Varicose Veins

Veins are thin-walled blood vessels that carries blood back to the heart. Varicose veins; commonly referred to the veins in the legs, are veins that become enlarged, dilated and twisted.

Symptoms
The Initial symptom starts when the there is a swollen vein followed by muscular cramps and tired legs behind the knees.

The patient may suffer from a sudden outbreak of urticaria. It will appear as raised red and white patches on affected skin accompanied by intense burning and itching. Rubbing or scratching the affected area will only aggravate the condition and may cause small eruptions the size of pinheads or may come out as large as a coin. It may fade gradually for a few minutes or hour in one area, and may appear again in other area.

Occasionally, normal blood flow to the heart can be reversed when patient is in an upright position resulting in blood accumulating on the lower part of the legs. The skin will develop a pigmented purplish color and severe pain. This condition is known as varicose eczema of varicose ulcer.

Causes
Various situations that leads to swollen veins are constipation, standing for long hours, wearing tight-fitting clothing, lack of exercises, malnutrition, and smoking.

Pregnant women will develop varicose veins due to an increased pressure in the pelvis and abdomen that slows down the blood flow from the lower extremities to the heart. Young women are usually targeted during their early months of pregnancy.

Obese people can also develop varicose veins in their legs.

Home Remedies
Marigold: Make a compress using marigold flowers and apply it externally on the inflamed area. It can also be applied for those suffering the varicose ulcers.

Vegetables juices: Mix 300 ml of carrot juice and 200 ml of spinach juice.

Vitamins: Vitamins C and E can relieve leg cramps and pain. Vitamin C can be taken up to 3,000 mg and vitamin E from 600 – 1,200 daily.

Diets
For a start, undergo a juice diet for 4-5 days or a fruit diet for 7-10 days. Gradually consume more seeds, nuts, grains, fresh fruits and raw vegetables.

Take another short juice or fruit diet for 2-3 days every month depending on the progress of the condition.

Avoid alcohol, coffee, tea, condiments, and white flour and white sugar products.

Further Suggestions
Administer a warm water enema everyday during the initial juice or fruit diet to avoid constipation.

Take a hot and cold hipbath alternately daily.

Apply cold pack or spray the affected part with cold water.

Apply a mudpack overnight.

Take a hot Epsom salt batch twice a week.

Take breathing exercises and deep breathing.

Perform inverted yoga postures such as viparitakarani, sarvangasana, and shirshasana to reduce pressure on the veins, reduce the muscles, stimulate blood circulation in and out of the lower extremities, and drain blood from the legs. Practicing padmasana, gomukhasana, vajrasana, and shalabhasana can also help.