Tips to Avoiding varicose veins
Veins are fairly weak structures and what we commonly know as varicose veins are veins that have developed due to damage and dilation of the valves of the veins. Blood is returned to the heart in the veins for re-oxygenation and the valves prevent the blood from going backwards. If these valves are damaged, pooling of blood and stretching of the veins occurs and the increased static pressure results in a bulging vein. Varicose veins can be highly visible as they bulge above the skins’ surface. Varicose veins affect nearly 50 % of middle-aged adults and for some women, the thought of exposing their legs during the summer months is highly embarrassing. Other forms of varicose veins can appear in the groin, in particular the vagina in women, especially during a pregnancy, the scrotum in men and rectal haemorrhoids for both sexes. If veins are left untreated, they can cause symptoms such as pain, itchiness and fatigue. In the long term they may lead to eczema and dermatitis and finally leg ulcers that become very difficult to heal due to the poor blood return in the area. A small percentage of cases may develop a blood clot which could cause a pulmonary embolism, heart attack or stroke.
What are the Causes of Varicose Veins?
The actual cause is unknown, however in most cases there is a hereditary component, the genes are often dormant and are stimulated by environment factors. When an individual stands for long periods, the pressure exerted against the vein can increase by up to ten times. Hence, individuals with occupations that require long periods of standing and/or heavy lifting are at greatest risk of developing varicose veins. Women are affected about four times more frequently than men and obese individuals have a much greater risk along with increasing age due to loss of muscle mass and tissue tone of the vein walls. Other causes may be damage to the venous valves due to secondary thrombophleblitis, weakness of the vascular walls due to either abnormalities in the protein structure that support the vein including the intercellular cement, or excessive release of cellular enzymes which break down this cement , resulting in increased capillary permeability and loss of integrity of the venous structure. So how can we avoid developing varicose veins? Exercise, such as walking, riding a bike, or jogging is particularly beneficial, as the contraction of the leg muscles pushes pooled blood back into circulation and avoiding standing for long periods of time will reduce the risk of development of varicose veins. Weight loss is essential if obesity is a contributing factor. If standing for long periods is unavoidable, during pregnancy and on long haul flights, prevention of veins bulging due to sluggish valves can be lessened by wearing correctly fitted compression stockings. In severe cases, completely removing the damaged vein is an option. For lesser damaged veins, injections with a saline type substance guided by an ultrasound, known as sclerotherapy, has been very successful in recent times. Following these small injections into the damaged area of the vein, a compression stocking is worn for 4-6 weeks to help to collapse the injected vein. Blood returning to the heart then finds a new route via other remaining veins. Supplement and herbal remedies that may be of assistance and have been used historically over the centuries include the flavonoid rich extracts of berries, including cherries, blueberries, blackberries, bilberries and hawthorn berries. Berries are a very rich source of proanthocyanidins and anthocyanidins, and improve the integrity of intercellular cement and vascular system and reduce capillary fragility. Individuals with varicose veins have a decreased ability to breakdown fibrin resulting in fibrin being deposited in the tissue near the veins and the skin becoming hard and lumpy. Nutritional herbs that increase the breakdown of fibrin are capsicum (cayenne), garlic, onion and ginger and liberal consumption of these in food is recommended. Bromelain, found in pineapple, is an enzyme that also appears to promote the breakdown of fibrin. It is indicated in the treatment of varicose veins and may help prevent the formation of lumpy skin. Other herbs that may assist with treatment are, centella asiatica, horse chestnut and butcher’s broom, these can be obtained from a good Herbalist. Vitamin and mineral supplements indicated in the treatment of varicose veins are Vitamins A, B, C, E, bioflavonoids and zinc.
