Treatment of varicose veins with folk remedies

Patients often try to treat varicose veins with folk remedies at home - based on plant extracts, there are even preparations for external use and oral administration, most of which are positioned as a way to completely eliminate vein disease.They are widely advertised and sold without a doctor's prescription.But, unfortunately, this attitude towards traditional methods in the case of varicose veins is not entirely correct.

Phlebologists do not consider traditional methods as the main method of treating varicose veins on the lower legs - traditional medicine can be effective in complex therapy and can only reduce symptoms.

Why do herbal remedies not cure varicose veins?

The use of various plant-based medicines is not able to relieve varicose vein patients even in the early stages of the disease.This cannot be achieved with drug therapy and other conservative methods recommended by official medicine.

Changes in the vein wall with varicose veins are irreversible.And not a single product of natural or pharmaceutical origin can eliminate this characteristic disorder or at least reliably stop its development.Currently, there is no drug that leads to the regression of phlebosclerosis and the restoration of the normal structure of the vascular wall.

In many cases, patients have a hereditary predisposition to varicose veins on the lower legs.

Factors for the development of varicose veins:

• Genetically determined "weakness" of the venous wall, which can actually withstand only normal levels of intravascular pressure without consequences.
• A small number of intravenous valves are present in the uterus, which may be a family or racial trait.

Of course, all this cannot be eliminated with the help of herbal medicine or other non-surgical techniques.Therefore, there is no need to talk about curing varicose veins with the help of conservative therapy, no matter what advertising and publications promise.

Improvements in the condition while taking drugs or herbal remedies only indicate compensation for existing venous insufficiency.The duration of this period of remission depends on many factors.And the continuation of herbal medicine does not at all guarantee a low probability of resumption of symptoms and prevention of the development of complications.

However, herbal products can still be used in the complex treatment of varicose veins on the lower legs.In addition, some healing extracts form the basis of some modern medicines.So patients can refuse to prepare decoctions and infusions independently for oral administration.Many people prefer standardized pharmaceutical products with coordinated dosage, ease of administration and predictable action.

What are the effects of herbal medicine and traditional methods?

For varicose veins, chamomile, horse chestnut, aromatic rue, horsetail, dandelion, meadow lumbago (sleeping grass), bird's knotweed (knotweed) and several other plants are most often used for medicinal purposes.

Chamomile helps relieve the symptoms of varicose veins in the early stages - it reduces the inflammatory process and the visibility of the affected veins.Chamomile tea and compresses have minimal contraindications and can be recommended by specialists in complex therapy.

Dandelion is a popular remedy for varicose veins.The dried roots and stems are added to tea and also during bathing.It relieves mild pain, but has no therapeutic effect.

Effects of folk remedies

Herbal medicine has a limited effect on the affected veins:

• Phlebotonic effect - increases vein tone.But do not forget that with varicose veins, the structure of the affected vessels changes irreversibly.In their walls, not only the amount of connective tissue increases significantly (the so-called phlebosclerosis), but the structure of the muscle layer is also disturbed.Therefore, already deformed veins will give an inadequate response to phlebotonic substances.Their lumen can be narrowed mainly with the help of strong compounds - for example, ergot alkaloids.But the side effects of such herbal medicine will be significant.Therefore, phlebotonic plants are used to reduce the severity of venous insufficiency and for preventive purposes.
• Compression of veins, because the deformation process is somewhat hindered.This effect can be used in complex prevention in individuals at risk.But it is still not possible to stop, let alone reverse, existing varicose veins in this way.
• Antithrombotic and isolation effect, which reduces the risk of thrombosis and has a good effect on microcirculation.But this effect can be expected only with sufficient long-term use of decoctions and infusions.In addition, blood thinning will not occur locally in the area of varicose veins, but throughout the body.In some patients, this can lead to complications of other diseases.
• Anti-inflammatory and wound healing effects, shown mainly in local herbal remedies for trophic ulcers and eczematous venous dermatitis.But without eliminating venostasis (the main cause of this complication), it is impossible to achieve lasting normalization of the skin condition.

As you can see, the symptoms of the disease will decrease only temporarily, and the varicose veins will not disappear completely.

Apitherapy for varicose veins

Apitherapy or "bee therapy" is the use of bee venom and various bee products for medicinal purposes.Recommendations for the use of honey and propolis as a compress for trophic ulcers and the presence of varicose veins that look quite common.Some also use apitoxin therapy sessions, deliberately achieving a bee sting in the projection of the most affected vessel.

Honey and propolis in the form of compresses are used to relieve swelling and pain.

Apitherapy is a classic folk method to treat varicose veins of the legs, let's consider the expected effects and possible occurrences:

• Improve tissue trophism and supply them with vitamins and microelements contained in honey.In reality, there is no improvement - the penetration of the components through the skin is not important to talk about a significant therapeutic effect.In addition, the dense mass of honey can clog the pores and thus worsen the condition of the dermis.
• In the presence of trophic ulcers - the antimicrobial effect of using honey compresses.The highly digestible carbohydrates from these bee products can be a breeding ground for opportunistic microorganisms.This can lead to the exact opposite effect, especially in the case of skin dysbiosis that occurs with varicose veins and against the background of decreased local immunity.
• The anti-inflammatory effect of honey compresses.Yes, honey can reduce the severity of non-specific inflammation.But in the case of varicose veins, the main changes occur in the walls of subcutaneous vessels, and biologically active substances through the skin are still not absorbed well enough.Honey is a highly allergenic product;it is possible that a local allergic reaction similar to inflammation may develop - this will not improve the condition of the feet.
• Fights thrombosis (with apitoxin therapy), which is explained by the presence of substances like hirudin in bee venom.Trying to use this effect, fire therapists often plant stinging bees in areas of veins affected by thrombophlebitis.In some cases, this actually activates thrombolysis (absorption of blood clots).But a rather aggressive and not fully controlled effect can trigger thromboembolism and increase the severity of phlebitis.
• Improves microcirculation under the influence of peptides contained in bee venom.Indeed, this biologically active substance contributes to the expansion of capillaries and blood flow to the inflamed area after a bee sting.A bee sting session has the potential to improve the condition of the soft tissues of the legs affected by varicose veins.But apitoxin therapy is also accompanied by inflammation and swelling, which worsens the existing disorder.The wound formed after the removal of the sting serves as an entrance for bacteria - the risk of developing erysipelas and other infectious complications is very undesirable.
• Venous wall restoration under the influence of bee venom.The peptides and other substances contained in it, with repeated stings, change all the tissues in the area of inflammation.The skin thickens, the subcutaneous tissue becomes rougher, the walls of subcutaneous vessels thicken, and varicose veins become less prominent.But this does not mean that the uneven phlebosclerosis and the nodular deformity of veins that arise against its background completely disappear.They are only compensated, which is accompanied by a temporary stabilization of the course of chronic venous insufficiency.And valvular sclerosis is not eliminated by apitherapy.

Apitherapy is indeed a very powerful traditional medicine, but with varicose veins it is fraught with the development of infectious complications.It is not possible to restore the vein wall with such treatment;it is only possible to stabilize the course of the disease and relieve symptoms.

Do leeches treat varicose veins?

Leeches have long been used in the treatment of blood and blood vessel diseases.The risk of thrombosis is reduced, and the pain is temporarily reduced.

Treatment with leeches (hirudotherapy) is a popular method for treating varicose veins and other vascular diseases, eliminating symptoms, improving tissue trophism, but the effect is limited in time:

• Reduces puffiness and visible pigmentation.
• Smoking leeches reduces the risk of thrombosis.This is explained by the antithrombotic effect of several substances in its saliva: the anticoagulant hirudin, collagenase enzymes and apyrase with dissociative properties.But leeches cannot act on blood clots that are already in the veins, and they do not reduce the possibility of thromboembolism in thrombophlebitis.In addition, the proteins that come from his saliva break down rather quickly, so one cannot expect a long-term antithrombotic effect from hirudotherapy.
• Blood sucking by leeches reduces intravascular pressure.This unloading of local blood flow is temporary and is not able to relieve the patient from venous stagnation with varicose veins.
• Certain substances in leech saliva have a vasodilating effect and lead to dilation of small vessels.In some cases, this helps improve microcirculation.Venous insufficiency caused by varicose veins is accompanied by overextension of the end part of the venous network due to blood stagnation.So additional expansion of small vessels may not have the best effect on microvascular conditions.With spider veins, the effects of using these leeches can make things worse.

Hirudotherapy now refers more to physiotherapeutic methods than traditional methods.But phlebologists are still very careful with such treatment because of the high possibility of complications - erysipelas.

Venous congestion that develops with varicose veins leads to nutritional disorders of all body tissues, including the skin.The efficiency of local immune factors decreases, the composition of the microflora on the surface of the epidermis changes.All these are prerequisites for the development of infectious complications.

Leech inhalation further disrupts the skin's barrier function.And the gaping wound after its separation can also be an entrance for pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria.And the most likely infectious complication of hirudotherapy is erysipelas.In addition, proteins derived from leech saliva are foreign to the human body and potentially act as allergens.

Hirudotherapy cannot relieve varicose veins on the lower legs or lead to sustainable compensation for venous insufficiency.Increases the risk of infectious dermatitis and erysipelas.

How to overcome this disease?

Any conservative therapy for varicose veins only relieves symptoms.The main effect is aimed at reducing the severity of venous stagnation and correcting complications.No conservative technique can prevent the further development of the disease and eliminate the main cause of chronic venous insufficiency.

Self-medication is dangerous!

Late visits to the doctor and self-medication for varicose veins significantly increase the likelihood of complications:

• Superficial and deep vein thrombosis with possible development of thromboembolism.Migrating blood clots block arteries, which can cause myocardial infarction, stroke, and dysfunction of many organs.Pulmonary embolism is one of the most deadly conditions.
• Trophic ulcers, prone to chronic and recurrent.
• Venous eczema is a severe chronic dermatitis with an infectious allergic basis.It significantly worsens the quality of life and can be complicated by erysipelas.
• Spontaneous rupture of varicose veins with risk of blood loss.

In the hospital, varicose veins are treated surgically - the entire affected vessel and its main tributaries are removed (or completely cut off from the blood stream).As a result, patients eliminate pathological blood discharge, eliminate venous stagnation, and improve tissue nutrition.

Currently, patients have the opportunity to choose an equally effective minimally invasive intravenous intervention instead of a classic operation.These include:

1. EVLO is destruction of an affected vein (i.e. irreversible closure of its lumen) after intravascular laser treatment.
2. RFO is destruction caused by exposure to radio frequency waves.
3. Sclerotherapy is the introduction into the vessel lumen of a special sclerosant drug, which causes adhesion and subsequent destruction of the vein.

Treatment methods are selected according to indications, taking into account the stage of varicose veins and the presence of concomitant diseases.Uncomplicated varicose veins are usually removed with sclerotherapy or RFO, while more advanced ones can be removed with laser technology. Laser treatment of varicose veins gives excellent results at any stage of the disease.