A Vein Treatment Center in New Jersey Discusses Natural Therapies for Varicose Veins

With the increasing interest in health foods and supplements, we have noticed that when we meet many new patients at our vein treatment center in New Jersey for the first time they ask us whether there are any "natural" or "holistic" ways of treating their varicose veins. What they're hoping for, of course, is that we can point them to a magical pill or vitamin supplement they can get at their local health food store that will make their varicose veins go away overnight. Unfortunately, this is what we have to tell them.

Neither conventional nor alternative medicine can "fix" varicose veins

Most cases of varicose veins are caused by a condition called venous reflux, more technically called chronic venous insufficiency, or CVI. This is a disease that damages the tiny valves that control blood flow through the veins and keeps that flow going in one direction – back to the heart and lungs. When the valves become damaged and "leaky," they allow blood to flow in a backwards (reflux) direction, and pool up in the veins. Once this has happened, the valves cannot be repaired, either with drugs or surgery – the only way to eliminate veins that have become varicose is to remove them using techniques such as sclerotherapy or radiofrequency ablation endovenous laser therapy (EVLT).

There are, however, ways that conservative or "natural" treatments can help

If 1) your age and heredity puts you at high risk of varicose veins but you don't have them yet, or 2) you have varicose veins but they are not yet causing pain or discomfort, there are some conservative or alternative treatments that can help. They will NOT reverse damage already caused by CVI, but they can help to minimize unpleasant symptoms and prevent new varicose veins.

The purpose of conservative varicose vein treatment is to improve circulation and blood flow, and the most effective tools we have to do this are compression stockings. Worn daily, they can reduce the size of your visible varicose veins and help to keep new ones from developing. Other conservative treatments include getting more exercise (especially walking), drinking lots of water, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding long periods of sitting or standing.

Some natural or holistic treatments can help as well

Massage can help to reduce swelling and the pain that often results from it. Some nutritionists feel that supplements such as omega-3 oils (1,000 mg daily) or coenzyme Q10 (100 mg daily) can help your blood vessels regain their elasticity. Others have claimed beneficial effects from vitamin K, ginkgo biloba, bilberry, and horse chestnut, but there is little clinical evidence to back up these claims, and there is no evidence to support claims for vitamin C and buckwheat.

So the bottom line is that these treatments can help, but seeking real vein disease treatment in New Jersey from qualified NJ vascular doctors is still the most effective way to deal with varicose veins. To learn more about modern vein disease diagnosis and treatment, see our website at www.chubackmedical.com or give us a call at 201-693-4847.

Author Bio: Doctors from a vein treatment center in NJ discuss holistic and natural therapies for varicose veins.

For more information: www.chubackmedical.com