Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine is a Toronto naturopathic clinic dedicated to providing safe and effective treatment of a wide variety of health conditions using natural therapies and the principles of naturopathic medicine.
Varicose veins are well treated using naturopathic medicine. Varicose veins are a condition in which your veins become enlarged, and can occur to any veins, but most commonly occur in the veins of your legs and feet.
Varicose veins are caused by a loss of elasticity of the veins (with age), loss of function of the valves in the circulatory system whose function it is to prevent backwards flow of blood and conditions of increased blood volume (e.g., pregnancy). These changes combine to cause pooling of blood in your veins, resulting in “varicosities”.
Complications of varicose veins are rare, but can include skin ulcers and blood clots.
Seek emergency medical care if you experience sudden leg swelling or skin ulcers (most commonly near the ankles).
Symptoms of varicose veins
Possible symptoms of varicose veins include:
• Veins that appear twisted and bulging (cord-like), often on your legs
• Veins that bluish in colour
• Sensation of ache or heaviness in your legs
• Burning, throbbing or cramping pain and swelling in your lower legs
• Leg pain that is worsened after sitting or standing for prolonged periods
• Itching at your veins
Treatment of varicose veins at Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine
At Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine, the goals of varicose vein treatment are to increase blood vessel integrity, reduce pain and increase blood flow.
Conventional treatment for varicose veins may include compression stockings, surgery and various techniques that cause vein destruction (e.g., sclerotherapy), which may result in scarring. For this reason, you may choose to try natural treatment to possibly avoid use of conventional treatment.
Naturopathic treatment of any chronic health concern must be recognized as a process that involves identifying specific treatment goals, a thorough understanding by your naturopathic doctor of all factors affecting your health, including physical, psychological, emotional and lifestyle factors, development of a comprehensive treatment plan and execution of that plan through periodic monitoring and adjustment.
At Toronto-Centre Naturopathic Medicine, a typical approach to treating varicose veins may be to identify and address underlying factors in your lifestyle (e.g., standing for long periods of time) or general health (e.g., obesity) that may be contributing to development of varicose veins, use hydrotherapy to relieve discomfort and use of botanical (herbal) medicines and nutritional supplements to improve strength and elasticity of blood vessels.
Where appropriate, a number of therapeutic options are available, to be used alone, or more often in a complementary fashion, including:
• Lifestyle counseling
• Hydrotherapy
• Exercise prescription
• Botanical (herbal) medicines
• Nutritional supplements
• Acupuncture
• Homeopathic medicines
• Bowen Technique
References
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Varicose veins [Online]. [cited 2010 Jan 18]; Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/varicose-veins/DS00256.