Reversing Varicose Veins

People with varicose veins normally complain that their legs feel painful, tired or achy, especially after hours of shopping or sightseeing and in the evening. They may also experience a burning or jerking sensation in an isolated area of the leg. The underlying problem is failure of the saphenous veins underneath the skin surface which do not pump enough blood in the legs back towards the heart the way they should. Either the one way valves designed for this job disintegrate or they don't close completely and leak blood. Or the blood vessel walls weaken and bulge. Spider veins are simply varicose veins in the capillaries, the smallest branches of our blood vessel system.

Whether you have leaky valves,weak walls or both, blood stagnates, leading to swelling and discomfort. Anything that increases blood pressure in your legs increases pain, so your legs hurt more at the end of the day, especially if you have been standing all day long or forcing any bowel movement. Women also find that their legs normally ache more just before their period.

In contrast, anything that you do in reducing the pressure will help relieve pain. Lying in bed with your feet propped up can help counteracting gravity and get the blood flowing back towards your heart. But you can't spend the rest of your life on your bed. Luckily, there are a few ways to counteract gravity and get the blood pumping again.

Wiggling your toes inside your shoes every half an hour for a minute or two can get the job done, especially for those with long hours of sedentary works. And don't forget to flex your leg muscles and lift yourself on tiptoe as often as possible.

If it is practical, leave your desk and take a brisk walk around the office, perhaps to the coffee machine and back. As you walk, the calf muscle in your legs contract around the blood vessels, taking over the faulty valves and helping pump blood up through your veins.