Pressure

Varicose Veins during Pregnancy – Causes, Characteristics and Treatment

Women often develop varicose veins as a side effect during pregnancy. Varicose veins are simply inflamed veins; often bump into the surface of the skin. They may appear as corrupt purple veins, dark blue on legs. Some women have varicose veins in the rectal area, known as hemorrhoids.

While many women do not experience the discomfort of varicose veins, others may notice throbbing or burning. This is particularly true for women who stand for long periods.

Causes:
During pregnancy, increased blood volume puts pressure on the veins. At the same time, pregnancy hormones relax the walls of blood vessels. Thus, to pump more blood, the veins have problems returning blood to the lower body and then back to the heart.
As a result, varicose veins can develop in the legs, buttocks (as piles or haemorrhoids) and even in the area around the opening of the vagina. The veins worsen at the end of pregnancy when the baby grows. The bigger the baby gets, there is more pressure on the pelvic veins and the large blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart from the legs and abdomen.

Varicose veins can appear blue or purple as they swell with extra blood circulating in the body. They may also appear as “knots” or bumpy. For some women, varicose veins are painless and it gets uncomfortable only when the pregnancy progresses. Others can feel a throbbing pain.

Varicose veins can cause many problems if:
• you are already overweight when you become pregnant,
• the baby is too big,
• you are expecting more than one baby.
They tend to run in families and it gets worsen with each pregnancy.

Treatment:
- Homeopathy
Ideally see a registered and qualified homeopath, and that homeopathic remedies are best prescribed according to precise symptoms.
A homeopathic remedy that can help to treat varicose veins is pulsatilla. Put one or two tablets of 30c strength, under the tongue three times a day. If after five days, there is no change in symptoms, stop taking the tablets and seek professional advice from a qualified and registered homeopath. Other homeopathic remedies that may work include Hammamelis dye, applied to the legs at night, or arnica tablets if your veins are paining and damaged.

- Aromatherapy
To ease the pain of varicose veins, mix four drops of cypress or geranium oil in 5 ml (one teaspoon) of grape seed oil base, and add this in your bath water. On the other hand make a compress by adding the essential oil mixture to hot water or cold, and soaking a cloth such as a kitchen towel in it. Drain and then wrap the fabric around their legs, varicose veins.

- Herbal remedies
Aloe vera gel applied on the legs can be helpful for varicose veins. Apply the gel and then lie with your legs slightly elevated above the hips.

- Reflexology
Reflexology on feet or hands is an effective body treatment. It is helpful in blood circulation and prevents the direct massaging of the affected areas. It helps to improve the edema (swelling) associated with varicose veins.

- Other tips
Take plenty of rest with legs elevated above the hips. A home remedy is to soak a cloth in apple cider vinegar and apply on the legs, twice a day.

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What is Acupuncture therapy – Benefits and Side effects

Pain can affect almost every system in the body and develops from many sources. It can occur
from a chronic immune disorder, after an infection, from a physical injury, or from emotional
stress. Acupuncture treatment includes piercing of long, stainless steel and sterilized needles
on the pressure points of the skin. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese method of treating
ailments. The word acupuncture is made of two parts – ‘acus’ – which means a needle, and
‘puncture’. Although I feel the pain in my back, the perception of pain is created in the brain.
Acupuncture works not only to heal the pain locally, in my back, but also in my brain.

The diagnosis of a patient includes many things like patient’s medical history and lifestyle,
examining the skin and tongue,listening to breathing sounds,pulse recording. It also includes
harm to internal organs, improper sterilization of the needles can cause infection, weakening of
your body’s system due to the reaction of needles and bleeding in the needle inserted areas.

Acupuncture therapy claims to be useful for treating a wide variety of conditions. These include
physical as well as psychological or emotional issues. It can be used to encourage continued
good health, relieve pain, prevent illness, or treat an existing illness. acupuncture may
provide symptomatic relief in many conditions like migraines, lower backaches, headaches,
fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Acupuncture may also offer relief for certain postoperative
pains including dental pain, chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, tennis elbow and chronic menstrual cramps.
The most common side effect experienced is soreness, bleeding or bruising where the needles are inserted.