affected. It reduces swelling and pain.
• Mix ten drops of pure essential chamomile oil and four ounces of desired moisturizer cream. Apply this essential oil cream mixture two to three times a day to areas where there are Varicose veins . Chamomile is an anti-inflammatory is used to calm acne, eczema, rashes, dermatitis, dry and itchy skin and other allergic conditions in general.
• Yoga helps reduce the occurrence – Yogaasanas such as the Sarvangaasana, Halaasana, and Pawan muktaasana series promote circulation and the drainage of blood from the legs.