Varicose veins affect up to 30% of Americans. This is a condition in which the veins have become twisted, swollen and large. The parts of the body where they usually appear are behind the knees and in the calves. Varicose veins are caused by weakened or damage valves. They are often genetically inherited and though people with varicose veins don’t usually experience severe pain, they hate their appearance causing some to resort to surgery to correct the problem. Most sufferers merely tolerate and silently deal with the associated heavy leg sensation and the cramps.
In traditional Chinese medicine, if the color of the veins is bluish to dark purple, it is a strong sign that the body is affected with a Chinese medical diagnosis known as Blood Stasis.
Blood stasis is a term that can be associated with symptoms such as thick dry skin on the heel, spider veins, varicose veins, and fixed stabbing pains that can be felt anywhere in the body. The relationship of the heart to the blood vessels and the concept of blood flow have been known by Chinese physicians for thousands of years long before blood circulation was ever mentioned in the West and written about by a US doctor known as William Harvey.
Even in the age of the internet, a lot of people still think that acupuncture in Overland Park is just used for the treatment of pain and nerve syndromes. When they learn that acupuncture is more than that, it comes as a surprise to them. Acupuncture is a very versatile treatment. One of its uses is for the treatment of issues related to blood circulation like diabetes associated with peripheral neuropathy, Raynaud’s disease, varicose veins, heart diseases, and chest pain.
Chinese medicine practitioners of old understood the relationship between the heart and the lungs and their connection with oxygen exchange. An acupoint known as Lung 9 (tai yuan) located on the wrist, was given a unique role of being the acupoint in which all blood vessels meet. This point is utilized for treating all conditions associated with the blood vessels including heart pain and varicose veins.
The spleen 10 or “sea of blood” acupoint found on the leg is also used for blood stasis conditions. It can boost the flow of blood and energy in areas where blood and energy is suspected to be stuck.
Varicose veins can also be treated with Chinese herbs. In fact, whole chapters of Chinese documents have been written devoted to herbs that solely deal with circulation issues and blood stasis. The herbs specifically deal with the flow of blood on specific body areas during treatment. Dan shen, a Chinese herb addresses chest and heart pain related to blood stasis. Wang bu liu hsing is another herb that’s able to rectify inadequate lactation due to blood stasis in the breast.
The herbal combinations need to be customized and formulated to address the specific needs of the patient. Various herbs are combined based on the specific diagnosis of the patient. The treatment takes into account factors such as the patient’s other concurrent health conditions, age, constitution, and familial disposition. Unfortunately, there is not just one herb that can address all types of varicose vein problems.