Treating Varicose Veins

There are home treatments that can help ease the pain of varicose veins, while slowing down their progression. Home treatment may be all that is required for some people, while others may still need to see a doctor for relief. The least you can do is to try some of these home treatment ideas and help to either stop or slow down the progression of varicose.

It always helps to know more about varicose veins and what causes them before you start to treat them. Varicose veins are veins that are enlarged and twisted that are close to the surface of the skin. This is caused by the veins in the legs being weakened. Once this happens the blood doesn't flow through the legs like it should so it begins to collect in the legs.

Several different things can contribute or even cause varicose veins:

• Heredity. Varicose veins often occur in families, so there seems to be a genetic component.
• Aging. As people get older the circulation in the legs just isn't what it should be.
• Overweight or pregnant. The extra weight strains the blood vessels.
• Sitting or standing. Sitting or standing for long periods of time increases the pressure on the legs.

Some various ideas on how to treat varicose veins at home are:

• Apply cider vinegar. Applying cider vinegar to the varicose veins both morning and night.,with time will help the veins to shrink.
• Drink raw vegetable juice. It has been suggested to drink 300 ml of carrot juice with 200 ml of spinach juice. (It helps to have a juicer.)
• Use rosemary oil. Gently massage the oil onto the affected parts of the legs, or ankles.
• Take baths. Alternate taking hot and cold baths.
• Take vitamin C. Vitamin C helps if taken in therapeutic doses of about 3,000 mg a day.

A long-term solution would also be to restrict your diet. A diet that eliminates or avoids starchy food, alcohol, coffee, strong tea, white sugar, and white flour products is probably the best diet to go on for treatment of varicose veins.

After knowing what causes varicose veins it helps to know what can be done to prevent or at least keep from having more varicose veins from appearing. There are several different ways to try to control varicose veins, here are just a few:

• Wear compression stockings. Varicose veins can be controlled by wearing compression stockings. These can help to improve the circulation in the legs.
• Elevate your legs. Lie down and elevate your legs so they are propped up to or above the heart level whenever possible.
• Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time. You need to get circulation into the legs if you sit or stand for long periods of time. Remember to move around and alternate between sitting and standing.
• Exercise daily. Try walking, swimming, and riding a bicycle; these will all improve blood circulation in the legs.

If trying these methods doesn't eliminate the pain or help to reduce the veins, then a trip to the physician is needed.