Yoga for Varicose Veins
Painful, unsightly varicose veins plague the majority of women and many men as they reach the middle years of life. Risk factors for varicose veins include heredity, excessive weight gain and long periods of standing. While it is impossible to prevent varicose veins completely, there are ways to lower your risk for developing them. One option that offers a myriad of health benefits in addition to varicose vein prevention is yoga.
Better Blood Flow
Yoga exercises consist of a series of poses designed to benefit the organs and systems of the body. These positions also improve blood circulation, which leads to better health overall. As yoga enhances circulation, it also makes it easier for the veins of the lower legs to push blood back up to the heart. When the veins don’t have to work quite as hard to move the blood through, the tiny valves inside the veins are preserved and are less likely to become damaged or wear out over time.
Yoga can improve blood circulation in the lower legs in two different ways. First, the flexing and stretching of the leg muscles provide the support the veins need to push blood up against the force of gravity. Second, yoga poses that elevate the legs above the heart eliminate the gravity problem so that blood flows more freely from the legs to the midsection of the body.
Yoga Poses to Try
Some of the best yoga poses for the prevention of varicose veins include:
- Sarvangasana (shoulder stand)
- Salamba Sirsasana (headstand)
- Viparita Karani (legs up the wall)
- Sputa Padangusthasana (reclining hand to toe)
- Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend)
Most asanas, particularly the inverted asanas, will be beneficial to lower leg circulation. It is important to note that no yoga pose should be attempted without the expert supervision of a qualified yoga instructor. Some poses are also not appropriate for those new to the yoga experience.
Treating Varicose Veins
While yoga provides some benefit in the prevention of varicose veins, it won’t do much to alter the appearance of varicose veins that have already developed. While stretches and various yoga positions might alleviate painful symptoms over the short term, the only way to eliminate those symptoms completely is to eliminate the diseased veins that are causing them.
Dr. Ronald Lev at Advanced Varicose Veins Treatments of Manhattan offers a variety of minimally-invasive treatment options for getting rid of varicose veins for good. Most procedures involve little discomfort or downtime, so you can say goodbye to painful, unsightly veins without much disruption to your daily life. To learn more about our varicose vein treatment options, contact Advanced Varicose Veins Treatments of Manhattan at 212-204-6501.
