Do Varicose Veins Get Worse During Winter Time?

How to Help Your Varicose Veins Through Winter

Why Varicose Veins Get Worse in Winter Months

One of the major things that most people don't realize about varicose veins is that they actually have a tendency to get worse during those cold winter months of the year. A big part of this is because when the weather is warm, people get outside to enjoy the temperature and lead more active lifestyles as a result. When the weather starts getting colder, however, people stay indoors and become more sedentary - which only worsens varicose veins.

Likewise, colder climates typically have lower atmospheric pressure than warmer ones, which can absolutely have an impact on circulation throughout the body in a way that makes varicose veins worse.

Symptoms to Expect

Even if your varicose veins are only a cosmetic issue during most other months of the year, you may start to experience certain symptoms as they get worse during the cold winter months. The most immediate may be an achy or otherwise heavy feeling in your legs that you don't normally deal with.

Patients with extreme varicose veins usually report some type of burning or throbbing in the impacted areas, which can lead to muscle cramping and even swelling in the lower legs. Finally, you should pay attention to any type of itching around one or more of your veins, or pain that gets worse after you've been sitting or standing for long periods of time.

Indoor Exercises That Help

As is true with most conditions, the key to helping your varicose veins through the winter involves exercising as often as possible. Note that you don't have to workout for hours at a time - even just walking or doing yoga and/or Pilates for 15 to 30 minutes a day will make a big, big difference in a positive way.

Calf stretching, leg lifts, bicycle legs and thigh raises will also play an important role in maintaining proper blood flow throughout your body in the winter.

Vitamins & Foods for Varicose Veins

Copper is an essential nutrient, and it's also one that will help you maintain better control over your varicose veins in the winter. Lentils, almonds and even asparagus are all great, delicious ways to get as much of this into your body as possible.

Bioflavonoids will also be critical thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce the swelling in your varicose veins. This means you should be eating more cherries, grapes, papayas and even chocolate to help.

Finally, you should increase your intake of fruits because they're also anti-inflammatories but have strong antioxidant properties as well. So try to eat as many strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries as you can all winter long.

Meet Dr. Ives in Fairbanks, Alaska

All told, varicose veins are a condition that impacts literally millions of people around the world - but they're also not something that you need to worry about much longer. If you'd like to find out more information about how to help your varicose veins through those cold winter months, or if you'd just like to speak to someone about your situation in a bit more detail, please don't delay - click here to meet Dr. Ives in Fairbanks, AK and schedule a consult, or view our varicose vein treatment options today.