Is it possible to take a steam bath with varicose veins?

How does a bath act on blood vessels?

The air temperature in the steam room of a classic Russian bath rises to 60-70°C, and humidity - up to 90%. These values are close to natural conditions and are well tolerated by a healthy body. Hot, humid air starts the process of redistributing blood supply to the arms and legs. The vessels dilate, the volume of circulating blood increases, and accordingly, the load on the veins and arteries increases. For healthy vessels, such a load does not pose a problem, but veins affected by varicose veins “delegate” it to the deep venous trunks. Frequent visits to the bathhouse with varicose veins provoke damage not only to the superficial, but also to the deep veins: their walls thicken and lose elasticity.

How to eat?

Before calculating nutritional norms, you should make sure that the body properly absorbs foods. Diseases of the stomach, intestines, and liver must be treated, since their condition is affected by the excess or deficiency of many important substances, and blood viscosity depends on the condition of the liver. Thick blood itself can be the cause of varicose veins, hence the dietary recommendations:

Vitamins C, E and P are welcome;
Blood thinning products are recommended (ginger, beets, tomatoes, cherries, dried fruits, etc.);
Maintain a drinking regime, avoiding dehydration (30 ml per 1 kg of body weight per day for clean water and more for liquids), but do not bring yourself to edema;
Increase in the diet the number of dishes with a high percentage of digestible dietary fiber (fiber), since they produce elastin, which is necessary for the strength of the walls of blood vessels;
All foods that lead to weight gain or the formation of cholesterol plaques must be excluded from the diet, which is why it is recommended to more often eat seafood containing PUFAs (Omega-3), which promote the resorption of cholesterol, and digestible amino acids;

For the same reasons, you should avoid dishes with a high content of gelatin and reduce the consumption of spices such as salt (promotes swelling) and horseradish.

When are varicose veins and a steam room compatible?

Visiting a bathhouse for varicose veins of the legs is useful:

at the initial stage of the disease, when there are no visible dilated veins, “nodules”, or swelling
occasionally, without abuse

A steam room combined with a contrast shower/pool normalizes blood circulation, increases venous tone, this is an excellent preventive procedure. When visiting a bathhouse, those who have varicose veins should adhere to several simple but important rules:

in front of the steam room - under a cool shower;
the duration of stay in the steam room should be minimal;
body position in the steam room - lying or standing, so that there are no unnecessary obstacles to blood flow;
when using a broom, do not touch problem areas, massage with gentle movements in the direction from bottom to top;
after the steam room - under a contrast shower.

Is it possible to go to the bathhouse with varicose veins?

How compatible are bathhouses and varicose veins? Varicose veins imply certain restrictions that people have to face at different stages of this disease. The more advanced the stage of the disease, the greater the number of prohibitions awaiting a person. And many people know that high temperatures negatively affect vascular tone.

Therefore, with varicose veins on the legs, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight is prohibited.

And on hot summer days you should avoid spending a long time outside. In addition, to the great regret of most women, even visiting a solarium is extremely undesirable. In this regard, possible anxiety about the safety of staying in a bathhouse with varicose veins is understandable.

Let's take it in order. In a Russian steam room, the air temperature reaches approximately 60-70 degrees, the humidity is increased and is equal to 70%. It is believed that such values of the indicators indicated above are optimal. This explains the good tolerance of the Russian bath. Moreover, of all types of baths, the conditions of the Russian steam room are as close as possible to natural ones. This ratio of temperature and humidity indicators ensures that the load on the cardiovascular system will be gentle and beneficial. This means that it will not cause rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath and cramps.

The correct use of a high-quality broom will help enhance the beneficial effects of the steam room. With its help, the so-called broom massage is carried out. It has a beneficial effect on internal organs, is useful for normalizing weight, relieves fatigue and muscle tension, improves blood circulation, and can improve the condition of diseases of the respiratory tract and musculoskeletal system.

The benefits of a Russian steam room are undeniable, but how useful is a bathhouse for varicose veins of the legs?

It is worth noting that the possibility of staying in a steam room for a patient with varicose veins is determined individually by the doctor.

The bathhouse will even be useful if you visit it if you have varicose veins of the lower extremities at the initial stage, when there are no visible manifestations of varicose veins, such as varicose veins or swelling. It will help normalize blood circulation, improve blood flow to the lower extremities and restore venous tone. By combining this natural treatment for varicose veins with a contrast shower after the end of the procedures, the positive effect can be increased and consolidated.

Is a bath allowed for varicose veins in pregnant women? The question is doubly controversial. According to the recommendation of experts, visiting a steam room during pregnancy should be avoided, at least in the first and second trimester, and ideally for the entire period of pregnancy. This is due to the enormous load on a woman’s circulatory system and organs such as the lungs and liver. During pregnancy, various diseases become aggravated and appear, including varicose veins. Therefore, in order not to cause harm, first of all, you need to consult a specialist. Which, with a high degree of probability, will strongly recommend refusing to visit the bathhouse.

A bathhouse is definitely prohibited for varicose veins of the lower extremities, aggravated by complications and in the later stages of the disease. Under these conditions, hot air will have a detrimental effect on the condition of varicose veins, which will definitely cause a deterioration in the condition. It is prohibited to visit the steam room after surgery for varicose veins. This is a forced measure used to quickly restore the function of the operated limb. The ban is temporary and its duration is usually determined by the attending physician.

However, if the specialist answered positively to the question whether it is possible to take a steam bath with varicose veins, then you must adhere to certain rules:

Before entering the steam room, give your feet a cool shower;
duration of approach – minimum;
it is important to stand or lie down while in the steam room, this will not create excess pressure that interferes with normal blood flow;
When performing a broom massage, problem areas should be avoided. Movements with a broom should be soft and performed in the direction from bottom to top;
When leaving the steam room, do a contrast shower for your feet again.

After visiting a bathhouse at home, you should give your feet a rest. To do this, you can apply NORMAVEN® foot cream. It can be used both at the initial stage of varicose veins and for its prevention. Thanks to carefully selected ingredients, this venotonic agent has a wide range of effects, which will complement the beneficial effects of the bath on the health of the legs. Having distributed the cream over the entire surface of the lower extremities, place them 15-20 centimeters above the level of the heart, in order to ensure the necessary outflow of blood.

Bath for varicose veins in pregnant women

Is it possible for a pregnant woman with varicose veins to go to the bathhouse? Experts clearly give a negative answer. The fact is that during pregnancy, a woman’s body already experiences enormous stress, the circulatory system, liver, and lungs suffer the most. At this time, chronic, hereditary diseases, including varicose veins, worsen. The risk of complications is too great, so it is better to avoid going to the bathhouse or sauna for the entire prenatal period.

Recommendations

If you have varicose veins, can you go to the bathhouse? The answer is yes. But it is recommended to follow the rules:

Before entering a hot visit, douse yourself with hot water.
You can stay in the steam room for 5–7 minutes.
Do not overeat before the procedure.
To remove toxins from the body faster, you can drink 1 tsp before visiting the steam room. garlic juice.
To speed up sweating, you can drink an infusion of linden blossom.
Take a lying or sitting position so as not to disrupt the blood flow.
After completing the steam procedures, it is advisable to take a contrast shower.

The Russian bath is considered the most gentle option. To accurately understand whether thermal procedures are allowed for you, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

It is especially strictly forbidden to visit the bathhouse with varicose veins if inflammation of the vascular wall or purulent thrombophlebitis is already observed

Varicose veins and baths are contraindicated for:

exacerbation of diseases in the chronic stage;
presence of acute inflammation;
tuberculosis;
heart diseases;
advanced forms of varicose veins and thrombophlebitis;
overeating.

After surgery and at an advanced stage, a bath is contraindicated. A sudden change in temperature can cause complications.

Visiting the sauna for varicose veins

Unlike a Russian bath, where the conditions are optimal and well tolerated by the body, in a sauna the air temperature warms up to 110°C with a humidity of no more than 20%. This ratio of temperature and humidity is suitable for the prevention of a number of diseases. However, in the case of varicose veins, it creates an excessive burden on weakened veins and can provoke the formation of blood clots. Therefore, visiting a sauna with varicose veins, regardless of the stage of development of the pathology, is not recommended. The same applies to an infrared sauna. IR radiation involves prolonged (about 1 hour) heating of the body, which is strictly contraindicated for varicose veins.

Video: is it possible to go to the bathhouse with varicose veins?

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Sources:

Sychev G. G., Khodos A. B. Microcirculation disorders in chronic insufficiency of the veins of the lower extremities // Bulletin of surgery. — 1968.
Stoyko Yu.M., Shaydakov E.V., Sabelnikov V.V. Principles of postoperative rehabilitation of patients with chronic venous insufficiency of the lower extremities // Materials of the Ninth All-Russian Congress of Surgeons. Volgograd. 2000. P. 308.
Subbotin A.V., Sokolov V.V., Ponomareva N.I. Outpatient surgery for varicose veins of the lower extremities // Proceedings of the V Conference of Phlebologists of Russia. - Moscow, 2004. - P. 295.
https://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/improve-varicose-veins-naturally/
https://www.klafs.com/health/faq-for-well-being.html
https://www.emedicinehealth.com/varicose_veins/article_em.htm
https://www.medicinenet.com/varicose_veins/article.htm

Bath as a prevention of varicose veins

As a method of preventing varicose veins, the bath is irreplaceable. The conditions in the Russian steam room provide a gentle load on the cardiovascular system, without rapid heartbeat or shortness of breath. The traditional alternation of a hot steam room and a pool with cold water provides a sharp temperature contrast, which trains the cardiovascular system: the vessels expand and contract, their walls are strengthened and do not lose elasticity. Additionally, using a high-quality broom, you can perform a beneficial massage that will relieve muscle tension and improve blood circulation.

Is a contrast shower useful?

Dousing with water at different temperatures is permitted not during the period of exacerbation of the disease, but in the initial stages. A contrast shower increases the tone of the veins and improves blood circulation. This procedure prevents varicose veins, relieves heaviness in the limbs, swelling, and relieves pain.

The contrast shower after the procedure should not be cold - you need to douse yourself with warm water, gradually lowering its degree with each visit to the steam room

Contrast shower rules:

Maintain regularity.
The water temperature should be average - not too high and not too low.
Reduce the temperature by 1 degree every day.
The first procedures are carried out with warm water for no longer than 2 minutes.
Duration of manipulations is 5–7 minutes.
Switch between water temperature modes every 10 seconds.
The direction of the jet is from bottom to top. You cannot stay in one area for more than 2 seconds.

Hot water is contraindicated when dilating blood vessels.

You can't take a steam bath

On a full and empty stomach. You need to eat an hour or an hour after the bath.

While intoxicated. High temperatures cause intoxication faster, and alcohol impairs coordination, which can lead to injuries and burns.

Do not try to stay in it for more than the time that your body can tolerate.

Do not stand under ice water after a steam room. For an unprepared person, a sudden change in temperature can result in sudden cardiac arrest.

In between visits to the steam room you need to drink, preferably herbal tea. This compensates for fluid loss.

Honey is very useful for varicose veins

5. Garlic and fresh onions will help strengthen the walls of blood vessels. They should be eaten as often as possible.

Fresh onions and garlic for varicose veins

In addition, they have a medical effect, preventing the formation of thrombotic clots and reducing blood viscosity.

6. Greens (parsley, etc.) and various seasonings also have a good effect against blood clots. The leading effect is exerted by components that make the blood more fluid, which facilitates its flow through the vessels.

7. There are particularly important ingredients for diet and varicose veins. These are sprouted wheat and rye, beans, buckwheat, peas, corn and olive oil, lettuce and green onions. The nutrients here will help in the fight to maintain the elasticity of the walls of venous vessels.

Who should refuse to visit the steam room?

Visiting a bathhouse or steam room is strictly prohibited if varicose veins are in a severe stage of development. This can lead to dangerous complications.

A bath for varicose veins is also prohibited if a person is diagnosed with the following diseases:

Oncology.
A skin infection caused by bacteria.
Increased body temperature.
Exacerbation of diseases caused by infection.
Pathologies of the heart muscle.
Diseases of the nervous system.

If these pathologies are present, visiting a bathhouse or sauna can cause serious diseases or aggravate their course.

Visiting a bathhouse: what you need to know

A bath or sauna for varicose veins of the legs can be an excellent remedy that has a beneficial effect. But to achieve positive results, certain rules must be followed:

Do not enter the steam room immediately after eating food.
Do not visit the bathhouse if you have tuberculosis, epilepsy, or pathologies of the heart muscle.
Before steaming, you should take one teaspoon of garlic juice. It will help speed up the process of removing toxins from the body.
Before entering the steam room, you should rinse with cool water.
Do not stay in the steam room for more than 10 minutes.
Do not take a steam bath if you have chronic pathologies in the acute stage.

Linden infusion will help increase sweating and speed up the process of removing accumulated toxins. Experts also recommend taking a contrast shower before the procedure.

Sauna and varicose veins

Many people mistake sauna and steam bath for the same concept. This is an incorrect statement. The difference is humidity. In the bathhouse the air is humid, but in the sauna it is dry. The sauna is contraindicated for varicose veins, since dry air worsens the condition of the venous walls and increases the likelihood of blood clots. In the absence of acute inflammation of the veins, you are allowed to stay in the sauna for no longer than 8 minutes. The optimal body position is sitting or lying down so as not to interfere with blood circulation. To reduce the negative impact on blood vessels, you can place a damp cloth on problem areas. After completing the procedure, it is useful to swim.

Experts recommend sauna lovers to pay attention to the infrared sauna. This is a small cabin into which infrared rays are supplied. This procedure is considered preventive.

Who should not attend the procedure?

Everyone has long known that the thermal effect of heat helps the body become stronger, remove toxins, and so on. However, enthusiasm for such methods does not always lead to positive effects.

Sometimes people with a number of pathologies do not even think about how they aggravate their condition with high temperatures.

The most serious contraindications are for the cardiovascular system. She gets the highest blow when visiting the sauna.

Additional vessels are added to the blood circulation, which normally do not participate in the process.

The skin activates capillaries, pulse and heartbeat become higher than normal.

In fact, the circulatory system takes on an additional function in the body, regulating metabolic processes. That is why there is no need to take risks and visit steam rooms if you have heart failure.

The respiratory system is also vulnerable to thermal stress. We know about a number of positive procedures that, on the contrary, help get rid of many diseases.

If you have certain diseases, you cannot stay in the steam room. Namely: oncology, tuberculosis, bronchiectasis.

For any acute or chronic kidney or liver deficiencies, it is prohibited to go to saunas. Such pathologies include: nephritis, inflammation of the genitourinary system, hydronephrosis, tumors.

For the digestive system, thermal measures will have a very beneficial effect only if the diseases do not have exacerbations.

In chronic forms, ulcers, tumors, hepatitis, it is prohibited to be in overheating mode.

Skin with rashes, defects, wounds and other various ailments do not allow a person to independently decide to use thermal procedures.

In general, any acute health deviations are a signal that thermal procedures are prohibited.

Answers on questions

Varicose veins and a bath are quite compatible if you do everything correctly. So let's figure out how to do this.

If the sauna has just been heated, you should wait about an hour so that the temperature in the steam room decreases.

Rub your muscles and start warming your feet in an acceptable room temperature of up to 60 degrees. At the same time, brew an oak or birch broom.

As soon as the broom is brewed, it must be placed in water with a temperature no higher than 38 degrees. Then, using smooth and massaging movements, begin stroking your legs to prepare for the main procedure.

After a few minutes, feel free to begin floating your lower limbs from bottom to top. After 5 minutes, rinse them with cool water, this will relieve tension from the veins and blood vessels.

Take a break in the dressing room and repeat all the steps several more times in order to consolidate the positive result. This way you will not only not harm the circulatory system, but on the contrary, strengthen it. Therefore, to the question, is it possible to hover legs with varicose veins? The answer is yes, if you do it correctly.

Rehabilitation gymnastics

A doctor may prescribe exercise therapy, but gymnastics should be dosed and not cause overwork. Walking will help avoid stagnation of blood and hardening of the veins. This is the optimal physical activity for operated legs. Before walking, you should wear compression stockings or secure an elastic bandage.

If the recovery is going well and the patient plans to return to strength training, you need to remember that you should not lift weights at all for a week after surgery, and lifting weights of more than 7 kg is contraindicated for six months.

The effect of heat on affected veins

The steam room for varicose veins is generally a contraindication.
This is primarily due to the blood supply in the lower extremities. Thermal effects affect not only healthy, but also diseased capillaries, it expands them.

Due to the increase in BCC, each channel is forced to function in an emergency active mode. The affected area feels an incredibly large load at this moment.

The limited amount of residence time allows the veins to cope with the additional load. But over time, this will still lead to pathological changes.

Venous nodes will become noticeable on the lower leg, which, subsequently, due to a decrease in thermoregulation, expanded their walls and lost their elasticity.

If you have already noticed the prerequisites for the development of the disease, the effect of heat will not be a prevention, but rather a provoking factor.

Rules for visiting the steam room

There is no need to refuse to visit the steam room if you have varicose veins of the lower extremities. It is enough to follow the rules, thanks to which you can prevent damage caused to blood vessels by elevated temperatures.

The following recommendations will help turn the habit of steaming not into harm, but into benefit:

for the first time you need to enter the steam room for no more than 2-3 minutes, this approach allows the vessels to adapt to the high temperature;
You can use a broom, peeling and other procedures aimed at healing in those areas where varicose veins do not have a pronounced manifestation;
one visit to the bathhouse means no more than 5 visits to the steam room; in case of more pronounced symptoms of varicose veins, they should be reduced to 3;
When visiting the steam room, you need to pay attention to how your legs are positioned - they should be at the same level as your body.

High temperatures can cause discomfort in the legs where signs of varicose veins are most pronounced. To get rid of this manifestation, cover the affected areas with a damp cloth.

Causes of varicose veins

There are a number of main reasons why this insidious disease may appear and cause a lot of problems in the future:

Sedentary lifestyle, lack of natural exercise.
Overweight or severe obesity.
Increased physical stress on the legs associated with weightlifting.
Increased blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Addiction to bad habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking.
Hormonal changes caused by pregnancy or taking various medications.
Hereditary predisposition, genetic characteristics.

As you understand, the lion's share of the reasons for the development of varicose veins depends on the lifestyle of each person, so it is worth thinking about it and, if possible, reconsidering it.