Q&A: What can I do to get rid of varicose veins? - D. H.
A: Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that you can see just under the surface of the skin. They usually appear in the legs, but they also can form in other parts of the body.
Your doctor may recommend medical treatments like laser surgery if you are experiencing severe symptoms with your varicose veins, but usually the first treatment suggested is lifestyle changes. These may include:
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1. Acupuncture helps reduce the size and pain of varicose veins but rarely makes them go away altogether. Acupuncturists target acupuncture points on the spleen and stomach meridians to strengthen deficient energy flow and then focus on local points near the veins.
2. Herbs. Some have seen success using an herb called butcher's broom, or 500 to 600 mg per day of horse chestnut, or 50 to 350 mg per day of Pycnogenol, a plant extract made from maritime pine bark. You can also use these herbs topically in creams, or try a witch hazel tea compress.
3. Try wearing support hose, which require a prescription to be fitted to your legs. Hose help collapse superficial surface veins and relieve symptoms and are best worn if you'll be standing for a long time or traveling by air or for more than three or four hours in a car.
Here are a few things you can also do on a daily basis:
- Avoid standing or sitting for long periods without taking a break.
- When sitting, avoid crossing your legs.
- Keep your legs raised when sitting, resting, or sleeping. When you can, raise your legs above the level of your heart.
- Do physical activities to get your legs moving and improve muscle tone. This helps blood move through your veins.
- If you're overweight or obese, try to lose weight. This will improve blood flow and ease the pressure on your veins.
- Avoid wearing tight clothes, especially those that are tight around your waist, groin (upper thighs), and legs. Tight clothes can make...
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varicose veins worse. - Avoid wearing high heels for long periods. Lower heeled shoes can help tone your calf muscles. Toned muscles help blood move through the veins.
- Eat a low-salt diet rich in high-fiber foods. Eating fiber reduces the chances of constipation, which can contribute to varicose veins. High-fiber foods include fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, like bran. Eating less salt can help with the swelling that comes with varicose veins.
These changes can prevent varicose veins from getting worse, reduce pain, and delay other varicose veins from forming.
At-Home Remedies
A 100 mg coenzyme Q10 helps with circulation and tissue oxygenation. Omega-3 oils (1,000 mg daily) help with elasticity of blood vessels. Also, ginkgo biloba is not just for your memory, but it can also help with varicose veins.
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Varicose veins typically do not cause any issues, but in some cases, leaving them untreated can lead to more serious health problems. According to the Office on Women's Health, the following conditions are a potential risk:
- Sores or skin ulcers due to chronic (long-term) backing up of blood. These sores or ulcers are painful and hard to heal. Sometimes they cannot heal until the backward blood flow in the vein is repaired.
- Bleeding. The skin over the veins becomes thin and easily injured. When an injury occurs, there can be significant blood loss.
- Superficial thrombophlebitis (throm-bo-fli-BYT-uhs), which is a blood clot that forms in a vein just below the skin. Symptoms include skin redness; a firm, tender, warm vein; and sometimes pain and swelling.
- Deep vein thrombosis, which is a blood clot in a deeper vein. It can cause a “pulling” feeling in the calf, pain, warmth, redness, and swelling. However, sometimes it causes no significant symptoms. If the blood clot travels to the lungs, it can be fatal.
Visit the BlackDoctor.org Deep Vein Thrombosis center for more information.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to 'Ask Dr. Renee'. Follow me on Twitter @AskDrRenee and on my website.
