Varicose veins on a woman's legs are treated with surgical methods. It is possible to use minimally invasive procedures aimed at closing the dilated veins. Most often, sclerotherapy is used for this purpose. But most women don't want to see a doctor, much less go under the knife. They prefer to treat varicose veins at home.
How to treat at home?
It is impossible to cure varicose veins at home. Although conservative treatment is used, it does not reverse the disease process and does not improve the condition of the woman in the long term. Home treatment goals:
- reduction of symptoms of varicose veins;
- reduce the likelihood of complications;
- slow down the progression of the pathology;
- improving the quality of life.
At home, a woman can use medicines from a pharmacy, folk remedies, compression clothing. It is possible to use procedures that reduce the severity of symptoms, as well as the observance of hygiene at work and rest, which allows you to somehow improve the quality of life.
Best practices for use at home:
- cold and hot shower;
- lying with legs raised;
- baths with salt or soda, herbal decoctions;
- massage;
- phisical exercises.
Compression clothing - socks or golf can be used. They narrow the lumen of the veins, compensating in whole or in part the malfunction of the venous valves.
How to deal with drugs?
There are many drugs for the treatment of varicose veins. Different drugs have different functions. It is recommended to agree on their reception with a doctor, because the dose, the duration of the course, the combination of drugs is selected based on your own state of health and the stage of varicose veins.
Women can use the following groups of medicines at home:
- Phlebotonics.The preparations are mainly of vegetable origin, which, after oral administration or application to the skin, increase the tone of the venous walls, thereby narrowing the lumen of the vessels. They have a temporary effect lasting several hours. Tablets are more effective than ointments.
- Antioxidants (vitamins E, C, alpha lipoic acid)they are used to improve tissue tropism. These drugs are needed to slow down the destructive processes that occur in the tissues due to a violation of their blood supply.
- Antiplatelet agents.Medicines that reduce the likelihood of blood clots. Usually for this purpose, acetylsalicylic acid is used in low doses. Drugs of this group also have an anesthetic and decongestant effect.
- Anticoagulants.They are applied to the skin in the form of a gel. These are heparin-containing medicines. Reduces the likelihood of blood clots forming.
How to deal with the pills?
Basically, the pills used for varicose veins in women are venotonic. All of these pills are toxic to the stomach, so:
- the course of treatment should be limited;
- pills should not be taken for peptic ulcer or gastritis;
- the dose should be monitored by a doctor;
- the tablets should only be taken after meals.
We remind you that varicose veins are not cured with pills. They are used exclusively to relieve the symptoms of the disease.
How to deal with folk remedies?
Treatment of most diseases with folk remedies is a useless idea. But this does not apply to varicose veins on women's legs. The fact is that almost all drugs used in this disease, sold in pharmacies, are of plant origin. Therefore, you can use herbs or foods that contain the same active ingredients as medicines.
It should be borne in mind that the treatment of varicose veins with folk remedies has a number of disadvantages, compared with the use of drugs from a pharmacy:
- There is no way to control the dose. Therefore, the risk of side effects will be greater, and the likelihood of reducing the symptoms of varicose veins is lower.
- Time-consuming process. You will have to make decoctions or infusions yourself, which will take a lot of time and effort.
- Bad taste. Obviously, swallowing a pill is more enjoyable than drinking a serving of a foul-smelling broth or alcoholic tincture. Applying folk remedies externally is not always effective and, moreover, it is not always pleasant due to the specific smell that spreads throughout the house.
More or less effective folk methods:
- The use of infusions and decoctions of grapes or chestnuts - allows you to increase the tone of the vascular wall. Most effective when taken orally. Local use is unlikely to have a significant impact on the course of varicose veins.
- Local use of heating agents (camphor oil, horseradish, pepper). Reduces swelling, pain, relaxes muscles.
- A decoction of willow bark inside. Contains acetylsalicylic acid, which has an analgesic effect and reduces blood clotting, reducing the risk of blood clots.
Ineffective folk remedies for varicose veins (not worth trying):
- decoctions of most plants: burdock, wormwood, comfrey, acacia;
- food compresses: beets, potatoes, honey;
- rituals, spells, prayers, conspiracies can and do help someone, but their effectiveness is not clinically proven.
Like drug treatment, alternative therapy has an exclusively symptomatic effect. That is, the means you use do not cure anything, but only reduce the clinical manifestations of varicose veins, improving the quality of life.
Production
The main methods of treating varicose veins are sclerotherapy and surgery. It is impossible to restore ships to their former appearance. Treatment at home is possible, but it is not aimed at completely curing the disease, but at improving a woman's quality of life, reducing symptoms, slowing the development of varicose veins and preventing complications. Home treatment is carried out using treatments, compression garments, pills or folk remedies.