How to get rid of varicose veins naturally and medically

Varicose veins are often considered not a dangerous disease, so they are not treated. This assumption is an example of the varicose veins myth. The reason is, varicose veins that are severe enough can interfere with activities and cause complications later in life. So, how do you get rid of varicose veins? Come on, take a peek at the various steps in the review below.

Healthy lifestyle as a way to get rid of varicose veins

The presence of varicose veins can reduce the appearance of your skin. The reason is, this condition often attacks the blood vessels around the feet and hands. Although disturbing appearance, this condition can generally be eliminated.

Lifestyle changes are touted as one way to treat varicose veins. Let's discuss one by one the lifestyle changes you can make to overcome the following blood vessel problems.

1. Be diligent in exercising

Not confident about the appearance of varicose veins on your legs? Try to exercise regularly every day. Apart from making your body fitter, regular exercise can also improve blood circulation in your legs.

Yes, regular exercise is believed to be one of the natural ways to improve blood flow while reducing swelling that occurs in veins, so that it can be used as a way to get rid of varicose veins. Conversely, if you are not moving for too long, it is difficult for the blood vessels to pump blood efficiently to the heart.

However, not all types of exercise you can do. Consult a doctor to find out which type of exercise is safe for you. If you feel pain while exercising, reduce the intensity of the exercise. Try to do the exercise slowly. In essence, keep yourself moving, so that the blood flow that has accumulated in your legs can return smoothly.

2. Maintain ideal body weight

One of the risk factors for varicose veins is obesity. This can occur because obesity puts pressure on the blood vessels, causing swelling and widening of the veins in the legs.

In many cases, varicose veins experienced by people who are overweight tend to be more difficult to remove, because they have expanded and become more inflamed. Therefore, before it's too late, try to get the ideal weight as a way to get rid of varicose veins.

Apart from being diligent in exercising, maintaining your body weight can also be done by paying attention to the food intake you consume daily. Foods such as trans fats, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and processed foods can cause arterial damage. These foods are usually also high in salt. So, avoid eating foods that mostly contain sugar, salt or saturated fat.

On the other hand, make sure the food you consume on a daily basis contains a balanced diet consisting of carbohydrates, protein, fiber and good fats. Do not forget, also fulfill the intake of vitamins and minerals from vegetables and fruits. Check your ideal weight with a BMI calculator to find out whether you are already ideal weight or not.

3. Avoid soaking in hot water for a long time

The American Academy of Dermatology states that avoiding hot baths can be one way to get rid of varicose veins. It is feared that it can worsen the symptoms of varicose veins. So, it's better for you to choose a warm shower rather than a long bath.

4. Do not stand or sit for long periods of time

The next way you can do to treat varicose veins is to avoid sitting or standing for a long time. Try taking a short walk after you've sat down for 30 minutes, and do the opposite. You can also do simple stretches to increase blood flow in the body.

You can also lie down for a moment and place your feet in a higher position. Use three or 4 piles of pillows to support your feet. This action is done to increase blood flow around the legs, so that it can help treat varicose veins.

5. Avoid high heels

The use of these shoes puts a great deal of stress on your feet. Therefore, if you have varicose veins on your feet, this type of shoe should be avoided. Instead, choose shoes without heels that are better for the blood vessels around your feet.

By avoiding high heels, it means that you are preventing varicose veins from getting worse and this helps the effectiveness of other ways of treating varicose veins that you are also doing.

How to get rid of varicose veins naturally

Another natural way you can try to get rid of varicose veins is to use essential oils. A number of essential oils can help improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, and correct hormonal imbalances.

The essential oil that you can use to treat varicose veins is cypress essential oil. This oil is obtained from a type of cypress tree with a scientific name cupressus sempervirens. This essential oil is also believed to have the ability to improve circulation and improve the circulatory system.

The choice of essential oils doesn't stop there. You can also use lavender oil to help relieve pain from varicose veins. According to studies, lavender is known to affect the production of chemicals in the brain, namely serotonin and GABA, which are associated with relieving pain.

The use of this essential oil is simply applied to the skin. However, you have to be careful because allergies can occur. So, make sure beforehand that you are not allergic to the ingredients present in essential oils.

How to get rid of varicose veins with the help of a doctor

If the swelling in the veins is large and spreading, you may not be able to get rid of varicose veins with the methods above. You need a doctor's help for medical action to cure varicose veins in your legs.

However, before deciding what procedure to perform, the doctor will usually perform a physical examination first. In addition to checking your medical history, your doctor may ask you to stand up and check how badly the veins in your legs are swollen.

Do not hesitate to complain to the doctor about how severe the pain you feel in the part of the leg that has varicose veins.

If needed, an ultrasound test (USG) may be done to see if the valves in the blood vessels are functioning normally or not. This test can also be done to see how big a blood clot has formed. After the doctor has finished conducting the examination, then he can determine what procedure is suitable for your condition.

Here are the various ways doctors offer to get rid of your varicose veins.

1. Use of compression stockings

Compression stockings are specially designed for a steady squeeze of your leg to improve circulation. These stockings for varicose veins will tie tightly around your ankles and gradually loosen up as you move your feet. With the use of these stockings the blood will be pushed and flow upwards towards your heart.

However, compression stockings are not suitable for everyone. Hence, you will have to undergo a test called a Doppler probe to check your blood circulation.

Apart from improving blood circulation, this method can also relieve pain, discomfort and swelling in your legs caused by varicose veins. But it is not known whether stockings help prevent your varicose veins from getting worse, or whether they prevent new varicose veins from forming.

Reporting from the National Health Service, the use of compression stockings can be used as a long-term treatment for varicose veins if all other treatments are not suitable for you.

Compression stockings come in a variety of different sizes and pressures. Most people with varicose veins will be prescribed class 1 (light compression) or class 2 (moderate compression) stockings.

You may need to wear compression stockings for the rest of your life if you have deep vein incompetence (blockage or problems with the valve in the deep vein in your leg). In these circumstances, you should wear compression stockings even though you have had surgery to treat multiple varicose veins.

2. Laser treatment

Laser treatment can help remove small varicose veins or spider veins (spider veins).The doctor or medical professional will direct a laser beam at the area where the varicose veins are located. The strong beam of light will make the blood vessels slowly fade and disappear.

If you are afraid of needles, this procedure is the best option. The reason is, the laser procedure does not require incisions or needles at all. Even so, this procedure still has side effects to watch out for.

Some of the side effects that may result include damage to blood vessels, blood clots, hematoma, infection, sunburn, and nerve injury. Ask your surgeon more about these possible side effects.

3. Sclerotherapy as a way to get rid of varicose veins

Sclerotherapy is a medical procedure to remove varicose veins by injecting a chemical called sclerosant into the veins of the legs. These chemicals are effective in helping constrict blood vessels and fade varicose veins that appear on the surface of the skin. Not only that, sclerotherapy can also be the right solution for those of you who want to treat spider blood vessels (spider veins).

Within a few weeks, the clotted blood vessels in the legs or other parts of the body should ideally fade away. Unfortunately, you need to do this procedure repeatedly for maximum results.

In addition, be aware of the side effects that may occur from this procedure. Yes, just like various other medical procedures, sclerotherapy to get rid of varicose veins also has side effects. Some of the possible side effects include swelling and bruising at the injection site. In serious cases, blood clots can also occur.

4. Catheter with laser energy

If your varicose veins are already enlarged, a catheter with laser energy may be the best solution. In general, catheters with laser energy are actually similar to previous laser methods.

The difference is, in this procedure, the doctor may first involve a small incision in your leg to insert a thin tube into the enlarged vein. After successful insertion, the tip of the catheter will be heated using radio waves or laser energy.

Now, when the catheter is pulled out, the heat energy produced can destroy the enlarged veins and shrink them.

5. Phlebectomy as a way to get rid of varicose veins

Phlebectomy is surgery for varicose veins through small incisions. This procedure is effective in removing small varicose veins that lie on the surface of the skin without pain.

Even though it involves an incision, this procedure rarely causes scar tissue to appear. To reduce pain, your doctor may apply a local anesthetic to the problem area.

6. Venous endoscopy

Have done the various methods above, but varicose veins also don't go away? Do not be discouraged! The reason is, there is one other medical procedure you can do, namely venous endoscopy.

This procedure is generally the last resort if various medical procedures to get rid of other varicose veins do not work. Venous endoscopy is performed in cases of varicose veins that are severe and cause ulcers in the legs.

The doctor will make a small incision in the area affected by varicose veins. After that, the doctor will insert a special small tube accompanied by a camera at the end. Through a monitor screen, the doctor will remove and close the veins that are affected by varicose veins.

As scary as the process may sound, you will be able to move on as usual over the next few weeks.

7. Vein exfoliation and ligation

Vein stripping and ligation are usually reserved for severe cases of varicose veins. The veins that are affected by varicose veins will be tied before starting to spread to other veins that are deeper. If you can't tie it, your doctor may remove a vein through a small cut in your skin.

Your doctor will likely give you general anesthesia so you can fall asleep during the procedure. The recovery time for this procedure ranges from 1-4 weeks.