Swollen veins: If the term doesn't sound comfortable, it's because swollen veins often aren't. Varicose veins and hemorrhoids are two examples of swollen veins.
Swollen, or varicose veins, can result from a number of factors -- some avoidable, such as being overweight, and some unavoidable, such as swollen veins resulting from physical actions such as lifting. No matter what the cause, a number of herbal remedies exist to treat the discomfort of varicose veins.
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About Varicose Veins
Unlike arteries, which carry blood away from the heart, veins carry blood to the heart, often against the force of gravity. Small valves in some veins assist in the process. Any pressure on the legs will strain the veins in the lower extremities and the valves within them.
Conditions that cause leg pressure include obesity, pregnancy, heavy lifting, and lengthy standing or sitting. Blood pools, veins swell, and thus the familiar blue varicose veins are born.
Although the veins in the rectal area don't have valves, they can still swell from these causes, forming hemorrhoids. Straining during bowel movements, a common practice when you're constipated, and pregnancy both increase pressure on the rectal veins.
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