Varicose veins also commonly identified as bulging or swollen blood vessels are an unsightly condition that can affect someone’s confidence as well as their well-being. They are blood vessels that have filled up with too much blood and have thus become visible on the skin.
This is obviously not a natural or appealing look and nobody should be forced to deal with it. It can be incredibly demotivating to have this unsightly condition on your body.
It often forces people to cover up their legs or avoid activities like swimming that could expose their condition to others. Opting out of social interactions or lifestyle choices because of this condition isn’t healthy and can cause a number of roll-on effects.
Therefore it’s crucial that something is done about the problem. While the best treatment for varicose veins comes from a professional vein specialist, there are some things you can do on your own to help fight against them.
Maintain a healthy weight
Being overweight or unbalanced can worsen and obscure this condition. Blood vessels in the legs are already fighting against gravity and when extra weight is compressing them they are more likely to be weakened.
This means that avoiding sugars, drinking plenty of water and maintaining a healthy weight will put less pressure on your blood vessels. This will in turn help make the blood vessels appear less swollen.
Appropriate exercises
While exercise is always an important part of being healthy there are some that are not very helpful to fighting swollen blood vessels. High intensity activity like tennis, weightlifting and martial arts can all require you to apply a lot of force which restricts blood flow and can worsen your condition.
Simpler, cardio based exercise like jogging, swimming or yoga are good for the circulatory system and don’t put undue pressure on your blood vessels. It also helps to maintain proper breathing throughout these activities to avoid holding your breath and putting more stress on your venous system.
A simple exercise for this condition is to elevate your legs above your heart after a long day. This helps to ease the pressure on your blood vessels because they will no longer be fighting gravity for blood to flow back towards the heart.
Using compression stockings
Compression stockings are some of the most lauded short term treatments for varicose veins. They work by squeezing the legs and allowing blood to flow more easily up them.
The stockings are very effective at reducing the aching or heaviness some people experience with this condition. They also help to combat blood clots as well as prevent increased swelling.
At-home remedies
While the best treatment for this condition comes from an accredited vein clinic, it doesn’t hurt to try out some of the many home remedies that exist. These remedies can provide short term relief from symptoms or even have a more lasting effect depending on the severity of the condition.
Apple cider vinegar is highly praised as a remedy for swollen blood vessels. It has a reputation for being able to help with cleansing the body system and promoting healthy blood circulation. It is easily applied by rubbing it directly into the skin where the problem blood vessels are located.
Cayenne pepper is another well-known remedy for this condition. It can help ease the pain of the swollen blood vessels as well as being rich in vitamin C which helps to improve circulation. This remedy should be added to mixture of warm water and consumed about 3 times a day.
As well as being a great way to add aroma and flavour to food, olive oil is a great healer for bulging blood vessels. A heated mixture of vitamin E and olive oil should be applied to the problem areas and massaged in. Doing this 2 times a day can often produce results within a month.