How to Get Rid of Varicose Veins Fast – Varicose veins or spider veins are large, swollen and twisted veins that usually occur mostly on the legs and feet. Varicose veins cause poor circulation of blood in the body system. These veins can cause pain, swelling, sores, blood clots and ulcers, muscle cramps and aching legs.
Women are at least twice as likely as men to develop varicose veins, but people of any age and race can be affected. (1) They’re usually most noticeable on — and therefore the biggest concern for — people with light skin. (2)
Although we tend to think of them as a woman’s problem, both men and women develop varicose veins. Usually, the likelihood of developing varicose veins increases during pregnancy.
The varicose veins tend to disappear after pregnancy; however, there are exceptions. After pregnancy, some women still have varicose veins embedded in their system which may be visible. it is important to seek treatment immediately.
Causes of Varicose Veins
Earlier said, varicose usually occurs in the legs. This is because gravity affects the veins furthest from the heart which makes it harder for blood to flow back to the heart. When this occurs, blood clotting occurs in the veins; hence, swollen and enlarged veins in the legs.
You should note that people that are overweight are at a high risk of having varicose veins. Excess body fats put increased amounts of pressure on the veins which can contribute to inflammation.
Many times, it is difficult to access and treat varicose veins in overweight people because they go unnoticed. They usually grow deep inside the leg which causes it to become larger in size.
The following are causes that increase the risk of having varicose veins.
- Gender: Varicose veins affect women more often than males as stated earlier on.
- Genetics: Often varicose veins often run in families. One might come from a line of a family generation that usually has varicose veins. These genes may be active and if one is lucky, they may be dormant.
- Obesity: Being overweight increases the risk of varicose veins. Excess fats reduce efficient blood circulation in the body
- Age: The risk of developing varicose veins increases with age due to the wear and tear on vein valves.
- Jobs: There are jobs that require one to stand for a long while. An individual who has to spend a long time standing at work may have a higher chance of having varicose veins.
Signs and Symptoms of Varicose Veins
- Bleeding
- Aching or heavy legs
- A sudden appearance of spider veins in the affected leg
- A brownish-yellow shiny skin discoloration near the affected veins
- Redness, dryness, and itchiness of areas of skin, because of blood clotting building up in the leg
Varicose Veins vs. Spider Veins: Are They the Same Thing?
Just like varicose veins, spider veins (telangiectasias) normally show up on the legs, backs of the thighs, calves, ankles, and feet. Spider veins are usually smaller than varicose veins and not as painful or likely to cause symptoms since they’re located on the surface skin layers.
Spider veins tend to show up as many dark dots concentrated together in one area, mostly on the surface of the skin but much smaller than varicose veins.
Most of the time, varicose veins won’t cause symptoms and are a cosmetic issue, not one that’s likely going to contribute to more serious health problems, however, you can think of them as a warning sign that something is impairing normal blood flow.
Natural varicose vein treatment includes exercises, maintaining a healthy weight, essential oils for balancing hormones, an anti-inflammatory diet, and herbal remedies.
How to Get Rid of Varicose Veins – 10 Best Home Remedies
According to a 2012 report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, “treatment options for varicose veins range from conservative (e.g.,
medications, compression stockings, lifestyle changes) to minimally invasive (e.g., sclerotherapy or endoluminal ablation), to invasive (surgical techniques), to hybrid (combination of ≥1 therapies).” (3)
The most severe cases of varicose veins might have to be treated surgically. The patient is usually under anesthetic, a substance that induces insensitivity to pain, during the surgical operation (4).
it’s a good idea to try varicose veins home remedies first, Below are ways on how to get rid of varicose veins without much risk involved.
1. Exercise to Reduce Varicose Veins
Getting regular exercise is an efficient remedy on how to get rid of varicose veins. Regular exercise can help to reduce inflammation and strengthen blood flow amongst other benefits.
Moreover, sitting or standing for a long while without moving around is a major cause of varicose veins. Staying motionless for a long while makes it difficult for the veins to pump enough blood to the heart and fight the effects of gravity
Besides, engaging in healthy exercise routines can also lower your blood pressure and contribute to weight loss. Below is a list of exercise you can engage in to get rid of varicose veins.
- Running
This is one of the easiest and safest exercise routine one can engage in. Get into an open space and sprint over short distances.
If you experience pain while running, take it slowly and start by walking. You can engage in long distance walk and over time and switch to jogging. In time, you should find sprinting over short and long distances easily.
- Cycling
This is a low impact exercise that stretches the veins in your leg region. You can choose to cycle indoors or outdoors.
- Swimming
You can register for a swimming class if you do not know how to swim. The continuous pace involved with swimming works the muscles around your legs and arms. You can try different swimming strokes to works the different kinds of muscles.
Other recommended exercises include leg lifts and side lunges since they help to prevent pressure that causes varicose veins.
2. Essential Oils for Varicose Veins Treatment
Essential oils are very useful in reducing inflammation, maintaining hormonal balances and improving blood flow to the body. If you need help on how to get rid of varicose veins, essential oils are a way out.
There are different kinds of essential oils. One of the most effective for treating varicose veins is cypress oil. It comes from a coniferous tree with flattened shoots that bear small scale-like leaves.
Cypress oil for Varicose Veins
- Rub about 5 drops of cypress oil on the area with varicose veins.
- Do this 2 times every day till symptoms disappear.
If peradventure you experience any form of skin irritation or muscle aches, try using other essential oils like lavender oil, peppermint, tea tree.
Use them in small amounts to relieve the problem areas.
Other therapeutic essential oils like peppermint, tea tree, and lavender oil with anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties in small amounts also work as effective remedies for varicose veins.
3. Anti-Inflammatory Diet Foods for Varicose Veins
There are kinds of food that can be useful to get rid of varicose veins. Certain diets can improve blood flow around infected areas. More so, eating a poor diet can cause an increase in blood pressure, weight gain, and hormonal imbalances.
An anti-inflammatory diet does not contain an excessive amount of sugar, fats, and caffeine. These diets are free of harmful toxins that can cause or worsen swelling of varicose veins.
See different types of anti-inflammatory foods that are suitable for getting rid of varicose veins below:
- High-fiber foods
Here is the best treatment for varicose veins, because fiber is a great dietary material that contains substances like cellulose. It helps to improve digestion. Moreover, fiber helps to prevent constipation which causes an increase in pressure on the veins.
Flaxseeds, vegetables, fresh fruits, sprouted legumes, and chia seeds are high-fiber foods to consume.
- High-antioxidant foods
Antioxidants foods contain substances that are rich in vitamin C or E which removes harmful oxidizing agents from the body. Besides, vitamin C is also a powerful anti-inflammatory and can improve skin health.
Foods like green vegetables, berries, citrus fruits help against varicose veins and can improve arterial health.
- Magnesium-rich food
Increase the intake of leafy vegetables, avocado, bananas, and sweet potatoes to get rid of varicose veins. These foods and rich in magnesium that can reduce blood pressure and inflammation in the affected parts.
- Spicy foods
Foods that you flavor with spice such as curry, pepper or cayenne can get rid of varicose veins. They heat the body up and ensure proper circulation of blood.
4. Gentle massage to Get Rid of Varicose Veins
Massage is one of the best ways to get rid of any pain in your body. It is also an effective therapy to get rid of varicose veins. Moreover, it increases blood circulation by reducing further twisting of the veins.
However, you should execute it very gently in people with a severe case of varicose veins. Massage the legs or the affected area with gentle upward strokes but avoid using direct pressure on the affected veins.
You can use olive oil for proper lubrication. Add a few drops of essential oils for a soothing effect.
Massage reduces blood pooling in veins. It also reduces the risk of a thick mass of coagulated blood stuck together in the body.
5. Compression Stockings To Treat Varicose Veins
The Compression Stockings is an easy and effective remedy to get rid of the varicose vein. Compression stockings squeeze the patient’s legs and improve circulation.
They work are tight around the ankles and loose further up the leg. In this way, compression stockings encourage proper blood flow upwards, against gravity and back towards the heart.
When used at the initial stages of varicose veins,compression stockings can stop the progress of the condition and stop the varicose veins from worsening or even prevent them.
The stockings are readily available but you should always seek medical advice to find out what type is best suited to your condition.
6. How to Cure Varicose Veins with the Help of Natural Herbs
Bilberry and horse chestnut, two plants that are thousands of years old and popular folk remedies, have been found to be both effective and safe for treating varicose veins.
Both have been studied for chronic venous insufficiency that causes pain, ankle swelling, feelings of heaviness, itching and nighttime leg cramping. (5, 6)
They’re also beneficial for lowering water retention, circulatory problems, swelling, diarrhea, PMS cramps, and other skin-related conditions.
Horse chestnut should be taken in doses around 100 milligrams once daily. Its recommended to take bilberry in doses of about 160 milligrams, twice daily.(7)
University of Maryland Medical Center also recommends increasing intake of rutin, a type of bioflavonoid that may protect the walls of veins, help boost blood flow and achieve natural blood-thinning effects safely.
Bioflavonoids help relieve swelling, aching and pain from varicose veins and can be found in grape seed, pine bark, cranberry, hawthorn, blueberry and other plants that provide antioxidants like vitamin C. (8)
7. How to Use Witch Hazel For Varicose Veins
Witch hazel is a natural agent consisting of essential oils and Gallic acid. It also helps to soothe the affected areas and strengthen weakened blood vessels, reduces the swelling of varicose veins.
- Extract witch hazel, with the help of cotton cloth, apply it to the affected area and leave it for 10 minutes.
- Repeat this process for 2-3 months to see improvements in your body.
- Alternatively, you can add a few drops of witch hazel in a bucket of Luke warm water and soak your legs for about 20 minutes in it.
- Rinse it off with fresh water after soaking it in the solution. Repeat this process for two to three months to get rid of varicose veins.
8. How to Treat Varicose Veins with Butcher’s Broom
Butcher’s broom is a low-growing common evergreen shrub. It is widely distributed, from Iran to the Mediterranean and the southern United States. The plant develops edible shoots that are similar to asparagus in form.
The plant has a long history of use. it was noted as a laxative, diuretic, and a phlebotherapeutic (beneficial to veins) agent. it’s used as an anti-inflammatory agent and to prevent atherosclerosis and treat varicose vein
Due to an active component called rescogenes, it reduces the inflammation and is used extensively as a treatment for circulatory conditions, although limited results from clinical trials are available.
- Take the supplement 3 times a day for several months to get rid of varicose veins naturally.
9. Apple Cider Vinegar Remedy
Apple cider vinegar provides many health benefits. One of them is getting rid of varicose veins. It is an easy and effective remedy on how to get rid of varicose vein.
Apple cider vinegar contains substances that reduce swollen veins causing the contraction of skin cells and other body tissues.
Apple cider vinegar Remedy for Varicose Veins / Spider Veins
You can use or apply apple cider vinegar both internally and externally.
For internal use,
- Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to a cup of water and drink.
- You can drink it with or without the addition of raw honey.
- It has a detoxifying effect that helps to purify the blood, hence, increasing blood circulation.
For external use,
- Dip a clean cloth or cotton wool in apple cider vinegar diluted with enough water.
- Place the cloth over the affected veins.
- Its drying effect will serve its anti-inflammation purpose and also, relieve pain.
10. Cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper is rich in vitamin C and flavonoids. They protect the walls of the blood vessels from free radical damage and promote collagen formation to keep them healthy and elastic.
But the most potent substance in cayenne pepper is capsaicin which has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and blood thinning properties.
Cayenne pepper powder can be orally taken to reduce the pain and inflammation due to varicose veins. It can prevent blood clots and ulcers.
Start with smaller doses of half a teaspoon cayenne pepper powder in a cup of water and gradually increase it up to 1 tablespoon to bring relief to tired and sore legs.
Conclusion
The pain, swelling, and itching of varicose veins can definitely be managed with a combination of diet, exercise, and herbal remedies. These easy, inexpensive and natural remedies can relieve symptoms and even arrest the progress of the condition.
Before making a decision to try something as drastic as surgery, talk to your medical professional about these natural alternatives.
