Do: Exercise regularly, walking, swimming, cycling are all great low-impact exercises that get the circulation moving properly. Focus on smaller periods of activity more regularly and build up from there. Read more: Exercise & varicose veins. Don't: Over-strain yourself.
Activity level and lifestyle. Living a sedentary lifestyle may increase your risk of developing varicose veins and make existing varicose veins worse. Spending long periods of time sitting makes your vascular system work harder to return blood to your heart.
What to Watch For. If you are experiencing pain or you notice swelling or discoloration of your lower legs, these can be signs of a more serious problem and you should consult a doctor. Other symptoms might include burning, cramping, itching or throbbing in the legs, and some might experience restless leg syndrome.
Massage therapy is not safe for all patients with vein diseases. Massage therapy is not recommended to patients with advanced-stage vein disease, in which big and bulging veins, ulcerations, and discoloration are present. Massaging the area can cause the already weakened veins to burst, worsening the condition.
While exercise won't cure varicose veins, it can help improve your symptoms and reduce your risk of developing more. Walking, biking and swimming are all great low-impact exercises that are easy on the joints and help circulation in varicose veins.
Prolonged standing can cause veins to overwork and blood may pool in the leg veins, increasing pressure in those veins, causing the valves to become weak and inefficient leading to varicose veins. Sitting for several hours instead of standing is not a solution.
Regularly sitting for long periods leads to poor circulation in your legs. When you sit your veins must work harder to move blood to your heart. This can lead to swelling in your ankles, varicose veins, and even blood clots, also known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Sitting with your legs crossed or bent can be worse.
Ensure that you take an adequate amount of rest for at least 7 days post varicose treatment to avoid bruising, pain, and excessive bleeding. Sufficient rest, if taken, will facilitate in faster recovery. Try to keep the legs at an elevated level above the heart for nearly 15 minutes at least twice in a day.
Any exercises that put excessive pressure on your legs and your abs may worsen your varicose veins. For example, crunches, squats, and sit-ups can create too much stress in your veins. You should also avoid doing planks or other postures that strain your abdominal muscles.
That is because varicose veins affect the veins close to the surface of the skin. However, with severe varicose veins, there is a small chance of developing blood clots in the deep veins. Blood clots need medical care right away. Symptoms of blood clots include pain, swelling, and redness of the leg.
While varicose and spider veins are more likely to develop after the age of 50, especially in women, plenty of young people find themselves developing varicose veins as early as their 20s.
Healthcare professionals are uncertain why varicose veins only happen on one side of the body. Some believe it could be because you experienced an injury to that side of the body which caused damage to the veins or the valves of the veins. Others believe it is just a natural part of having varicose veins.
Stage 4 of varicose veins
Ulcers and open sores mark the most severe stage of varicose veins i.e. stage four. Ulcers form due to chronic insufficiency of blood circulation in the veins of the legs. The other major reason for these ulcers in the legs is the excess pressure that varicose veins exert.
Symptoms include leg swelling, pain and tenderness, and red/bluish discoloration of the skin. This clot may develop into an embolus which travels through the bloodstream to other parts of the body. If it becomes lodged, it may hinder blood flow to organs like the heart and lungs.
Varicose veins are usually caused by weak vein walls and valves. Inside your veins are tiny one-way valves that open to let the blood through, and then close to prevent it flowing backwards. Sometimes the walls of the veins become stretched and lose their elasticity, causing the valves to weaken.
There are also anti-inflammatory cream or gels that can be applied topically to the painful veins, such as Voltaren gel. Ice packs: and heating pads can be applied to tender veins.
Sclerotherapy involves using a tiny needle to inject a solution directly into the faulty veins and causes them to contract and collapse. All of these are outpatient treatments, and people can expect to resume normal activities within a day.
The foods rich in fiber, such as oats, apples, flaxseed, carrots, berries, and barley, are good for fighting against varicose veins and keeping veins healthy.
Apples: Fruits like apples, bananas and pears are high in fibre content. High fibre fruits lower the chances of inflammation and help with your overall health.