Say Goodbye to Varicose Veins: How to Manage Varicose Veins During Pregnancy

How should you manage varicose veins during pregnancy?

1. Avoid staying in the same position for a long time
2. Wear loose clothes and compression stockings
3. Drink more water and change your diet
4. Sleep on your left side

Overview

• Varicose veins during pregnancy are caused by the pressure of the uterus on the veins, making blood flow more difficult.
• Moving regularly and avoiding prolonged sitting or standing can help manage varicose veins.
• Wearing loose clothing and compression stockings can improve blood flow and reduce discomfort.
• Drinking more water and adjusting your diet by increasing fiber and reducing sodium intake are beneficial.
• Sleeping on your left side and elevating your legs can help maintain good blood circulation and reduce vein pressure.

Introduction

Many complications occur during pregnancy, including high blood pressure, nausea, and vomiting, iron-deficiency anemia,¹ and varicose veins. These veins are seen on the lower portion of our body. They occur when the uterus applies pressure to the large vein (the inferior vena cava) that carries blood back to the heart from the feet and legs.¹³

Learning how to manage varicose veins during pregnancy is important. While the condition does not pose huge risks, it does make your situation more uncomfortable, itchy, and painful.² In this article, we explore various ways you can manage it with simple ways you can do at home.

Avoid Staying in the Same Position for a Long Time

Moving frequently may be difficult for many pregnant women. The extra weight can strain your pelvic area and joints.³ However, it is a necessary habit to do when you have varicose veins. Exercise is not only a great way to manage this condition, but it also alleviates pregnancy symptoms like fatigue, constipation, and back pain.⁴ A quick 20-30-minute regime three times a week is advised.³ You can walk or stroll around, helping the blood flow in your legs.⁵

However, this still depends on your unique situation. If you’re thinking of exercising while pregnant, it is still best to consult your obstetrician or vein specialists to determine which exercises would be good for you.¹³

When exercise is not advised, avoiding sitting or standing in one place for a long time is key.⁶ You can stretch your legs to get your blood flowing.⁴

Wear Loose Clothes and Compression Stockings

Tight clothing is not the best fashion during your pregnancy. It can make intestine transportation, autonomic nervous system, and food digestive function worse.⁷ It can also increase the risk of lumbar issues in pregnant individuals.

However, you can wear compression stockings when managing venous disease during pregnancy. It puts a firm and constant pressure on the veins, allowing it to promote good blood flow between the legs and heart.⁴ It also decreases the discomfort you may feel in your legs.⁵

While it is designed to add a degree of tightness, it does not mean getting the strongest compression stockings¹³.  They vary in size, style, and pressure grade or rank.⁸ Seeking advice from a health professional is needed to make the right choice.

Drink More Water and Change Your Diet

Managing varicose veins is more often an incorporation of lifestyle changes. Drinking more water is a good habit when managing the condition.⁶ It helps thin out our blood, making it flow more freely.⁹ Thick blood is a sign of a dehydrated body, adding a greater risk of clotting and insufficiency. Moreover, it can cause your veins to look more prominent on your legs.

Other changes in your diet include increasing fiber and decreasing sodium intake.⁶ Changing these two from your everyday menu is a simple home remedy for your leg cramps. You may get fiber from food such as almonds, oats, and chia seeds.¹⁰

Sleep on Your Left Side

Many sleeping positions often become more uncomfortable when you are pregnant. It is the same when you have varicose veins on your legs. While there are many tips on how to get a good night’s rest with the condition, there is one position that is always advised.¹³

Sleeping on your left side is a way to manage the disease overnight.⁶ It keeps the blood flow going, keeping the pressure off your inferior vena cava. It is a large vein that carries blood to your heart from the lower part of your body.¹¹

Apart from that, elevating your legs will also promote blood circulation.¹² A good three to four inches of height can ensure less pressure on your veins.

Key Takeaway

Exploring how to manage varicose veins during pregnancy is essential for expecting persons. It impacts their well-being in this chapter of their lives.

While a lifestyle change is already a great way to combat the pain of varicose veins, it is still important to take the necessary steps. Seeking professional help is a must to immediately take the proper actions for healing. The use of the right medicine is also essential to combat the pain from the inside.

Diosmin + Hesperidin (Daflon® 1000) is your over-the-counter medicine for the job. It is an oral treatment developed to promote the health of your veins. Depending on your condition or the advice of a health professional, you can take it once a day. A careful understanding of the instructions is needed to ensure you are on the right track to recovery.