Veins

Feeling faint or dizziness during Pregnancy – causes and treatment

Dizziness or feeling faint is a normal symptom during pregnancy. It is more common in the first quarter, but may also be common during the whole pregnancy. During this time, the cardiovascular system will undergo some dramatic changes:
- The heart rate increases.
- The heart pumps more blood per minute and the amount of blood in the body expands by an average of 40-45%.
- The capacity of the circulatory system also increases as blood flows to the enlarged uterus and placenta.
Pregnancy is a time of change and body changes make you more apt to feel dizzy or light headed.

Causes:
The main reason of dizziness during pregnancy due to increased hormones that cause blood vessels to relax and widen. This helps to increase the blood flow to the baby, but delays the return of blood in the veins. This makes the blood pressure to be lower than usual, which can reduce blood flow to the brain, temporarily causing dizziness.
Early in pregnancy, dizziness is probably due to the fact that the body still is not producing enough blood to fill the rapidly expanding circulatory system.

Dizziness is also caused by low blood sugar that may occur when the body adapts to changes in their metabolism. Women who are anemic or who have varicose veins may be more susceptible to motion sickness than others.

During the second trimester, dizziness may be caused by the growing uterus puts pressure on blood vessels. Reduced blood flow to the brain, sometimes turn the head. You may feel dizzy if the blood sugar decreases or becomes dehydrated.

Dizziness can also occur later in pregnancy if you lie on the back so that the baby’s weight to press into the vena cava. Another possible reason you feel dizzy during pregnancy is that you are spending too much time in a warm room or stuffy nose, especially if you are wearing clothes too tight or hot. Remember, the body is a furnace to make babies, which generates a lot of their own heat right now.

Treatment:
There are several things can be done to reduce the amount of drowsiness you experience. You can leave a sickness on his way to bed as soon as you start to feel lightheaded. Elevate the feet to increase blood flow to the brain. Second best: Sit and bend forward as you can, put the head between the knees, if possible. If there is no place to lie down or sit, kneel on one knee and leaning forward as if tied to his shoe until the spell passes.

Here are some helpful suggestions to reduce dizziness during pregnancy:

- Avoid standing for long periods. If you are standing, be sure to keep the feet moving to help increase circulation.
- Stand up slowly, either sitting or lying down (This is very important when you are out of the bathtub).
- Eat regularly. Avoid long periods between meals, it is best to eat during the day.
- Avoid hot baths or showers.
- Avoid lying on the back once you get to half of its second quarter.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing to avoid restricting circulation.

Sometimes the dizziness can be a symptom of shock after severe blood loss. If you feel faint, dizzy or faint, have any vaginal bleeding, and/or abdominal pain; contact the midwife, doctor or maternity unit – which is faster – immediately.
Health care provider must be immediately consulted if dizziness is accompanied by vaginal bleeding and/or pain in abdomen. This could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, a low-lying placenta, or placental abruption.

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Varicose Veins – Dilated Swollen Veins – Causes, Symptoms, Remedies, Dietary Considerations

Veins are thin walled vessels through which the impure blood is carried back to the heart. They usually have valves which regulate the flow of blood towards the heart. Varicose veins are a condition in which veins become enlarged, dilated, or thickened. This condition can occur in any part of the body but generally appear in the legs.

SYMPTOMS OF VARICOSE VEINS

- Swelling along the course of the veins.
- Muscular cramps.
- Feeling of tiredness in the legs behind the knees.
- In some cases, blood flow towards the heart may be reversed when patient is in an upright position.
- Skin becomes purplish and pigmented.
- Severe pain.

CAUSES OF VARICOSE VEINS

- It results from sluggish circulation due to various factors such as constipation, dietetic errors, lack of exercise, and smoking.
- It can be caused by standing for long periods.
- It can be caused by wearing tight clothing.
- It can also be caused by pregnancy which may cause increased pressure in the pelvis and abdomen which slows down the flow of blood from lower extremities to the heart.
- It can also be caused by obesity.

REMEDIES FOR VARICOSE VEINS

- NUTRIENTS : Certain nutrients like vitamin E and C are effective in the treatment of this disease. This will subside the patient of pain and leg cramps associated with varicose veins.
- MARIGOLD : A compress of marigold herb should be applied externally. The flowers of this herb can also be applied externally over varicose ulcers .
- VEGETABLE JUICES : Raw vegetable juices especially carrot juice in combination with spinach juice are proved beneficial in the treatment of this disease.
- Taking hot Epsom salt bath, two times in a week, will prove effective in treating varicose veins.
- Applying cider vinegar to the varicose veins two times a day would prove helpful in treating the problem.

DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS

Avoid having potatoes, starchy foods, condiments, alcohol, coffee, strong tea, white flour products and white sugar, when suffering from varicose veins.
- Follow juice diet for four or five days or on an all-fruit diet for seven to ten days.
- Follow a well balanced diet afterwards.
- Emphasize on grains, seeds, nuts, raw vegetables and fresh fruits.