Varicose Veins
Definition:
Varicose veins are gnarled, enlarged veins. Any vein may become varicose, but the veins most commonly affected are those in your legs and feet. That’s because standing and walking upright increases the pressure in the veins of your lower body.
Signs & Symptoms:
Varicose veins may not cause any pain. Signs you may have with varicose veins include:
Veins that are dark purple or blue in color
Veins that appear twisted and bulging; often like cords on your legs
When painful signs and symptoms occur, they may include:
An achy or heavy feeling in your legs
Burning, throbbing, muscle cramping and swelling in your lower legs
Worsened pain after sitting or standing for a long time
Itching around one or more of your veins
Bleeding from varicose veins
A painful cord in the vein with red discoloration of the skin
Color changes, hardening of the vein, inflammation of the skin or skin ulcers near your ankle, which can mean you have a serious form of vascular disease that requires medical attention
Spider veins are similar to varicose veins, but they’re smaller. Spider veins are found closer to the skin’s surface and are often red or blue.
They occur on the legs, but can also be found on the face. Spider veins vary in size and often look like a spider’s web.
Cause:
Age. As you get older, your veins can lose elasticity, causing them to stretch. The valves in your veins may become weak, allowing blood that should be moving toward your heart to flow backward.
Blood pools in your veins, and your veins enlarge and become varicose. The veins appear blue because they contain deoxygenated blood, which is in the process of being recirculated through the lungs.
Pregnancy. Some pregnant women develop varicose veins. Pregnancy increases the volume of blood in your body, but decreases the flow of blood from your legs to your pelvis. This circulatory change is designed to support the growing fetus, but it can produce an unfortunate side effect enlarged veins in your legs.
Varicose veins may surface for the first time or may worsen during late pregnancy, when your uterus exerts greater pressure on the veins in your legs. Changes in your hormones during pregnancy also may play a role. Varicose veins that develop during pregnancy generally improve without medical treatment three to 12 months after delivery.
How To Cure:
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a wonderful treatment for varicose veins. It is a natural body cleansing product and it also improves blood flow and circulation. When the blood starts flowing naturally, the heaviness and swelling of varicose veins will decrease to a great extent.
Apply undiluted apple cider vinegar on the skin over the varicose veins and gently massage the area. Do it every day before going to bed and again in the morning. Follow this remedy for a few months to reduce the size of varicose veins.
Add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and stir well. Drink the mixture twice a day for at least one month to see positive results.
- Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is considered a miracle treatment for varicose veins. Being a very rich source of vitamin C and bioflavonoids, it increases blood circulation and eases the pain of congested, swollen veins.
Add one teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder to a cup of hot water and stir it well.
Drink this mixture three times a day for one or two months.
- Olive Oil
Increasing blood circulation is essential to treating varicose veins. Massaging with olive oil can help increase circulation, thereby reducing pain and inflammation.
Mix equal amounts of olive oil and vitamin E oil and warm it slightly. Massage the veins with the warm oil for several minutes. Do this twice daily for one to two months.
You can also mix four drops of cypress essential oil in two teaspoons of warm olive oil and massage with this mixture.
