If you’ve been pregnant, there’s a 20% chance you’ve had to suffer through varicose veins. Varicose veins are no fun and visually not very appealing either. Those who suffer often ask their doctors, “Do varicose veins go away after pregnancy?” Answering that question has many branches and those answers may surprise you!
Do Varicose Veins Go Away After Pregnancy?
When a woman takes on the extra blood volume needed during pregnancy, it adds extra pressure to her blood. This, along with weight gain, puts stress on many veins below the pelvis causing them to bulge if you don’t look after yourself properly. Although it’s true that sometimes even the most aware people can still get varicose veins from pregnancy, here are some helpful steps to keeping them from happening or helping alleviate them after pregnancy.
Exercise
Take a walk or move around in a pool to help stimulate circulation. The good news is walking in water is great for these blood vessels as it helps keep the body’s weight from adding stress. When pregnant women can circulate blood without the added pressure to their veins it becomes an important treatment option.
Keep up the blood flow
Keeping from walking can greatly ease the pressure on your veins are going through during pregnancy, however, you never want your blood to stop flowing; even when you need to rest your veins from your belly’s weight. Elevate your feet while your sitting or your elevate your legs while laying down to help keep the blood flowing. Also, resist the urge to cross your legs as that prevents important blood flow from happening.
Don’t stay sitting or standing
Although you’ll need some time to rest, you won’t want to just exercise then raise your legs to keep blood flow while you rest. Sitting for too long or standing for too long can both cause their own issues with your veins. Be sure to keep a good ratio so that your blood keeps flowing but that so you can also rest and not overtax your veins.
Wear comfortable clothing
Tight clothing is a major issue that can lead to varicose veins and spider veins. Especially on a woman’s thighs. Tight-fitting shoes or shoes like heels that cause you to clench muscles in your legs while you sit or stand can interfere with the blood flow in your legs also leading to varicose veins.
When tight is helpful
Support hose is used for the purpose of counteracting the downward pressure of your belly on your legs. Although there is no research to suggest they help overall with getting rid of varicose veins, they do provide relief for pain and prevent blood pooling.
Sleep on your side
Sleeping on your side can help prevent pressure to your main blood vessels via relieving stress. Specifically sleeping on your left side can help alleviate pressure to the inferior vena cava, which in turn helps with the pressure in your legs and lower torso. Sleeping on your left side has been linked to many things that can help with your overall health; from relieving heartburn to improving blood flow to the baby.
Do I Need to Call a Doctor About My Varicose Veins?
If you start to feel a deep pain in your veins during pregnancy there is a chance you could have blood clots. This can also happen as a patient gets older and it not only caused by pregnancy. It this is the case contact your doctor immediately about treatment options. Sometimes it may not be causing a problem right away, but if not treated it may cause an infection and that infection may carry blood to the baby.
But What If They’re Still There After Pregnancy?
Most of the time, varicose veins will go away about 3 to 4 months after the birth of a child. Wearing compression tights and such after pregnancy can help expedite the process while also covering them up. Also, be sure to take the medication given to you by your doctors as some of that will help with your blood pressure.
However sometimes after a cut, a scar happens regardless, the same can be said about your veins. If your veins we overtaxed during pregnancy and you still have very visible ones 5 months later, you may want to consult a doctor. Just like stretch marks, there are some issues your body will have after pregnancy that just can’t go away without treatment.
Las Vegas Vein Center Can Help
Our esteemed doctors are Las Vegas Vein Center are knowledgeable in preventing, treating and recognizing the signs of issue veins during and after your pregnancy. Do varicose veins go away after pregnancy? Most likely, but if they don’t we’re here for you!
