Phlebitis is an inflammation of the veins. It can caused by injury to the vein as the result of IV treatment, prolonged inactivity, obesity, smoking, the use of birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, or as the result of an inherited blood-clotting abnormality.
Symptoms of phlebitis include painfully-swollen veins with hard, warm, and tender skin around the area(s), as well as itching and swelling.
7 tips for treating Phlebitis
The discomfort of the phlebitis may make you feel like massaging the area. Please resist this temptation. Massaging an area affected by phlebitis may dislodge and move a clot to a critical area such as your lungs or brain, where it can do serious damage.
- Change Your Diet
It’s always a good idea to eat a healthy diet. If you suffer from any kind of chronic condition, this advice is even more important to follow. Eat plenty of organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed beef, poultry, wild-caught fish, and healthy fats like butter and coconut oil.
Take care not to overload on foods rich in vitamin K, however, as vitamin K encourages the formation of blood clots.
- Keep Your Legs Moving
In order to break up blood clots and prevent the formation of new ones, it’s important to keep your legs moving. You have many choices from walking to biking to swimming and beyond. Whatever feels most comfortable for you, do it.
- Use Warm, Moist Compresses
Placing a warm, moist compress against the affected area once or twice per day can help ease the discomfort and swelling of phlebitis.
- Take an Epsom Salt Bath
Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate and it has been shown to bring down swelling and inflammation naturally. If you are not pregnant, diabetic or allergic to sulfur, place two cups of Epsom salt into a hot bath and soak for 20 minutes several times each week.
- Try some Arnica Gel
Arnica gel is a homeopathic remedy for inflammation and bruising. You can use this treatment directly on the affected area(s) a few times per day to achieve relief.
- Give Bromelain a Try
Bromelain is a digestive aid derived from pineapple. It works to break up fibrin, a protein central to the clotting process while counteracting the formation of blood clots.
- Invest in Reishi Medicinal Mushrooms
Reishi medicinal mushrooms are functional foods that help your body adapt to the stress of chronic conditions while helping to treat them naturally. They have been shown to support healthy immunity while reducing swelling and inflammation.
Phlebitis can be painful and embarrassing to live with. It can also result in the development of a more serious condition called deep venus thrombosis (DVT), which can increase your risk for heart attack or stroke.
The natural remedies mentioned above can help ease phlebitis symptoms while helping you improve your overall health.