Varicose veins are not just a cosmetic defect. If the symptoms of pathology are ignored, there is a high probability of developing serious complications associated with the formation of blood clots. This is a life-threatening condition - a blood clot can break off at any time and migrate through the bloodstream. The probability of death if a blood clot enters the lungs or heart is 90%. That is why it is important to monitor the condition of dilated veins and take the necessary measures to eliminate the symptoms of the pathology.
Is there any benefit to anti-cellulite massage for varicose veins?
Yes, if the massage technique is chosen correctly and the procedure is performed by a certified massage therapist. With this approach, a positive effect will not be long in coming, because anti-cellulite massage:
- accelerates blood circulation;
- activates blood flow to the skin, increasing its elasticity;
- promotes better lymph outflow;
- breaks down fat deposits.
That is why it is important to take a responsible approach to choosing a good specialist in the field of foot massage. And if you find signs of varicose veins and have doubts about massage, you can consult a phlebologist before a massage course.
The therapeutic effect of lower limb massage.
Massaging the lower extremities has therapeutic effects:
• Improved blood circulation; • Improving lymph outflow; • Relieving muscle spasms and, as a result, eliminating pain from muscle tension; • Relaxation and relief from fatigue; • Stimulating tissue nutrition by improving the movement of blood and lymph; • Strengthening muscles and increasing muscle tone; • Relieving anxiety and improving well-being as a result of eliminating spasms and pain.
Contraindications
Contraindications to anti-cellulite foot massage are:
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- acute inflammatory processes;
- oncology.
Important! An absolute contraindication to foot massage for varicose veins will be complications: phlebitis, thrombophlebitis and trophic ulcer.
If you do not have the restrictions listed above, you can use anti-cellulite massage in the fight against cellulite and excess weight: a professional massage therapist will select the appropriate technique individually. Let's consider which of the common types of anti-cellulite massage are acceptable for varicose veins and which are not.
Complex treatment of the disease
Treatment of varicose veins involves:
- Complete cessation of bad habits. No cigarettes, alcoholic beverages - all this has a sharply negative effect on the cardiovascular system.
- Power control. It is necessary to create a complete, varied menu and stick to it. Fatty, fried, salty, smoked, flour, sweet, and semi-finished products should be excluded from the diet.
- Moderate physical activity. People with varicose veins need to walk at least half an hour a day, avoid prolonged static loads, and refuse to engage in strength sports.
- Taking medications that control blood pressure and blood viscosity. Here it is important not to self-medicate, but to strictly follow the doctor’s prescriptions, because each patient’s body is individual.
- Folk remedies. Compresses and herbal decoctions help normalize blood pressure and increase the tone of the vascular walls.
- Wearing compression stockings. Medical underwear is also prescribed by a specialist - it is important to choose stockings/tights with an appropriate level of compression so as not to aggravate the situation.
- Massage. Local impact on the affected areas of the vascular bed has a proven effect.
It is permissible to do not just any massage for varicose veins of the lower extremities. Before choosing a technique, you must consult with a specialist. Let's figure out whether it is possible to do massage for varicose veins, accompanied by complications, which techniques to use and which should be abandoned.
Dry massage for varicose veins
Dry massage with a weight loss brush is not contraindicated in the early stages of varicose veins. However, you need to avoid rough impact on the skin, do not perform the procedure on the inner surface of the thigh, the back and posteroinner surfaces of the leg - that is, in the places where the venous vessels are located.
Stages of the procedure
Step-by-step procedure for lower limb massage:
1. The patient lies on his stomach or back. When lying on your back, place a cushion under your knees, while lying on your back - under your ankle joints. 2. Oil or cream of medium fat content is applied to the skin of the person being massaged. 3. The massage begins with light stroking movements that relieve muscle tension. Strokes are performed from bottom to top. 4. Then palmar rubbing is carried out. As the muscles warm up, shallow and light movements gradually intensify, becoming more intense and deeper. 5. Palm rubbing is replaced by kneading. The skin is grasped so that a fold is formed together with the adjacent muscles. 6. The next techniques are grasping squeezes and pushes with the heel of the palm, alternating with twists. 7. These techniques apply to all parts of the body. The foot area is warmed up using circular movements in a spiral. 8. Kneading and twisting alternate with vibration techniques. They begin with tapping with the edge of the palm. Next, grasping vibration is applied, when low-amplitude vibrations are given to the tissues being held. 9. The session ends with light strokes, starting from the toes up to the hips.
Cupping massage
Anti-cellulite vacuum massage with cups is used only as a prevention of varicose veins of the legs. Otherwise, this physiotherapy will cause more harm than good: the risk of compromising the integrity of the blood vessels is too great. Manual cupping massage for varicose veins is performed only by a certified specialist, and in no case at home.
For losing weight and fighting stretch marks
Stretch marks on the skin are a fairly common occurrence. They mainly appear after pregnancy, but can also occur under the influence of other factors: poor nutrition and obesity, smoking and constant stress, poor environmental situation and various diseases. All this can lead to disruption of protein synthesis and, as a result, to weakening of the skin and the appearance of characteristic stripes on it.
Honey massage stimulates collagen production and normalizes blood circulation. This promotes natural skin restoration, healing and gradual narrowing of stretch marks. In addition, the procedure prevents the appearance of new streaks, strengthening the skin structure.
Massage with honey allows you to get rid of extra centimeters in problem areas. The procedure ensures the breakdown of harmful substances into microparticles, their removal, and activates the flow of oxygen into the blood and tissues. Stimulating salt and water metabolism promotes weight loss, and an aggressive effect on subcutaneous fat helps eliminate accumulated excess adipose tissue.
Lymphatic drainage for varicose veins
This popular and effective type of massage is carried out using special equipment, gives a powerful anti-cellulite effect and is suitable for the early stages of varicose veins. Hardware lymphatic drainage massage removes swelling and a feeling of heaviness in the legs, improves lymph outflow, and the “orange peel” gradually disappears. After a course of lymphatic drainage, the walls of venous vessels become more elastic, the vessels cope better with blood pressure and do not expand. The procedure is contraindicated for any inflammatory, purulent processes, bleeding, or oncology.
Treatment of varicose veins at different stages
Salon or home massage should be supplemented with comprehensive treatment. It is necessary to take venotonic, anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory drugs in tablets. Traditional methods also give good results. Ointments, creams and gels with belladonna extract, lidocaine or benzocaine will help relieve heaviness and pain. It is useful to take herbal decoctions (horse chestnut seeds, oak and willow bark, chamomile), make cool compresses and baths.
During the day, you need to wear compression socks or stockings selected by a phlebologist. They are put on in the morning and taken off before bed. It is better to sleep on your back, with your feet on a folded blanket or thick towel. This will ensure normal blood flow and prevent swelling.
In severe cases of varicose veins or rapid progression of the disease, conservative measures will not help. The problem will be solved by classical or laser phlebectomy, sclerotherapy, and radiofrequency ablation. After surgery, you can return to the recommended types of massage, this will prevent relapses and speed up recovery.
LPG massage for varicose veins of the legs
Vacuum roller massage (LPG) was developed almost 3 decades ago as a sculptural technique for modeling body contours; it copes well with cellulite in the thighs and buttocks, but has not been used in the prevention of varicose veins. And until now, LPG endermological massage is not recommended by specialists even in the early stages of varicose veins, since the procedure has an extensive list of contraindications.
Indications
The choice of type and technique of massage depends on medical indications, which may include:
• Rehabilitation after injuries and in the postoperative period; • Correction of flat feet; • Paralysis and restrictions in movement after a stroke; • Joint diseases - arthritis and arthrosis; • Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral region, complicated by radiculitis and inflammation of the sciatic nerve; • Increased physical activity; • Nervous stress; • Impaired motor functions of the legs; • Cellulite; • Excess body weight and metabolic disorders.
Consultation with a phlebologist is the basis for your peace of mind
If you decide to take a course of anti-cellulite leg massage and get rid of excess weight, but because of varicose veins you are overcome by doubts, start by visiting a phlebologist. The specialist will take into account all the nuances, including the presence of problems with the veins, even without pronounced symptoms of varicose veins, and will give recommendations. It is important to remember that anti-cellulite massage in the treatment of varicose veins is one of the procedures in an integrated approach; it is not always contraindicated. However, it must be performed by an experienced specialist, since fighting cellulite with varicose veins at home will not give the expected result, but can be harmful.
Side effects
Undesirable consequences from massaging the lower extremities occur if precautions and contraindications are not observed. Such situations arise if massage procedures are resorted to without a doctor’s prescription or if they turn to an uncertified specialist. As a result of careless and unnecessary manipulations, damage to joints and ligaments may occur, as well as complication of an existing disease. For example, as a result of thrombophlebitis, blood clots can break off and travel through blood vessels, threatening to block blood vessels.
Preparation for the procedure
Before performing a massage, be sure to take a warm shower. If you plan to do the procedure in the salon, you should check in advance about the availability of a shower. You can use liquid soap or gel with a neutral pH. Using a scrub will enhance the effect of honey, as will working with a massage roller to warm up. Before performing the procedure on your face, you need to remove makeup and cleanse the skin with a special gel or foam.
For people who are not sure about the presence or absence of an allergy, it is advisable to do an allergy test before the procedure. To do this, you don’t have to see a doctor; just apply a little honey to the forearm and gently rub into the skin. The result is assessed after half an hour. If redness, blisters, and rashes do not appear, then there are no obstacles to honey therapy.
Honey massage technique
It all starts with warming up the muscles. Next, two main techniques are used: pressing in the honey and then vacuuming it out. The desired areas of the body are rubbed with honey and massaged with relaxing, smooth movements.
The technique has some features:
- Problem areas are worked on for 15-20 minutes;
- The session lasts approximately an hour;
- After working on the back, legs, buttocks, it is necessary to wash off the honey, after which the front part of the body is massaged;
- The specialist applies honey to the palms of his hands and distributes it over the patient’s body with patting movements;
- When it is necessary to work on several zones, each is massaged separately;
- The patting movements gradually intensify, the massage therapist’s hands are pressed closer to the skin, and then abruptly pulled away - this creates a vacuum effect;
- During the first sessions, pain is possible; this occurs due to the body’s adaptation to the effects. In the future, the process becomes more pleasant and easier.
The range of techniques used in honey massage techniques is quite large. Depending on the characteristics of the body and the purpose of the procedure, the treatment can be carried out according to the classical scheme or with an emphasis on problem areas and certain types of influence. The specialist’s hands can stick with the entire palm or its edge, fingertips, two hands at once, alternately.
But honey massage can also be done at home. To do this, honey is applied to the body and soft pats are performed for 5 minutes. This warms up the skin; this is necessary to prepare the body for the main procedure. After heating, the product is rubbed into the body with fairly rigid movements, this is done for about 5 minutes.
Next, pinching movements are performed, but without excessive zeal: pain should not be felt. But a slight burning sensation is quite possible and indicates that the massage is being performed correctly. Such movements are also done for 5 minutes.
Then the hands are applied to the problem areas for several minutes, and then removed from the skin with a sharp movement. This type of massage is suitable exclusively for areas of the body that require special attention. In this case, the honey should change color.
It is not recommended to perform such movements on the neck, décolleté, arms and calves. For the first three sessions, a 5-minute exposure is sufficient, then its time can be increased by 1 minute each time. Bringing it up to 10 minutes. A sign of effectiveness is reddening of the skin. The basic principle is that the intensity of movements gradually increases.
Helpful advice! To enhance the effect, add 5 drops of grapefruit or orange essential oil to honey.
A separate technique is used for honey facial massage. The product is distributed evenly over the surface, except for the area around the eyes. After about 5 minutes, you will notice that the droplets of honey are located unevenly on the face. The reason is simple: the substance was absorbed into the unslagged pores and moved to the deeper layers - the epidermis. In places where drops remain on the surface, there are microcracks or microtraumas.
These are the pores that are cleaned with massage. It is important to remember that performing the procedure on the face does not involve horizontal or circular movements. You just need to lightly press and release your fingers, avoiding pain. To pull out sebaceous plugs, a vacuum effect is required.
Interestingly, honey facial massage activates the functioning of internal organs. There are separate zones on the face associated with certain body systems. Thus, in case of pulmonary and bronchial pathologies, more attention should be paid to the cheek area; in case of malfunctions of the digestive system, dysbacteriosis, more attention should be paid to the forehead. Stimulation of the chin helps to cope with gynecological problems, and stimulation of the tip of the nose with cardiovascular problems.
You can also make honey wraps at home. To do this, honey needs to be heated in a water bath until it becomes liquid. But here it is important to control the temperature, avoiding heating above 23-25°C. When heated too much, honey loses its beneficial qualities and creates a risk of burns.
A thin layer of honey is applied with massage movements to the body with a spatula or brush, after which the problem areas are wrapped in plastic wrap. After this, you need to lie down, cover yourself with a blanket, relax and remain in this position for about an hour and a half.
Efficiency is largely determined by the quality of honey. It is imperative to choose a natural product that does not contain additives. In this regard, a store-bought product is not a suitable option; it usually contains sugar and other unnecessary ingredients. Ginger honey and soufflé also fall into this category.
Transparent honey is easier to work with and spreads more easily over the skin. But candied honey can be used. It can be melted or used in its original state to obtain a peeling effect.
Features of honey wrap
Honey wrap creates a greenhouse effect, which enhances the beneficial effects of honey. This procedure is considered very effective in terms of burning fat, activating metabolic processes and natural lymphatic drainage. All this strengthens the body's immune defense and gives the skin a toned appearance, healthy color and noticeable silkiness.
Important! Honey removes excess fluid from the body and cleanses the body by removing waste and toxins. But the effect will not be noticeable immediately, but after 10-15 procedures.
