Varicose Veins is classified as a vascular disease that affects around one third of today’s population. Some people don’t mind having the veins, but they can be embarrassing to show others when you wear shorts, skirts, or dresses.
There are some treatments that work, while others don’t seem to be as successful. In this article we look at current herbal treatments for varicose veins.
What are varicose veins?
Varicose veins are classified as veins that are enlarged or twisted. They most commonly occur in your legs, feet, and lower regions of your body, but they can also occur in various other parts of your body, including your arms, upper body, and mid-section.
Varicose veins can begin as any type of superficial vein, so practically anyone is at risk of eventually developing a varicose vein if preventive measures aren’t taken. More specifically, blood needs to be circulated throughout your entire body, and arteries and veins help with this process. Arteries are responsible for carrying blood away from your heart and to other vital regions of your body. On the other hand, veins are responsible for transporting that blood back to your heart.
Given that, the veins in your legs and the lower regional your body have to work harder, since they have to work against gravity to carry the blood back up to your heart. In order to transport the blood back to your heart, your veins have valves that are capable of opening and then pushing the blood upwards. But when these valves become either weakened or damaged, they don’t work properly and the blood falls back downwards with the strength of gravity.
As a result of this, your veins then become filled with excess blood that collects within, making the vein look larger and causing a varicose vein to form. Varicose veins are very similar to spider veins, since that’s how they first form. There are even some veins on the inner part of your legs that can also become varicosed as well, which causes swelling and pain. These are the more dangerous varicose veins because they can lead to blood clots..
Causes of Varicose Veins
Varicose veins occur as a result of your veins experiencing too much pressure, and they mostly occur to veins that are either damaged or weak. You can be at risk for varicose veins according to various different factors, including your age, sex, and the genetics in your family history.
In addition to that, you can also be at risk of developing varicose veins if you’re obese, pregnant, or you’re responsible for sitting or standing for long periods of time throughout the day.
Your risk of experiencing varicose veins also increases with age, since your veins weaken as you grow older. Overall, they occur as a result of your veins being placed under too much pressure for too long.
Symptoms of Varicose Veins
- Dark purple or blue veins
- Skin discoloration
- Itching around your veins
- Twisted or bulging veins at the surface of your skin
- Worsened pain after you’ve been standing for too long
- Heavy feeling in your legs
- Swelling around discoloured veins
- Random burning sensation or muscle cramping in your lower legs
Are they harmful?
Most people that experience varicose veins are simply only bothered by them because of their appearance or other cosmetic reasons. But other people may be bothered by them because of a physical pain that they feel as a result of varicose veins. Some varicose veins may be painful and can cause much discomfort, depending on their location as well as the severity of the condition.
Not only can they be uncomfortable or painful, but varicose veins can also worsen into more severe conditions if nothing is done about them. Although, this is rare, it can still happen in the future.
More specifically, varicose veins have the ability to turn into ulcers. These will mostly occur near your ankles or in your skin that’s close to the varicosed vein. They also begin as discoloured spots, so you should beware of that condition when it occurs. Additionally, varicose veins can also create blood clots in your body. Any part of your body that has painful swelling or burning may be a result of a blood clot forming, since these factors indicate clotting blood.
Lastly, varicose veins can also cause bleeding if they’re not treated. For instance, varicose veins usually result in bleeding when they’re located extremely close to the surface of your skin and they burst. Overall, each of these conditions can result from a varicose vein, and they all require medical attention if spotted developing.
Current Medical Treatments
Compression treatment
Certain compression treatments are able to effectively treat varicose veins, since they help to keep blood moving through your veins. More specifically, wearing compression stockings may help to treat varicose veins and prevent negative effects from occurring.
Compression stockings help to move the blood through your veins by pushing it upwards towards your heart. They provide the most compression around your ankles and then apply lesser pressure the higher up your leg is. You can wear these all day, and you’re also recommended to elevate your legs in addition to wearing compression stockings.
Over the counter drugs
Some over the counter drugs are able to treat the swelling as well as the pain that’s associated with varicose veins. More specifically, anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen may help to alleviate the pain or swelling associated with this condition.
Laser treatment
Some laser treatments are recommended for people with varicose veins because it involves applying light energy to the specific vein that’s varicosed. The light energy is able to decrease the size of the vein because it encourages the blood to continue circulating through your body instead of getting caught up in the rest of that particular vein. In order to get rid of varicose veins, you are required to undergo multiple separate laser treatments to see any improvement.
Sclerotherapy
This type of treatment therapy involves a chemical being injected into your vein in order to collapse the walls of the vein. When the walls of the vein collapse, the vein is then unable to transport blood altogether, so it isn’t able to collect blood and become varicosed again.
Herbal Treatments for Varicose Veins
Varicose veins can be most naturally treated by changing your overall diet. More specifically, you may be most benefited by increasing the amount of fiber that you have in your diet as well as decreasing the amount of sodium that you consume in a diet.
You can positively change your diet by increasing the amount of fruit, dark leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds in your diet. Not only that, but you may also be benefited by increasing the amount of water that you drink, since it opens up your veins and allows blood to flow more easily through your veins.
You’re also recommended to avoid consuming anything in your diet that contains hydrogenated oils, since they dehydrate your veins and make them smaller, which restricts your blood flow. You should also limit your consumption of sugars, carbohydrates, caffeine, and alcohol, since they’re also capable of dehydrating your body.
Aside from changing the foods in your diet that you consume, you may also naturally treat varicose veins with natural herbs. Consuming natural herbs is beneficial for varicose veins because they strengthen, tone, and restore your vein walls, valves as well as your capillaries, which decreases the possibility of your developing varicose veins.
Butcher’s Broom
Butcher’s Broom is classified as an herb derived from an evergreen shrub that has small, green leaves. The leaves of the shrub are able to give off vaso-constrictive effects. This is beneficial for people that have varicose veins because consuming this herb decreases the vascular permeability of veins in your body.
In addition to that, Butcher’s Broom is able to increase your blood circulation, and it’s known for it’s ability to harden your arteries. Given these benefits, this natural herb is used for patients that have venous deficiencies. In order to receive the benefits of Butcher’s Broom for your varicose vein, you’re recommended to consume 50 milligrams in capsule form three times everyday.
Witch Hazel
This herb is specifically found on a plant known as Winterbloom, and it’s derived from North America. This plant is known for its astringent qualities that are beneficial if you’re trying to tighten, tone, or shrink large varicose veins from an external standpoint. Not only that, but Witch Hazel is also able to restore your veins’ elasticity naturally, which can also help to treat and prevent varicose veins from occurring in the future.
Furthermore, Witch Hazel is able to benefit you if you have varicose veins because it can lessen the amount of pain that you feel, and it can also reduce itching. In order to receive these benefits from Witch Hazel, you’re advised to apply Witch Hazel as a toner topically with a cotton ball in an upward motion at least two times everyday.
Pine Bark
Pine Bark is able to act as a natural remedy for large veins because it contains a large amount of phenolic acids, flavonoids, and even proanthocyanidins. These elements all contribute to the herb’s ability to reduce the amount of inflammation that you may feel from varicose veins. Not only that, but certain components in Pine Bark are able to improve your body’s blood circulation, which encourages blood to flow easily through your veins.
Moreover, Pine Bark is able to restore your veins’ elasticity, and it even strengthens the walls of your veins. This is beneficial for people that have varicose veins because it can reduce the number of leg cramps that you may experience as a result of having varicose veins. Additionally, Pine Bark also reduces the amount of pain that your legs feel because of varicose veins. To receive these benefits, consume 50 milligrams of Pine Bark twice everyday.
Horse Chestnut
Horse Chestnut is classified as flowering plant that contains around 20% of Aescin. Aescin is known as one of the best treatments for varicose veins, since it’s able to treat vascular permeability in your veins as well as your capillaries. Not only that, but Aescin is also able to effectively decrease the amount of hyper-permeability that your veins experience.
Furthermore, Horse Chestnut is capable of decreasing the amount of inflammation and edema that your body experiences as a result of having varicose veins. Additionally, Horse Chestnut can not only treat varicose veins, but it’s a herb that can also prevent them from occurring in the future, since it improves your body’s amount of venous pressure as well as your blood flow.
Horse Chestnut also contains various different antioxidant properties that are able to tone your body’s veins. You can receive these benefits of the Horse Chestnut herb either orally or topically. More specifically, you can consume Aescin orally by taking 75 milligrams of it every 12 hours.
Bilberry
Bilberry is defined as a herb that’s derived from European blueberries. The plant is classified as a low-growing shrub, and the leaves on the plant are responsible for having many different antioxidants, including anthocyanosides. This antioxidant is capable of specifically strengthening and protecting your blood vessels as well as your capillaries.
In addition to that, Bilberry is a herb that contains antioxidants capable of dilating your blood vessels. By doing so, more blood is then able to travel through your blood vessels, preventing varicose veins from occurring altogether. In addition to that, Bilberry is able to decrease your blood pressure, and it can even increase the collagen structure that’s located in the walls of your veins.
In order to receive the various different benefits of the Bilberry herb, you’re recommended to consume 160 milligrams of the Bilberry extract two times everyday. You should also make sure that the Bilberry extract contains at least 25% of the antioxidant anthocyanosides.
Calendula
Calendula is a herb beneficial for treating varicose veins because it’s able to relieve many of the symptom associated with the condition. More specifically, Calendula can relieve itchy, dry, and inflamed varicose veins. It can also reduce the swelling as well as the pain that’s associated with the larger veins.
More than that, Calendula is able to restore your skin back to the healthy condition that it was in before you developed varicose veins. Additionally, this herb can improve your body’s blood circulation, which can prevent varicose veins from developing to begin with. In order to receive these benefits, you should apply the herbal oil of Calendula two times everyday topically in an upward motion towards your heart.
Gotu Kola
Gotu Kola is able to treat various different skin disorders and diseases. More specifically, this herb can promote healthy veins altogether, since it contains an active component known as Aslaticoside. This constituent is commonly known as an antioxidant, anti-ulcer, and an anti-inflammatory element.
Gotu Kola also has triterpenoids that help to speed up the healing process of wounds, and it has vascular effects. Moreover, it’s capable of increasing collagen in your vein walls, decreasing hypertension in your veins, and it can even strengthen the walls of your blood vessels too. Given that, this herb is able to enhance your blood flow altogether. To receive these benefits, consume at least 300 milligrams of Gotu Kola three times everyday. Aside from that, you also have the option of applying an ointment containing the herb twice everyday.
Cayenne
Cayenne is defined as the seeds in a Cayenne pepper that are rich in both vitamin C and flavonoids. Because of that, Cayenne is able to protect your blood vessels from free radicals. In addition to that, Cayenne promotes collagen formation in your vein walls, enhances the health and elasticity of your veins, and it even increases the content of anti-inflammatory properties that your body is exposed to.
Furthermore, Cayenne has analgesic and blood-thinning properties as well. Given that, it can prevent varicose veins from occurring altogether. To benefit from Cayenne, you should consume the herb as a capsule and as directed on the medical label.
Manjistha Roots
Manjistha roots can benefit varicose veins because they’re derived from the roots of the Rubia cardifolia plant. More specifically, consuming the dried powder of the stem and root of this plant can act as an effective purifier for your blood. It contains detoxifying properties that are able to purify and thin your blood. By doing so, your blood is then able to travel more easily throughout the rest of your body.
Moreover, Manjistha roots have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can both treat symptoms associated with varicose veins in addition to preventing them from occurring altogether. You can mix the dried powder of the stems with water or liquid for consumption.
Grape Seed Extract
Grape Seed Extract is a dietary supplement that’s most commonly used by people that have venous deficiencies. The extract is derived from the seeds of grapes, and it’s able to promote the healing process for wounds when it’s consumed. Not only that, but Grape Seed Extract is also able to reduce inflammation in areas where varicose veins are located.
Furthermore, Grape Seed Extract contains an antioxidant compound known as oligomeric proanthcyanidin that’s able to reduce edema swelling. In addition to that, this herbal extract can also decrease your systolic blood pressure as well as your heart rate wen it’s consumed or applied topically.
Overall, varicose veins cannot be cured, and they may just keep coming back. That’s why it’s important to remain educated on the causes of varicose veins as well as the actions that may prevent them from occurring in the future. For instance, you can prevent developing varicose veins by exercising regularly, watching your weight and diet, and by consuming a diet high in fiber and avoiding sodium.
In addition to that, you can also avoid getting varicosed veins by elevating your legs regularly throughout the day and changing your seating position regularly. Since they do have the possibility of returning, there are also treatments that you can undergo in order to treat varicosed veins, such as surgery, OTC drugs, compression treatments, and even laser treatment. You can receive these treatments in a variety of different treatments centres, including Vein Solutions.
But if you’re looking for a more natural way to treat varicose veins, you may want to consider different herbal treatments that have been known to successfully treat affected veins. Some of these herbs include Butcher’s broom, Horse chestnut, Billberry, Calendula, Gotu Kola, and even Cayenne.
Related Resources:
- Are There Any Natural Treatments for Varicose Veins?
- Good Lifestyle Habits for Healthy Veins
- How to Reduce Appearance of Varicose Veins
- Treatment of Varicose Veins without Conventional Surgery
- Exercises to Help Alleviate Varicose Veins