To diagnose varicose veins, a health care provider might recommend a test called a venous Doppler ultrasound of the leg. A Doppler ultrasound is a noninvasive test that uses sound waves to look at blood flow through the valves in the veins. A leg ultrasound can help detect a blood clot.
Treatment for varicose veins may include self-care measures, compression stockings, and surgeries or procedures. Procedures to treat varicose veins are often done as an outpatient procedure, which means you usually go home on the same day.
How To Prevent Varicose Veins Naturally
Compression stockings are available at most pharmacies and medical supply stores. Prescription-strength stockings also are available and may be covered by insurance if varicose veins are causing symptoms.
Though they haven't been well studied, a number of alternative therapies claim to be helpful treatments for chronic venous insufficiency. This is a condition associated with varicose veins in which leg veins have problems returning blood to the heart. Alternative therapies for varicose veins may include:
Your leg muscles are your biggest allies. Why? They help your veins push blood to the heart. This is very useful since your muscles are working against gravity. Any leg exercises will also help prevent the appearance of new varicose veins.
Around 20 percent of adults will experience varicose veins at some point. There are several medical treatments for this condition, though a person may also wish to try natural home remedies to relieve their symptoms.
A review study from 2006 suggests that horse chestnut extract, Aesculus hippocastanum L., may help to reduce leg pain, heaviness, and itching in people with chronic venous insufficiency, which is a major cause of varicose veins. Aesculus hippocastanum L. is available to purchase in health stores and online.
Flavonoids improve blood circulation, which will keep the blood flowing, and make it less likely to pool in the veins. They also help to reduce blood pressure in the arteries and can relax blood vessels, all of which can reduce varicose veins.
The Carolina Vascular Institute recommends preventing varicose veins by performing leg lifts, calf raises, bicycle legs and side lunges to strengthen and stretch the veins around the legs. (6) Low-impact exercises, such as walking, swimming and bicycling, are also ideal for varicose vein sufferers since they alleviate pressure.
People who are overweight are more likely to develop varicose veins, especially overweight women and elderly people. Carrying excess body weight puts higher amounts of pressure on your veins and can contribute to inflammation or reflux, especially in the largest superficial veins, such as the saphenous vein in the legs.
According to a report published by the Huffington Post about the connection between obesity and varicose veins, for overweight people varicose veins are often more difficult to assess and treat because they commonly go unnoticed until they progress to be more inflamed and larger in size (up to four or five centimeters long, deep inside the leg). (7)
The reason varicose veins appear blue is because they hold deoxygenated blood. They develop on the legs most often (especially the thighs and calves), but since any vein can become varicose, they also show up on other parts of the body at times, including the face, stomach or lower back. (11)
Who gets varicose veins most? According to the Interventional Radiology & Surgery Department at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, the people most likely to develop varicose veins are: (12)
Because varicose veins form where valves stop working properly, they often show up around deep or perforated veins. The great saphenous vein, sometimes also called the long saphenous vein, is a large, subcutaneous vein within the legs that is one of the most common to trigger varicose veins. This problem of blood pooling in certain veins is called venous insufficiency, and it winds up expanding the vein as blood stays stagnant and the vein hardens.
In some cases, varicose veins can actually rupture and cause complications like open sores on the skin and swelling. When painful symptoms are present, the most common are muscles aches or swelling in the ankles and legs, which can make it hard to get comfortable sleep, work, exercise and walk normally.
Varicose and spider veins: Varicose veins are enlarged veins that often twist and can bulge above the surface of the skin. They may be blue, red, or flesh-colored. Spider veins often look like webs. Having spider or varicose veins can affect more than your appearance. These veins can cause serious discomfort. Some varicose veins put you at risk for a complication like a blood clot or open sores on your legs.
Sclerotherapy: This is the most common treatment for leg veins. Over the years, dermatologists have improved sclerotherapy to make it safer and give patients better results. Today, dermatologists use it to treat spider and small varicose veins.
Every patient will need to protect the treated area from the sun for 3 to 4 weeks. This helps prevent dark spots from developing. Protecting your skin from the sun year round helps to prevent new spider veins and skin cancer.
Exercising regularly encourages better blood circulation in the legs. Better blood circulation and the pumping of the calf muscle (which has a heart-like action in the legs) help to push the blood collected in the veins back up towards the heart. Exercise can also lower your blood pressure, which is often a contributing factor to varicose veins.
A 2018 study found that people who used knee-high compression stockings with a pressure of 18 to 21 mmHg for one week experienced a reduction in the heaviness, pain, and aching associated with varicose veins.
Flavonoids improve blood circulation, which will make it less likely to pool in the veins. Flavonoids may also help shrink varicose veins by reducing blood pressure in the arteries and relaxing blood vessels.
Massage is the perfect way to get the blood moving- it also helps you relax! If you choose to do a gentle at-home massage, make sure to avoid pressing directly onto the fragile tissues on or around your varicose veins. Instead, use gentle smooth movements near those areas to guide the blood back towards your heart.
Massage oils or moisturizers can be used for optimal effect. There are also essential oils that have been blended specifically to treat varicose veins or blended into massage oils to get the circulation moving.
If varicose veins are causing you severe discomfort, or maybe you are just tired of looking at them, non-invasive medical treatments are available. In our office alone, you have access to a variety of treatments, including:
The most common locations for varicose veins during pregnancy are the legs, ankles and external genital area (vulva). Hemorrhoids, which are varicose veins that occur in your rectum or around your anus, are also common during pregnancy.
These can help by squeezing the veins to prevent blood from pooling. They work best if you wear them every day. You can try a low-tech version by wearing support pantyhose, which offer some of the same compression effect.
Apple cider vinegar is touted for addressing a wide range of conditions and concerns, including spider veins. The substance is known to improve healthy blood flow and circulation which is thought to reduce the formation of spider and varicose veins. Most recommendations entail applying the apple cider vinegar directly to the skin. In some cases, users are advised to wrap a piece of cloth in the vinegar and then wrap it around the area for a period of 20 to 30 minutes at a time.
Sclerotherapy is a proven spider vein treatment that has been used safely and successfully for decades. This procedure continues to be a top choice for patients at the Vein Care Center that would like to say goodbye to spider veins with permanent results. Dr. Aggarwal specializes in vein disease and treatments, including sclerotherapy for both spider and smaller varicose veins. To learn more about this procedure, schedule your consultation today by contacting the Vein Care Center at 419-227-4472.
Varicose veins during pregnancy are caused by blood volume increases that put pressure on the veins. Varicose veins are enlarged veins that commonly occur in the legs, although during pregnancy they can also appear on the buttocks and vaginal area. Hormonal changes can also lead to varicose veins during pregnancy as increased progestin levels can dilate or open the veins. In addition, during pregnancy the uterus puts pressure on the inferior vena cava (the vein that carries blood from the legs and feet to the heart), further contributing to varicose veins.Varicose veins are generally harmless, although they may become itchy and uncomfortable. The good news is they typically diminish within three months to a year after giving birth.Hemorrhoids are another kind of varicose vein in the anus or rectum that occurs during pregnancy and is oftentimes a result of constipation.
Warning: Some have used horse chestnut seed extract (with the poisonous esculin removed) to treat varicose veins. However, consuming the raw bark, flower, seed, or leaf of this plant is poisonous and can cause death. The safety of using horse chestnut extract with the esculin removed during pregnancy remains unknown.Therefore, it is best to avoid using it if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.How to Treat Varicose Veins Naturally During Pregnancy When Naturally Does Not WorkVaricose vein surgery is not recommend during pregnancy as varicose veins generally improve after giving birth. Contact your doctor if the veins become swollen, warm, tender, or red, if they bleed, if you have a rash on your leg or ankle, or if the skin on leg changes color or thickens.
While home remedies will not cure varicose veins or spider veins, they may help decrease symptoms. It is highly recommended to see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment of venous disease. However, you can try some home remedies to decrease the severity of venous disease as well as reduce some of the discomfort it can cause. Here are some tips from Top10HomeRemedies.com: 2ff7e9595c
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