Conservative Treatment of Varicose Veins

Conservative treatments for varicose veins are measures you can take to treat your veins without any procedural intervention. These treatments may make you legs feel better while you are using them, but these measures will not stop your veins from getting worse. More importantly these measures will not treat your veins permanently. But, some of these measures are important to reduce the aching, itching, burning, restless legs, swelling and other symptoms you may be experiencing. Using some of these measures will also reduce the risk of some of the more dangerous complications associated with varicose veins.

Regular Exercise

• Regular exercise is important. Walking for 20 to 30 minutes 5 to 7 days every week will help reduce symptoms associated with varicose veins such as aching, pain & tiredness. Exercise may also keep the varicose veins from getting worse as quickly.

Wear Support Hose

• Medical Graduated Compression stockings are helpful in reducing your symptoms. If you experience aching, swelling, heaviness, restless legs or other symptoms compression stockings, even knee high stockings, are likely to leave you legs feeling better at the end of the day. Compression stockings can be purchased from pharmacies, medical supply stores, and online internet stores.
• Support stockings, available at department stores are not designed in the same way as compression stockings. They will not give you the same benefit.
• Compression stockings are made in different strengths. The strength means how tightly the stockings squeeze the ankle and calf. The stockings are tightest around the ankle. This helps the blood to move up out of the leg more normally in the varicose veins. The different compression strengths are:
  • Light support: 4-14 mmHg (compressive strength) – available without a prescription
  • Moderate support: 15-20 mmHg (compressive strength) – available without a prescription
  • Heavy support: 20-30 mmHg (compressive strength) – available without a prescription
  • Prescription strength: 30-40 mmHg (compressive strength) – available only by prescription from a physician.

Move Your Legs Frequently

• If you sit for long periods of time at work, or while traveling, it is important to move frequently. Your leg muscles pump the blood out of your legs through your veins. If the muscles are not moving the blood tends to pool in your legs and your legs begin to swell. Lack of movement will increase your risk developing deep veins blood clots.
• Simple exercises like pointing and alternately flexing your toes 10 times even while sitting will pump the blood out of your legs almost as well as walking does. Repeat this exercise every 10 minutes while sitting. If you are able to walk for at least 2 minutes every half-hour this will be even more effective. Just standing up to your tip toes, and back down ten times will improve the blood flow. This can be very helpful for someone who has to stand in one place for long periods of time.

Elevate Your Legs

• Elevating your legs above the level of your heart for 10-15 minutes once or twice daily may lessen aching and swelling. This is easily done by laying flat and putting your feet on several pillows.

Avoid Wearing High Heels

• Wearing high heels interferes with the normal pumping action that occurs when you walk. Wearing high heels may lead to aching and cramping of the legs.

Herbal and Medication Treatment

• There are medications and herbal remedies claiming to be effective for the treatment of varicose and spider veins. These claims are rarely supported by reliable research. It has been shown that an extract of Horse Chestnut is effective in reducing the symptoms and size of spider veins while you are taking the extract. You can find this at many health food stores. If you stop taking Horse Chestnut Extract or other herbal combinations the problems will return. There is no evidence that medications of any kind will make varicose veins go away.

For more information about treatment options offered at bod:evolve veins read through the links on the main page and through our FAQs. If you have further questions or want to make an appointment for an evaluation please call us at .

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