How to Treat Varicose Veins With Alternative Remedies

Varicose veins are a circulatory condition of the legs. Symptoms include leg veins with a gray or bluish, spider-like appearance, leg weakness, burning, swelling and pain or cramps when walking or standing on your feet for long periods of time. Contributing factors to the cause of this condition include obesity, pregnancy, poor nutrition, little or no exercise, smoking and constipation. Phlebitis may occur, if you fail to get treatment and this could result in the need to have the varicose veins surgically removed. If you want to use natural or alternative remedies to help manage your varicose veins, there are a few you might want to give a try.

Things You'll Need

• Bromelain supplements (500 mg)
• Pulsatilla
• Ferrum metallicum
• Carbo vegetabilis
• Hamamelis
• Standardized extract of horse chestnut

Instructions

1. Eat foods that can reduce your symptoms, such as fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, onions, fish, garlic, ginger and fiber-rich foods. Cut out processed foods, junk foods, fried foods, sugary foods, cheese and animal protein, as they can exacerbate your problems.

2. Take 500 milligrams of bromelain supplements, prior to each of your three daily meals. Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme found in pineapple, from which it is extracted. Bromelain can lessen the chances of you getting clot formations in your blood vessels. You should not take bromelain if you have an allergy to pineapples or suffer from a digestive disorder. If you are on a blood thinner or are pregnant or nursing, consult your doctor before taking bromelain.

3. Try using homeopathic remedies that can aid in easing your varicose veins. Common remedies include Pulsatilla, Ferrum metallicum, Carbo vegetabilis and Hamamelis. Take the remedy that suits your set of symptoms at 30C strength, once every 12 hours. You should not take the remedy beyond a week and only one remedy should be used at a time. Homeopathic remedies carry no side-effects and can be safely taken with any prescription drugs you are on.

4. Consider employing a standardized extract of horse chestnut, which has aescin, a compound that can help improve elasticity in your veins and build up your vein walls. Horse chestnut comes from the seeds of a tree that originated in Greece and Asia. The common dosage is 300 milligrams three times daily, but check the product you use to see if it differs. Do not take horse chestnut if you are on an aspirin regimen, suffer from kidney or liver disease, are diabetic, are prone to getting blood clots or have heart disease. If you are able to take horse chestnut, avoid ibuprofen and other over-the-counter pain medications, as bleeding may result form using them at the same time you are on horse chestnut. If you are pregnant or nursing, talk to your doctor first, to see if it is safe to take this herb.

5. Get your weight down. Being obese can increase your risks of getting varicose veins. Go on a healthy diet and exercise regularly, so that you will lose weight and put less stress on your legs. Speak with your doctor about a reasonable weight loss plan you can live with.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not scratch varicose veins.

• Do not rub, scratch or massage varicose veins.

• Contact your doctor before trying any alternative remedy.

• Contact your doctor if bleeding occurs around your varicose veins.

• Contact your doctor if your veins get red, lumpy and raised.