Varicose veins are a common vascular condition that can cause veins in the legs to become enlarged, twisted, and protruding. This condition impacts the appearance and, in severe cases, can lead to complications such as skin ulcers, bleeding, infections, and in severe cases can lead to blood clots. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) employs acupressure, exercises, and dietary adjustments to effectively prevent and improve varicose veins.
The main cause of varicose veins is prolonged standing and sitting. Dysfunction of the vein valves leads to poor blood return, causing blood to accumulate in the veins and increase venous pressure, causing the veins to dilate and deform.
Numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors contribute to the development of varicose veins, including age, gender, pregnancy, obesity, height, ethnicity, diet, occupation, history of deep vein thrombosis, and genetics.
Symptoms of varicose veins include a heavy achiness and itching or burning sensations that worsen with prolonged standing.
How does the severity of varicose veins manifest?
3 Degrees of Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are generally categorized into three degrees:
1. Mild—Slightly visible veins on the calves, accompanied by mild swelling. This condition can be improved through lifestyle adjustments and increased physical activity.
2. Moderate—Swollen calves, soreness, tightness, numbness, and pain, along with worm-like bulging of the veins and skin discoloration. The skin may itch after a hot shower, and cramps may occur during sleep. At this stage, seeing a doctor is recommended.
3. Severe—Significantly swollen veins in the legs, itchiness, and possible ulcers that occasionally bleed.
Prevention and Treatment
Regardless of the degree of varicose veins, improving blood circulation and reducing vein pressure are key factors in prevention and treatment. In addressing varicose veins, TCM typically employs the following methods:
1. Tiptoeing
Exercise, overall, is a good way to improve varicose veins. In addition, the specific practice of tiptoeing or calf raises can strengthen the contraction and elasticity of the calf muscles, speed up blood circulation in the veins, and help to resist the gravitational pull of the blood.
Calf muscles are often referred to as the second heart in the body, due to their strong contractions that help the blood to circulate. They smoothly push the blood from the bottom of the legs back up to the heart, thus preventing and improving varicose veins.
2. Acupressure Treatment
Acupressure is a unique concept in TCM, involving specific locations where nerves and blood vessels are abundant. TCM observes that acupressure points are distributed along channels on the body’s surface. These points are where energy and blood gather, circulate, and exit, acting as energy-gathering points in the body. Acupressure can treat various ailments by stimulating specific channel points through massage, tapping, or acupuncture.
Meridians are energy pathways that transport qi and blood throughout the body. There are 12 major meridians corresponding to 12 organs, which connect the organs to the body’s surface.
TCM uses eight acupressure points to improve and treat varicose veins: Great Surge (LR 3), Mountain Support (BL 57), Moving Between (LR 2), Great Metropolis (SP 2), Channel Ditch (LU 8), Recover Flow (KI 7), Shang Hill (SP 5), and Supreme White (SP 3).
Different points have different functions and should be selected based on individual circumstances and TCM diagnosis. Care should also be taken regarding the pressure and duration of acupressure, ensuring it is not excessive or prolonged.
For instance, massaging the Great Surge point can improve lower limb blood circulation and benefit gynecological conditions such as dysmenorrhea. Pressing the Mountain Support point can improve lower limb blood circulation and relieve cramps, constipation, and hemorrhoids. Simultaneously massaging both the Great Surge point and Mountain Support points can enhance the treatment of varicose veins.
In addition, acupressure on the Moving Between (LR 2), Great Metropolis (SP 2), and Channel Ditch (LU 8) have proven beneficial. Moving Between (LR 2) and Great Metropolis (SP 2) are located on the Spleen Meridian and Channel Ditch (LU 8) is on the lung meridian. Stimulating acupressure points on the liver, spleen, and lung meridians can all relieve varicose veins.
There is also a deeper type of varicose vein that can cause shiny swelling in the calves. TCM considers this a problem of kidney deficiency and spleen weakness. In such cases, acupressure on the Recover Flow (KI 7), Shang Hill (SP 5), and Supreme White (SP 3), which correspond to the kidney and spleen meridians, can be highly effective.
In addition to acupressure, acupuncture can be applied directly to these commonly used acupressure points to improve and treat varicose veins.
3. Blood-Letting Therapy
Another unique method is blood-letting therapy, which involves puncturing the skin to allow stagnant blood in the veins to flow out, restoring blood circulation.
Blood-letting treatment for varicose veins is often applied to small blood vessels located near varicose veins. Careful sterilization and hemostasis are essential to prevent infection and excessive bleeding. A professional TCM practitioner should perform this procedure.
In my clinical experience, the initial blood that flows out is often dark in color. Gradually, as the blood becomes brighter red, it naturally stops flowing. When combined with herbal remedies, this method can yield favorable results.
4. Herbal Medicine
TCM offers both oral and topical herbal remedies for treating varicose veins. In this article, we introduce a commonly used oral formula for treatment called salvia root and red sugar tea with astragalus root and hawthorn.
Recipe: Combine 24 grams (0.84 ounces) of Astragalus root, 12 grams (0.42 ounces) of Hawthorn, and 12-20 grams (0.42 – 0.70 ounces) of salvia root. Rinse them with cold water and place them in a thermos. Add 600 ml of hot water and a bit of red sugar for flavor. After consumption, you can add more hot water and continue drinking.
Tips to Ease the Symptoms of Varicose Veins
1. Avoid Scratching
If your veins are swollen and itchy, don’t scratch them. Scratching can break the skin, leading to bleeding and increasing the risk of infection, inflammation, ulceration, and even blood clots.
More critically, formed blood clots can potentially enter vital organs like the lungs or heart through the bloodstream, causing pulmonary embolism or even myocardial infarction.
2. Be Cautious Using Compression Stockings
Compression (elastic) stockings used to conceal and control varicose veins should only be worn temporarily, not for extended periods or too tightly. While these stockings may provide some relief for surface varicose veins, long-term and prolonged use, such as wearing them for many hours daily, may hinder smooth leg blood circulation and cause further damage.
Note: Some of the mentioned herbs may sound unfamiliar, but many are available in health food stores and Asian grocery stores. Additionally, because individual constitutions vary, corresponding treatment methods may differ, so it’s important to consult with a professional health care provider for a specific treatment plan.
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