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Varicose Veins and Holistic Healing (Part One)

Varicose veins are no fun for anyone but unfortunately they are a reality fro many people and they tend to run in families. Females are twice as likely to develop varicose veins than are males. It is estimated that in the United States approximately 20 percent of adult women and 10 percent of adult men have varicose veins, the extent of them varying from mild to moderate to severe.

Varicose veins can easily develop on any part of the body but they most often appear on the legs and feet due to pressure. Having excess weight on the body can aggravate a case of varicose veins tremendously. Varicose veins can be painful and they also can be unsightly to look at but for the most part they are a cosmetic problem that will not affect the way the legs or feet work. When varicose veins become swollen and inflamed as they sometimes do, they can become tender and sore to touch and this can then lead to problems with the circulation of blood. The circulation problem can reach the point where the skin is itchy, the ankles are very swollen and in some cases the leg or foot with the varicose veins is very sore.

There are many different types of alternative and holistic therapies that can help improve a case of varicose veins. Some of these therapies work better for some people than others. It would do you well to discuss the options with your doctor and/or your healthcare practitioner and then try out a variety of therapies to see which one works best for your condition. Alternative therapies to try include acupuncture and//or acupressure, aromatherapy, color therapy, diet and supplements, chiropractic, herbal therapies, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, juice therapy, massage, reflexology, Schuessler tissue salts and yoga. There are certain kinds of exercise that are often recommended for people who suffer from varicose veins.

The symptoms of varicose veins are easy to recognize. Varicose veins are dark blue blood vessels that are very prominent and are most often found in the legs and feet. Varicose veins cause the legs to be sore and to ache, be tender or feel heavy. Very often varicose veins in the legs often causes there to be swelling in the ankles and the feet sometimes will swell after a person stands for a considerable amount of time. This can be very painful for people who have jobs where they have to stand all of the time such as wait staff and retail clerks.

Superficial varicose veins appear as bulging and ropelike veins that are blue in color. Often varicose veins and aching in the leg area as well as a feeling of heaviness goes together and this is often accompanied by swelling. A deep varicose vein will causes aching and heaviness but there will not be any prominent veins and no veins that are blue in color. Sometimes varicose veins cause skin to be discolored and to peel and they can also cause skin ulcers to develop. When it comes to varicose veins there is usually constant pain in the legs and feet as opposed to intermittent pain.