Many patients dread the development of varicose veins or twisted and bulging veins in the legs. Not only do they become cosmetic concerns, leaving many conscious, but they also cause pain, heaviness of the legs, and itchiness. The good thing is that natural remedies to control these side effects and even prevent them from worsening are available. But it’s also important to note that they might not remove the unsightly veins in your legs completely.

So what are the home remedies for varicose veins? Some home remedies you can try to manage or prevent varicose veins are improving physical activity and your diet, wearing comfortable clothing, and elevating and massaging your legs. You can also use different herbs and spices available at home, like apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, witch hazel, and horse chestnut seeds. Lastly, taking butcher’s broom supplements may also help.

At-Home Treatments for Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are caused by blood collecting in your veins. The blood is unable to flow back properly to the heart due to a faulty valve or damaged vein, resulting in its bulging appearance. It may also come with other symptoms, like pain, itchiness, and heavy feeling in the legs, even progressing into serious reactions like leg ulcers, bleeding, and blood clots.

While you still haven’t had interventional procedures, you may try several natural remedies to manage the symptoms and prevent varicose veins from worsening or even developing in the first place.

1) Improving Physical Activity

Patients standing or sitting for long periods have high risks of varicose veins because of poor blood circulation in the legs. Muscle contractions help your blood flow against gravity, preventing varicose veins. Improving physical activity with low-impact exercise can help push the blood collected in the veins.

You may try exercises like:

Cycling
Jogging
Swimming
Walking
Yoga

2) Wearing Comfortable Clothing

Wearing clothes that are too tight for you can hinder proper blood circulation, especially at the lower extremities. So opting for loose-fitting clothes may help promote better blood flow, keeping blood from collecting at your leg veins. You may also want to wear flat shoes more often and save high heels for special occasions. Wearing high heels disrupts the natural coordination of the foot and calf to pump blood.

3) Elevating Your Legs

Elevating your legs at the same level or above your heart for 15 minutes 3 to 4 times a day can help reduce swelling, pain, and other discomforts. You can incorporate this into your daily routine, especially if you’re going to sit or stand for long periods. This helps promote better blood circulation in the legs and reduces pressure on the veins.

4) Massaging Your Legs

You can also help promote better blood flow by massaging your legs gently. This keeps your blood circulating through the veins. Using moisturizers or mild essential oils can enhance the effects of this natural remedy. But you may want to avoid applying direct pressure onto your veins, causing damage to other tissues.

5) Wearing Compression Stockings

Wearing compression garments is also a recommended home remedy for preventing varicose veins and their symptoms. Doing this helps enhance blood flow and reduce the pressure of the veins.

6) Applying Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider contains antioxidants that cleanse the body and flush out free radicals bad for your cells. You may simply apply it on the affected area, massage gently, and leave it to dry on the skin – do this before you sleep and when you wake up. Others also suggest drinking a glass of water with 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. This natural remedy claims to reduce swelling.

7) Consuming Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C that fight viruses, help with allergic reactions, and improves blood flow. This natural remedy for varicose veins involves mixing 1 teaspoon of the spice with a glass of warm mixture, consuming this mixture every morning for 1 to 2 months.

8) Taking Butcher’s Broom Supplements

Butcher’s broom contains vitamin C, vitamin B, and ruscogenin, which helps enhance blood flow and reduce inflammation of the veins. It comes in supplements for easier consumption, but you might want to consult your doctor about taking it because it may cause adverse reactions if you have fluctuating blood pressure.

9) Using Witch Hazel

Witch hazel is said to help improve blood flow with its anti-inflammatory properties. You may simply soak a cotton ball in this astringent and apply it to the affected area. Soaking your feet in witch hazel diluted in warm water is also a way to use this solution.

10) Using Horse Chestnut Extract

Horse chestnuts have anti-inflammatory properties that help prevent the narrowing of the veins, reducing the risks of varicose veins. A study has reported that it aids the body in subsiding itchiness, leg heaviness, and pain.

11) Improving Your Diet

Your diet is a vital aspect of promoting healthy veins and steady blood flow. If you’re looking to manage or prevent varicose veins, you may want to know the food you need to avoid, like salty or sodium-rich foods.

Add the following food to your diet to reduce water retention and prevent constipation, which can worsen damaged vein valves:

Potassium
Fiber
Flavonoids

Varicose Veins Pain Relief Home Remedy: Other Options

Patients seeking immediate pain relief from varicose veins may also rely on several at-home remedies while they haven’t done interventional procedures yet.

To reduce pain and other side effects of enlarged veins, you may:

Apply a cold compress
Take NSAIDs
Elevate your legs
Wear compression stockings

The Most Reliable Solutions for Removing Varicose Veins at Downtown Vein & Vascular Center

While natural remedies help keep the body healthy, reducing your chances of developing varicose veins or preventing them from worsening, they won’t completely remove the visible veins in your legs. They also won’t ensure long-term results. To completely resolve varicose veins and their symptoms, you should consider having interventional procedures at Downtown Vein & Vascular Center.

Varicose Vein Treatment	Description
Sclerotherapy	The affected vein will be injected with a sclerosant to close it and allow the blood to flow to healthier leg veins.
Endovenous Laser Treatment	A fiber will be inserted into the damaged vein. The ELAS device will apply heat on the vein lining via the fiber to close the vein and allow the blood to reroute to other veins.
Micro-Phlebectomy	The affected vein under the skin will be removed as your vein specialist creates small incisions for access. The blood will reroute to healthier veins.

These minimally invasive treatments at the Downtown Vein & Vascular Center involve only minimal health risks and short downtime, allowing patients to return to their daily activities. Board-certified specialists will also conduct these procedures, so you can expect the best results possible.

Book an Appointment at Downtown Vein & Vascular Center for Your Varicose Vein Treatments

Natural remedies may help enhance vein health, prevent varicose veins, or manage its symptoms. These at-home methods offer accessible solutions for keeping unsightly veins from worsening. But it’s important to note that they may only do little in completely resolving your varicose veins. Because of this, you may want to rely on interventional procedures from a trusted varicose vein clinic.

Downtown Vein & Vascular Center is one of the most reputable clinics for providing advanced solutions to varicose veins. With our cutting-edge equipment and highly-trained vein specialists, patients can expect the safest and most effective treatment possible. Get started on removing your varicose veins today for long-term relief. Book an appointment to learn more by visiting our clinics, filling out a quote, or giving us a call.

Sergei Sobolevsky, MD, is a leading specialist in endovascular medicine with experience in vascular and interventional radiology. Dr. Sobolevsky has decades of experience in the field, with over 25,000 procedures performed, accumulating extensive experience in image-guided minimally invasive medicine, diagnosing and treating a range of conditions.

Dr. Sobolevsky earned his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree in 1997 from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He received his specialty clinical training in vascular and interventional radiology at Harvard University. Later, he earned his MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor and named to the Top Doctors New York Metro Area in 2020, 2021, and 2022, Dr. Sobolevsky is licensed in multiple states, has delivered presentations at numerous institutions in the US and abroad, and now acts as a clinical advisor for the biomedical industry. He also held multiple positions in the field during his career, including Chief of Vascular and Interventional Radiology at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, NY, Senior Vice President in Clinical and Regulatory Affairs at Artann Laboratories in North Brunswick, NJ, and Medical Director at the American Endovascular and Amputation Prevention Center in Brooklyn.

More About Dr. Sobolevsky

The Best Home Remedies for Varicose Veins