If you are unlucky enough to suffer from varicose veins, you are probably wondering the best way to deal with them. Not only do varicose veins not look very nice – a real issue for us women, but they can also become painful.
You are probably wondering what caused your varicose veins to appear, am I right? You might be asking yourself whether you’ve crossed your legs a little too often. While many people believe that varicose veins are caused by crossing your legs, this is a myth. If, however, these pesky veins run in your family, crossing your legs can bring them out more quickly. So yes and no, crossing your legs too often could have had something to do with it.
20 years ago, if you developed varicose veins, this meant a life of control stockings and never being able to get your legs out. However, luckily for you, advancements in technology have meant that there are lots of options when it comes to dealing with them.
To help you deal with your varicose veins, we have created a guide to everything that you need to know, below:
Understand what causes the problem
The first thing that you need to do is understand what causes varicose veins. As you know, your veins carry blood around the body, and the valves inside them ensure that the blood keeps moving in the right direction.
Sometimes the valves give way, the blood pools, stretching the veins, causing them to protrude. Varicose veins are simply caused by a weak valve – some people have weaker valves than others. This can be down to genetics, a lack or exercise, and being overweight or obese.
Learn how to prevent them
Even if you already have a couple of varicose veins, you can still learn how to prevent new ones from occurring. This is important, as you don’t want to suffer from the same problem constantly.
Exercise on a regular basis. To help prevent more varicose veins from occurring, you need to exercise two to three times a week. Exercise increases the strength of your leg muscles, helping to keep your veins and valves healthy. Things like swimming and cycling are ideal, as they don’t put too much strain on the legs, which can cause more varicose veins to appear.
At the end of each day, chill out on the sofa with your legs raised on pillows for 10 to 15 minutes. This will ensure that any pooled blood can drain, helping to prevent the veins from swelling and protruding.
Know how to treat them
When it comes to treating varicose veins, there are lots of options to choose from. The option that is best for you will depend on the severity of your varicose veins – treatments different depending on how bad your veins are. The best people to talk to about this are varicose vein doctors, who can advise you about all the best treatment options.
For minor varicose veins that cause little discomfort, most doctors will recommend leaving them. You can use stage makeup to cover them and a horse chestnut supplement to keep any discomfort at bay, but that’s about it.
For more severe varicose veins, the options are sclerotherapy for smaller veins and laser ablation for larger veins. Your doctor will be able to tell you what the best treatment method is for you, so there is no need to worry.
To ensure that you are dealing with your varicose veins properly, make sure to take note of the tips and advice, above.
