Home Remedies For Varicose Veins During Pregnancy

You are enjoying your pregnancy and suddenly there is some discomfort in your legs especially in your back of the knee area. You get worried as you feel there is a swelling in your legs and while it may not be hurting it is definitely itchy. So what do you do? You consult your doctor and your doctor tells you that it is varicose veins. Varicose veins – what is it? How can you cure it -- are some of the queries that plague your mind. While your doctor assures you it is quite normal to have varicose veins during pregnancy, you are still worried. Worry not, as our blog on home remedies for varicose veins tries to answer all your queries so read on...

What Are Varicose Veins During Pregnancy?

So what are varicose veins and what are varicose veins during pregnancy. Well varicose veins are nothing but unusually swollen veins which tend to bulge near the skin’s surface. Varicose veins are those ugly looking blue or purple veins that start showing up on your legs or even in your vulva.

Yes, varicose veins are quite common phenomena during pregnancy. Varicose veins happen during pregnancy because your body releases the progesterone hormone which is believed to relax the walls of the blood vessels, thus making them little loose. In addition to the increasing weight of the growing baby in your womb puts lots of pressure on your veins in pelvis and legs thus resulting in tired veins which tend to bulge near the skin’s surface hence creating varicose veins.

Am I At A Risk Of Developing Varicose Veins During Pregnancy?

You may or may not develop varicose veins during your pregnancy. While there is nothing to worry as such but varicose veins can be a cause of much discomfort during pregnancy. You may feel a slight heaviness in your legs along with some pain. Sometimes it can be itchy as well or feel like the skin is burning. And you may feel that the condition is worsening as the day is coming to an end.

So what do you do? You turn to home remedies to soothe varicose veins during pregnancy. So what are home remedies – let’s see.

How To Treat Varicose Veins At Home?

Being pregnant leaves you with little choice in terms of treatment for varicose veins so you tend to turn to remedies that are easily available in the comfort of your home and have no side effect on your unborn baby. Some of things available at home to treat varicose veins include

• Garlic (lahsun): Garlic is known to reduce inflammation and provide immediate relief from the pain due to varicose veins during pregnancy. But if you are sensitive to the strong odour of garlic during your pregnancy, then it is better to avoid and go for another remedy. Though if you can stand the odour then it is a good treatment for varicose veins as you need to extract the juice of garlic mix it with olive oil and let it sit for 12 hours. Post 12 hours apply this blend on the affected area wrap cotton around and sleep easy
• Butcher’s Broom: Butcher’s broom is an herb that is renowned to relieve pain and the resulting discomfort from varicose veins. The herb contains a ruscogenin herb that is believed to reduce inflammation of varicose veins and helps in constricting the veins thus offering the much needed comfort. You can take the juice extract either from the roots or from the seed and apply it on the affected area. Do this three times a day and you will feel the difference
• Witch Hazel:Witch Hazel is an herbal plant that is known to reduce the discomfort of varicose veins and strengthen the blood vessel. The plant is a rich source of gallic acid and essential oils that help in reducing the swelling and also the pain associated with varicose veins during pregnancy. You can apply the juice extract by soaking a cloth in the extract and apply it on the affected area. Repeat it two or three times a day and you will see the difference
• Parsley (Ajwain): Yes good old ajwain that helps in lots of other problems also helps in reducing the inflammation of varicose veins. However, for varicose veins you need to boil chopped fresh parsley in a cup of water for five minutes. Let the solution cool and then strain it. To the solution now add rose and marigold essential oils, mix it well and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. Then apply it with a cotton ball on the affected area

Home Remedies For Varicose Veins Itching

The easiest way to ease the itching caused by varicose veins during pregnancy is to do the following--

• Marigold Essential Oil: You can take a few drops of marigold essential oil, rub it in your hands, with gentle fingers apply it on the affected area and massage the area with gentle hands to get a relief from itching caused by varicose veins during pregnancy
• Rose Essential Oil: Another home remedy to treat itching is to apply rose oil on the affected area and massage it gently. You can apply any of the two oils before going to bed in the night and before waking up in the morning

Also Read: Top 10 Pregnancy Diets - Pregnant Women Must Adhere to

Ayurvedic Home Remedies For Varicose Veins During Pregnancy

We have learnt about home remedies to treat varicose veins during pregnancy, but did you know that according to ayurveda varicose veins during pregnancy can be treated by following the basic ayurvedic treatments like aromatherapy, using apple cider vinegar, massage with an olive oil and cayenne pepper. So let’s read about ayurveda treatments as well.

• Aromatherapy is a good therapy: While it is true that you need a trained aroma-therapist to guide for a better treatment, however there are some aromatherapies that you can do on your own in teh comfort of your home. What you can do is – take four drops of cypress or geranium oil into a teaspoon of grapeseed oil (angoorkebeejkatel). Grapeseed oil is base oil in which you have to add cypress oil. Blend it well then add this mixture to your bath water. You can also make a warm or cold compress with this oil mixture by adding it into either cold or warm water. Soak a cloth in it and apply it on the affected area
• Peppermint oil offers relief:Peppermint oil is good in relieving the constant pain in your legs and all you have to do is put it in a small spray bottle and spray on it your affected vein to get immediate relief and ease the discomfort caused by constant pain
• Cayenne pepper: Cayenne pepper is supposed to be a ‘miracle treatment’ for varicose veins especially during pregnancy. And what’s best is that you can consume it and see the difference it makes on your varicose veins rather than massaging on to your affected veins. Cayenne pepper like all the chillies and bell peppers is a rich source of vitamin C and bioflavonoids that aid in blood circulation and alleviate the pain of swollen and congested veins. How can you use cayenne pepper – well it is quite easy. Just add one teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder in a cup of hot water, stir it well and drink this blend at least three times a day for at least a month or two to see the effective results
• Apple cider vinegar: Apple Cider Vinegar is one of the best products in Ayurvedic treatment. It is believed to be a natural body cleanser which when consumed helps in getting rid of all the toxins. Hence it is no wonder that is quite effective in treating varicose veins as well. Apple cider vinegar helps in improving blood circulation and when the blood flows easily through the veins the heaviness and the swelling in the veins recedes to an extent where it will be negligent. You can apply undiluted apple cider vinegar soaked in a cotton ball on the affected vein every night before going to bed and then in the next morning. Do this diligently for few months and you will feel the difference in varicose veins as they reduce in size and return to their normal shape.Follow this remedy for a few months to reduce the size of varicose veins

How To Get Rid Of Varicose Veins Pain?

It is believed that varicose veins is a result of poor blood circulation in the legs and pelvic especially during pregnancy. So in order to get rid of varicose veins pain you need to improve the blood circulation in your veins. Olive oil is known to increase the blood circulation, reduce pain and inflammation. So take equal amount of olive oil and essential vitamin E oil mix them together and warm it. Now gently massage your veins with this oil before going to the bed in the night.

How To Avoid Varicose Veins During Pregnancy?

There are 5 easy ways you can avoid varicose veins during pregnancy and they are really simple and everyday lifestyle changes, which when you practice right from the moment you conceived you can avoid varicose veins.

1. Regular exercise: Regular exercise is a must during pregnancy as it improves the blood circulation in the veins and helps in building the required stamina as well. You can go for even a light walk in your neighbourhood area. The idea is to keep moving so that there is a blood circulation in your body
2. Don’t sit cross legged:Avoid sitting either crossed legs or with legs crossed at ankles during pregnancy. Sitting crossed legs may put pressure on the veins thus resulting in varicose veins
3. Elevate your legs when lying down or sitting:Don’t sit with your legs hanging down as it puts pressure on the veins in the legs and pelvic area thus resulting in varicose veins. Whenever you are sitting put your legs on a stool or on a chair. While lying down put a pillow under your legs and feet so that they are above your heart level
4. Avoid standing or sitting for too long:Both standing and sitting for long periods of time put a pressure on your veins thus resulting in varicose veins. Hence if you have a sitting job then get up and move around and if you have job where you need to stay standing then sit down for a while put your legs up and relax
5. Maintain your weight:Watch your weight as gaining unnecessary weight will put pressure on your legs’ veins in addition to the pressure of the growing baby in your womb adding on to the pressure

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