Varicose veins or simply varicose veins are a dangerous vascular disease that mainly affects the veins of the lower extremities. The pathology most often occurs in women, especially during pregnancy, when the load on the legs increases significantly. It develops as a result of thinning of the walls of blood vessels and the appearance of aneurysms as a result of high blood pressure. The disease is caused by the following factors: sedentary lifestyle, prolonged standing, constant movement of the heels, heredity, some internal pathologies. In men, it is often associated with bad habits, being overweight, and hard physical work.
If left untreated, the disease leads to serious complications. As a rule, doctors approve a combination of drug therapy and folk remedies.
Symptoms of the disease
The symptoms of varicose veins of the lower extremities depend on the stage of the disease:
- Phase I is characterized by minor changes and usually goes unnoticed. At this stage, the following signs appear: swelling and heaviness in the legs, rare night cramps, minor pain in the legs. One of the important symptoms is the appearance of spider veins on the legs, which is most often the reason for a woman's visit to a phlebologist.
- In phase II, the symptoms are more pronounced, the painful feelings and swelling of the lower extremities become permanent and do not disappear even after a long rest. Painful nodules appear on the legs and severe itching on the affected areas of the skin, occasionally there is a feeling of numbness in the legs. Conservative treatment is possible at this stage.
- Stage III is characterized by enlargement and compaction of the venous nodes, their bulging above the level of the skin. The patient is accompanied by constant pain in the places where the nodules form, the risk of their damage increases significantly, causing bleeding. This stage is characterized by a short duration or lack of effect of using specialized ointments and creams.
- In stage IV, all symptoms worsen, trophic ulcers on the legs are added to them. Blood vessels stop supplying blood to tissues, leading to necrotic processes.
- Phase V is characterized by persistent and non-healing trophic ulcers.
- In stage VI, the patient has difficulty moving, trophic ulcers spread to healthy tissues and infection is possible.
Only the first two phases are subject to conservative treatment. Neglected forms of the pathological condition require surgical intervention.
Methods of treatment
There are several methods of treatment: conservative drug therapy, surgery and the use of folk remedies.
The conservative method consists in the use of venotonics in the form of ointments and tablets, blood thinners, vitamin complexes. In the stage of trophic ulcers, drugs are used as maintenance therapy. As a rule, antiseptics are prescribed for local use, drugs from the group of antibiotics from the inside, immunostimulants, vitamins, agents that stimulate tissue regeneration.
Folk remedies against varicose veins are widely used today in the complex treatment of pathology. Distinguish external means, therapeutic baths and preparations for internal use.
Formulations for external use
Among the external methods of traditional medicine, the following recipes are the most popular:
- The use of red and green tomatoes has long been considered an effective way to remove swelling and heaviness in the legs. To do this, it is necessary to cut the fruit into rings, completely cover the legs with them and fasten with a tight bandage. The exposure time to the agent reaches from 1 to 2 hours. After that, the dressing must be removed and the procedure repeated several more times. The duration of the course is 2 weeks.
- Apple cider vinegar treatment is considered to be one of the most effective methods of fighting varicose veins in the early stages. Its application consists of daily double lubrication of the affected areas with a cotton swab dipped in natural apple cider vinegar.
- In the initial stages of the disease it is allowed to make compresses with honey. The procedure must be performed four months in a row. Lubricate problem areas with lots of natural honey and wrap with a compression bandage, leave for 2 hours. Hold the session at night.
- Simple potatoes will help in the stage of trophic ulcers. The essence of the method consists in applying grated raw tuber to the foci of trophic changes for 5 hours and fixing the dressings with a bandage. The duration of treatment depends on the severity of the skin condition.
- One of the simpler recipes involves using fresh cabbage leaves as a medicinal wrap. They need to be applied to the diseased limbs every day for a month and fixed with a bandage. It is better to perform the procedure at night and leave the compress until the morning.
- Homemade peanut butter is an effective remedy for varicose veins. To get the composition, you need to take the unripe fruit, chop and pour over the olive oil so that the raw materials are completely covered. Heat the mixture a little over low heat and pour into a glass jar, leave for a month to soak. After that, the product must be applied daily to lubricate the bulging veins.
- The composition of equal amounts of aloe juice, olive oil and buckthorn oil will help reduce itching and relieve irritation in painful areas. The tool must be used to treat the epidermis of the legs in the morning and evening.
- St. John's wort oil copes well with ulcerative lesions of the lower extremities. Preparing at home is not difficult. 100 g of dry raw material should be poured with 400 ml of sunflower oil and heated on low heat for 6 hours. Then strain the composition and apply as a dressing directly to the site of ulceration.
- Pharmaceutical products may also be supplemented with natural ingredients. Ichthyol fat and Vishnevski fat should be taken 10 g each, add 10 g of lard, aloe juice and honey. Heat a little and treat ulcers, fixing the dressings with a bandage. It needs to be changed once a day.
- Fresh lilac leaves will help remove swelling and heaviness in the legs. To do this, you need to put them on their feet, fix with a bandage and leave for 2 hours. Repeat the procedure several times during the day.
- Fresh birch leaves will help treat varicose veins at home. To do this, you need to find tall bags, fill them with raw materials and insert your feet into them. When the limbs sweat a lot, it is necessary to interrupt the session. You will need fresh leaves next time. As a rule, 2-3 procedures are enough to get rid of swelling and heaviness in the legs.
- In summer, the use of fresh wormwood is allowed. It is necessary to cut a few branches of the plant, wash, dry, chop, mix with the same amount of yogurt. Arrange the composition on napkins made of natural fabric and wrap the affected limbs, leave for 30 minutes. It is recommended to be in a supine position with raised legs during exposure to the agent. This recipe should be used daily for a month.
Medicinal herbs in the form of decoctions and tinctures have long been used to treat varicose veins. The following recipes have been proven:
- A decoction of hop cones is used for dressings. It should be prepared from 2 tablespoons of crushed raw materials and 500 ml of water. The composition must be boiled for 15 minutes, filtered, cooled. It is recommended to moisten a napkin made of natural fabric and wrap sore limbs.
- Alcoholic tincture of white acacia flower effectively fights nodules on the lower extremities. For 100 ml of vodka you will need 80 g of dried crushed flowers. They must be infused for 10 days and used for daily treatment of the affected areas until the condition improves.
- Celandine broth is allowed to be used for dressings. Preparation is simple: 4 tablespoons of dry raw materials must be boiled in a liter of water for 20 minutes, infused for 12 hours, filtered. Moisten a cloth napkin in the resulting liquid and wrap it around the lower leg, leave for an hour, having previously fastened with a bandage. After removing the bandage, it is recommended to lubricate the lower legs with sunflower oil. The duration of therapy is one week, then it is recommended to take a break of 10 days and repeat. You will need 2-3 courses for complete recovery.
- Kalanchoe tincture, used for rubbing and massage, has healing properties. It is prepared simply: fill half a jar with a volume of half a liter of chopped plant leaves, pour vodka so that the whole bowl is filled. Insist for a week in a dark place, drain. Use the product daily before bed, rubbing your feet from foot to knee with light massage movements.
- Treatment of varicose veins in the stage of trophic ulcers can be carried out with the help of a decoction of medicinal herbs: chamomile, calendula, yarrow, St. John's wort, horsetail. The components must be mixed in equal amounts, take a tablespoon of the mixture, pour 500 ml of boiling water, cook for a few minutes. Use a ready-made composition for dressings or rinsing lesions.
Many medicinal herbs and folk remedies have contraindications and side effects, so it is recommended that you consult your doctor before using them.
Medicinal baths
The use of natural remedies as healing baths significantly alleviates the patient's condition. Compositions for the procedure can be prepared according to the following recipes:
- Decoction of willow and oak bark effectively fights edema of the lower extremities. Preparation is simple: it is necessary to take 50 g of dry crushed raw material, boil for a few minutes in 5 liters of water, cool and put your feet in the composition for 20 minutes.
- Chestnut baths are considered an effective remedy against varicose veins. Pour 100 g of chestnut peel with 2 liters of boiling water, cook for 15 minutes, leave for 6 hours and add to a bowl of water. Lower limbs 20 minutes.
The use of warm therapeutic baths is categorically contraindicated in patients with a tendency to thrombosis or in whom thrombophlebitis has been diagnosed.
Products for internal use
Taking alternative medicine strengthens the walls of blood vessels from the inside and promotes rapid recovery. Effective formulations can be prepared according to the following recipes:
- Carrot tops, fresh and dried, can be used to make medicinal tea. To do this, you need to insist on a teaspoon of raw materials for an hour in a glass of boiling water. You must take the composition three times a day.
- A recipe based on garlic and honey has long been used to treat blood vessels. It is necessary to grind 700 g of garlic into a porridge, mix with a kilogram of honey and eat a tablespoon of the mixture before main meals.
- It is recommended to drink 125 ml of dried nettle infusion 3 times a day. It is prepared simply: take 2 tablespoons of herbs per 500 ml of boiling water, leave for 1 hour.
- It is recommended to take the juice of fresh chestnut flowers in 25 drops, dissolved in a glass of water, in the morning and in the evening.
- It is allowed to take 1 tablet in the morning and in the evening, previously dissolved in water.
- Alcoholic tincture can be prepared on the basis of nutmeg. To do this, you need to pour 200 g of chopped raw materials a liter of high-quality vodka, leave for 14 days. Drink 20-30 drops until the product is consumed.
- Infusion of hazelnut leaves effectively fights diseases. A tablespoon of dry raw material should be insisted for 30 minutes in a glass of boiling water. Consume 100 ml 4 times a day.
Means for internal use not only contribute to the treatment of the disease, but also strengthen the body, which is necessary during the period of therapy.
Varicose veins of the lower extremities are a serious condition. Ignoring the symptoms leads to terrible consequences. It is not worth starting the disease, because in the later stages the only option is to treat surgery.