Varicose veins: Myths and Facts

Varicose veins and spider veins are swollen, twisted veins that usually appear on the legs. Varicose veins develop for various reasons. Risk factors include age, family history, being a woman, pregnancy, obesity, hormonal replacement or contraception therapy, prolonged sitting or standing, and others. Some of these risk factors — such as family history or age — are harder to avoid than others.

Varicose veins are very common. Around 1/3 of all adults have varicose veins. 

Many have heard of hemorrhoids. However, only some people know that this disease is one of the manifestations of varicose veins. In this case, the vessels of the rectum change. So many external signs of varicose veins are not visible.

Can varicose veins be prevented?

Understanding how to prevent varicose veins begins with making certain lifestyle changes. Here are a few tips.

Varicose veins prevention matters because varicose veins are not only a cosmetic issue but also a sign of underlying vein disease or venous insufficiency. This disease can lead to painful and sometimes debilitating symptoms if left untreated. It can also place you at high risk for dangerous blood clots and venous ulcers.

Like many other health problems, varicose veins are easier to prevent than treat. Some lifestyle changes might be quite beneficial.

• Give up the habit of sitting foot to foot.
• Adopt a habit of walking daily.
• Take time to visit the pool – swimming is the best way to combat blood stagnant.
• Adjust your diet. Include high-fiber foods, such as wheat, nuts, flaxseeds, oats, artichokes, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, figs, and avocados. Moreover, include foods rich in potassium, phosphorus, and vitamins B1 and B9, such as yogurt, pistachios, white beans, dates, potatoes, greens, oranges, seafood, and buckwheat.  Eat cherries (at least 30 g per day). Limit or completely eliminate fatty, fried foods, sausages, chocolate, alcohol, and salt.
• Use a contrast shower.
• Maintain the health of your blood vessels.
• In the evenings, give your feet a rest. Lay down and lift your legs by putting a few pillows under your feet.
• After a long day, some massage therapy can be good for improving blood circulation in your lags. Luckily, there is no need to have a masseuse for that. You can buy a massager for your legs.

Warning: if you already have varicose veins, especially in the late stages, do not massage them. Massaging the affected veins may cause blood backflow, worsening your condition. Furthermore, massaging a varicose vein may cause blood clots in the affected area to dislodge, which may prove fatal if the clot settles in the blood vessels in the brain, as it could result in a stroke.

Most often, varicose veins develop on the lower half of your body, usually on your calves, ankles, and feet. The manifestation of this disease varies from person to person.

Unfortunately, people suffering from varicose veins seek help from a doctor quite late.

The fact is that in the very early stages, the symptoms are not clearly delineated and are largely due to a change in the situation. In winter, everything is fine, nothing hurts, does not swell. Summer came, physical activity intensified, and swelling appeared. But a person knows that by the fall, everything will disappear and does not take action.

When the disease flows on the principle of “appeared-gone-appeared-gone,” it is usually not paid attention to. A person thinks: “Well, why would I go to the doctor? For no reason?

Then, when the interval between well-being and not very begins decreases and some pronounced symptoms like pain, swelling, and sensations of “running goosebumps” begin to appear on a regular basis, irritate, and interfere with sleep at night, then the patient goes to the doctor.

However, the later stages of vein disease can significantly impair life quality. You may find it more difficult to relieve symptoms using over-the-counter medications or resting your legs.

The best time to take action against vein disease or seek treatment for it is when you first notice the symptoms. Timely diagnosis is the key to successful treatment.

What are treatment options?

It is never too late to restore your quality of life through vein disease treatments, while some folk remedies will be excellent assistants on the road to recovery, like the three revival recipes below. Our ancestors have treated varicose veins for centuries using natural ingredients in various creams, lotions, ointments, tinctures, and decoctions.

So far, there is no medical research to support the effectiveness of varicose veins cream, lotions, or ointments in reducing and preventing varicose. However, they definitely can help to relieve the symptoms. 

My mother-in-law had big problems with varicose veins until she started to use chamomile tea and garlic ointment. She was getting vast relief in terms of pain, swelling of her feet, and itching in her legs. For our patrons, we published the revival recipes for these and other remedies in our new post. You can become a patron by signing up using the provided form.

The last two decades have seen a major revolution in the treatment of varicose veins, which includes Sclerotherapy, Endovenous Laser Therapy (or ELT), Radiofrequency Ablation (or RFA), VenaSeal, and Phlebectomy. One of the most exciting new treatments for varicose veins and venous reflux disease is HIFU: high-intensity focused ultrasound. It is also called Sonovein ecotherapy.

This new technique has only recently been presented at meetings, so only the principles and very earliest results are known. However, HIFU has been used in other clinical scenarios for non-invasive tissue ablation, and so the probability that it will be successful in vein treatment is quite high.

Whatever treatment you choose or leaning towards to, talk to your doctor and discuss the best options for your particular case.

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Myths and facts

A lot of people get varicose veins. When they see the symptoms, people start looking for information on the Internet or ask for advice from friends – and are faced with myths about varicose veins. Some of them are clarified, but some still create confusion.

Let’s go through some of them one by one.

Myth: Elastic bandages can replace compression knitwear.

Fact: Bandages do more harm than good. They do not provide uniform pressure on the veins and, if applied incorrectly, can cause thrombosis.

Compression knitwear helps to relieve heaviness in the legs and eliminate edema; thanks to it, the outflow of blood through the veins improves. Knitwear can be prophylactic, therapeutic, and anti-embolic. The latter is worn before complex operations. Whether the patient needs compression knitwear, the doctor determines.

Myth: If you eliminate varicose veins, the load on healthy veins will increase.

Fact: On the contrary, if you eliminate varicose veins, the function of healthy veins will become easier. Veins with varicose veins impede the outflow of blood; it accumulates in them and stagnates – this increases the risk of thrombosis. Elimination of varicose veins minimizes the risks and increases the outflow of blood through healthy veins.

Myth: Varicose veins can be cured with the help of medications.

Fact: We all want there to be one “magic pill,” “magic elixir,” or “living water” with which you can solve the problem in one fell swoop. The expression of such a desire is found in ancient Greek myths. Remember the goddess of healing, the daughter of Asclepius himself, named Panacea. Since then, we have all been looking for a “panacea,” hoping to get rid of our diagnosis quickly, and with the help of such an elixir, and at the same time, risk running into an “unscrupulous charlatan.”

Not even the most modern drug can cure varicose veins. The effect of drugs is aimed at relieving severe symptoms. If you rely only on medications, you can achieve the opposite effect: the veins will become even more voluminous, and in this regard, the risk of thrombosis will increase.

Myth: Hirudotherapy will help cure varicose veins.

Fact: Leeches can help treat many diseases, but varicose veins are not among them. Leech saliva contains hirudin, an enzyme that thins the blood, but how will it help with varicose veins? Being fond of leeches, you can get another unpleasant disease – thrombophlebitis.

Myth: You can treat varicose veins with mud baths.

Fact: Yes, it is possible to treat, but will there be a result? You can forget about varicose veins only by removing a vein, and any bath therapies only improve the emotional background, helping to relieve general fatigue and heaviness in the legs. In this case, you should remember that behind the purposeful mud baths hides acute thrombophlebitis.

Myth: Bee venom will help to forget about varicose veins forever.

Fact: The healing properties of bee venom can activate frozen metabolic processes and help fight against diseases, but not with varicose veins. Similar to leeches, bee venom consists of hirudin, which is able to dissolve blood clots. However, in the treatment of the main disease, it will not help. And in an attempt to entrust your health to bees, you can get thrombophlebitis, since with a sting, a bee can easily damage the vein wall and provoke inflammation.

Myth: After the surgery, you will have to forget about sports.

Fact: With varicose veins, moderate physical activity is simply necessary because the additional load contributes to the “acceleration” of stagnant blood in the limbs. However, excessive activity without the use of compression stockings can worsen the course of the disease. It is important for patients to listen to the doctor’s advice on what activity should be dosed.

In the postsurgical period, physical activity is also necessary, but it must be started with the doctor’s permission and increase the pace gradually to avoid complications.

GNC Herbal Plus Horse Chestnut Extract 300mg 100 capsules

Which supplements can help?

Horse chestnut extract is the only widely accepted leg vein supplement that helps patients with varicose vein disease of the legs. Extensive German research of this extract began initially in the 1960s. This well-done medical research led to the conclusion that the supplement had a significant reproducible benefit for relieving leg vein symptoms in patients suffering from varicose vein disease and venous insufficiency of the legs.

Nowadays, horse chestnut extract is very popular due to its effectiveness in vein treatments and is currently the 3rd most common single-herb product sold in Germany. The use of leg vein supplements is quickly growing worldwide due to the prevalence of vein disease.

There are also some supplements that may be beneficial to support a healthy circulatory system. Vitamins B3, C, and E are the most important. Most of them can be supplied from food sources. 

Vitamin B3, also known as Niacin, is an important nutrient with many benefits. The key role of niacin in your body is to synthesize NAD+, the coenzymes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, which is involved in over 400 biochemical reactions in your body.

One of the most popular herbs is Gotu kola, which is used to increase blood flow and reduce swelling. A few contemporary studies have confirmed that Gotu kola has beneficial health effects.

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What is next?

For our patrons, we are planning to publish new revival recipes that will help you with varicose veins symptoms periodically. You can become a patron by signing up using the provided form.

In our upcoming posts, we will address many other health issues and the latest advances in their treatment. Be sure to check back!

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