 Varicose veins are merely enlarged and sometimes, tortuous veins that while occurring naturally in the legs may become distorted and dilated from the weight of the blood they are taking back from the legs to the heart. These veins often become unsightly.
Varicose veins occur when the valves in the veins nearest to the surface of your legs stop working properly. These valves have an important job, they help to move blood from your legs, against the pull of gravity, until it reaches your heart. In order to do this, the valves generally rely the muscles in your legs. As you move, your leg muscles contract and this pushes blood up and through your leg veins. The valves lining these veins must open and like tiny gates, allow blood to pass through. As the blood fills up the veins, they then must snap shut and prevent blood from rushing back down into your feet. If any of these valve fail to open and close properly, blood will then pool in the vein below and causing the vein to stretch. If the valves in anyone area of a vein is not working correctly, over time the vein below is dilated, the wall loses its elasticity and then begins to bulge toward the surface of the skin. It is this process that leads to the formation of varicose veins.
While any vein in your body can become a varicose vein, the most vulnerable veins are those located in your legs and those surrounding your rectum. When rectal veins become varicose, we call them “hemorrhoids.”
Normally varicose veins appear bluish or gray in color against the pink white skin of the legs. They may look dark even black against black or dark brown skin. Varicose veins, while generally not dangerous do have certain problems associated with them, the most common problem is pain, aching and swelling. If left untreated, they generally tend to worsen and become problematic over time.
How Common Are Varicose Veins?
Studies suggest that more than 80 million Americans have varicose veins. Varicose veins are four times more common in women than in men. Varicose veins generally begin to appear to otherwise healthy women as they come close to their 50's. If a woman has a family history of varicose veins, they may appear even as early as the early twenties.
Other factors which increase your risk of varicose veins:
- Gender
- Impaired or limited movement
- Obesity or being overweight
- Pregnancy
- Genetic predisposition
While varicose veins generally not dangerous they do pose some risks besides pain, aching, itching and unsightly legs. The main risk occurs, if the blood stops flowing or flows so slow that a blood clot can occur. On very rare occasion a condition called phlebitis or inflammation of the vein can also occur. See additional discussion below.
Medical Treatment
Most people who get them want to make them go away, and the sooner, the better. Mainstream medical procedures work quickly, but they can't stop new varicose veins from forming. In order to do that, you will likely need to follow a blended approach to treatment that includes some or all of the measures that follow:
Support Stockings: The most common medical treatment is use of compression or support stockings, Jobst or others. Support stockings can reduce and on occasion eliminate the discomfort associated with varicose veins. Generally speaking, at least for the most severe situations they should be put on first thing in the morning even before you get out of bed and worn until you go to bed.
Elevate your legs: \Another way to minimize discomfort created by varicose veins is to elevate your legs when you sit or lie down. It is important when you do to elevated your legs raised above the level of your heart as this helps to improve blood flow from your legs back to your heart reducing the pressure on your veins.
Other Medical and Surgical Approaches
If you are simply bothered by the appearance of your varicose veins, or if home treatment doesn't relieve your pain, you can have the veins reduced or removed with one of several medical procedures.
Small spider veins can often be treated with laser therapy. They can also be treated nonsurgically by injection therapy, or sclerotherapy. In this procedure, your doctor injects a combination of fatty acids and salt water into the affected area. The solution causes the veins to collapse. The same method works well with small varicose veins.
The standard surgical treatment for varicose veins, called mini-phlebectomy or vein stripping, involves the complete removal of the involved veins. The surgeon makes several incisions, inserts a wire hook, pulls out the veins, and wraps the area in tight bandages. For this procedure, recovery time varies but can last up to several weeks.
After any of these mainstream treatments, doctors generally recommend walking several miles a day. Walking stimulates circulation and the growth of new, healthy veins.
Prevention
There are a number of levels of prevention. Above we discussed support stocking and elevating your legs. They work both to reduce symptoms and help prevent worsening of the varicose veins. Here is a list of other things that might be helpful:
Stop wearing high heels: High heel shoes and cowboy boots can put a lot of stress on your calves and this will reduce the effectiveness of the muscle to push blood and worsen varicose veins. Get in the habit of wearing sensible comfortable flat shoes.
Eating garlic, onions, and ground red pepper can help as they contain certain compounds that help break down fibrin and fibrin is the natural substance in your body that gets deposited around the varicose veins causing the lumpy skin associated with this condition.
Supplements
A compound called Bromelain, which is an enzyme found in pineapple, can help your body to break down these fibrin deposits. Bromelain is available at most local health food stores and some drugstores. Generally, Bromelain 500 milligrams three times a day, before meals is most helpful.
Exercise
Use your legs as often as possible. The more you exercise or move your leg muscles the easier it is for your body to push blood up from your leg veins up to your heart. If you sit or stand for long periods of time your leg muscles will not be contracting often or very much and you are more likely to develop varicose veins. Move around as much as possible. If you work at a desk job or you have a job where you stand in one place for long periods of time, use your break time to exercise your leg muscles, get up and move around. When you are sitting move your legs, contract and release your muscles to help your veins work more effectively.
Walking is excellent exercise for people with varicose veins. It not only gets your blood moving but also helps you shed the extra pounds that can contribute to the creation of varicose veins. Walk at least 30 to 60 minutes every day at a moderate to brisk pace.
Spider Veins
Herbal Medicine and Alternative Approaches
Gotu kola: This herb has shown a great deal of promise as a treatment for a condition called venous insufficiency, in which varicose veins develop within the deep veins of the legs. Varicosities that occur from deep venous insufficiency is much more serious than varicose veins. Gotu kola can help both conditions. It works by reinforcing the “cement” that holds your veins and valves together, so they work more efficiently. Generally, 60 to 120 mg of Gotu kola is recommended daily. Gotu kola capsules are available in health food and some drugstores.
Horse Chestnut Seeds: Horse chestnut seeds have been used varicose veins for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. The seeds contain a compound called aescin, which strengthens the walls of your veins and increases their elasticity. This, in turn, supports healthy blood flow. Horse chestnut extract is not widely available in the United States, If you have access to the herb, use only a standardized extract and follow package directions.
Butcher's Broom: Butcher's broom, is native to the Mediterranean areas. It to is another time-honored treatment for varicose veins. It can help reduce the symptoms of varicose veins, leg pain, swelling, and itching. No significant side effects are listed for this herb. A dosage of 500 to 1000 mg of butcher's broom extract along with 500 to 1000 mg of vitamin C should be taken daily. Butcher's broom comes in varying doses at many health food and drugstores, working with a herbalist can be helpful. Follow the package directions.
Bilberries: Bilberries are often referred to as European blueberries. They are rich in the antioxidant compounds called anthocyanosides. They strengthen the walls of your veins and reduce the production of lysosomal enzymes, which contributes to the formation of varicose veins. Studies have shown that bilberry extract improves circulation through the veins and decreases the discomfort of varicosities. The recommended dosage is 80 to 160 mg bilberry extract three times daily. Cherries, blackberries, and blueberries have similar value as they also contain the same antioxidant compounds as bilberries are equally helpful in treating and preventing varicose veins.
Homeopathy
A number of Homeopathic medications have been recommended to either prevent or treat varicose veins. These include: Ledum palustre, Carbo vegetabilis, Ferrum metallicum, Hamamelis, and Pulsatilla. In order to determine which of these medicines works best for you, consult a homeopathic physician.
Chinese Medicine
Many practitioners of Chinese medicine attribute varicose veins to a deficiency of qi brought on by overwork, specifically too much standing. The goal of Chinese medicine therefore is to improve qi, strengthen the veins and remove the forces which work to create and worsen varicose veins.
To treat varicose veins, most practitioners will prescribe herbs that strengthen qi as well as the Lung and Spleen. These herbs include astragalus root, licorice root, angelica (dang gui), black cohosh root, bupleurum root, and citrus peel. For best results, consult a specialist in Chinese medicine.
Acupressure
In order to relieve the discomfort of varicose veins, try acupressure. Simply apply steady, penetrating finger pressure to each of the following points for 3 minutes.
Lung 9, located on the thumb side of your inner forearm in the hollow between the wrist bone and wrist crease
Spleen 6, located four finger-widths above your inner anklebone on the back inner border of your shinbone
If pressing the above points doesn't improve your symptoms, you may want to consult a certified acupuncturist. Sometimes professional needle stimulation can help even when finger pressure doesn't.
Review of Risk from Varicose Veins
Varicose veins can raise your risk of phlebitis, a condition in which veins become painfully inflamed. Untreated, phlebitis can progress to thrombophlebitis. This is where blood clots form in the affected vein. If a clot develops in a deep vein, a piece of it may break off and travel to your lungs, heart or brain. This is a potentially life-threatening situation. If you experience painful swelling in either leg and the swelling doesn't go away when you elevate your leg, consult your doctor immediately.
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