Looking for natural remedies for thrombophlebitis? Continue reading this article, and see how to use herbs and natural supplements to improve thrombophlebitis. But first.
Thrombophlebitis is the inflammation of the blood vessel wall, where a thrombus (clot) is formed, usually in the lower legs. Thrombus means blood clot, and phlebitis means inflammation of a vein, in short, thrombophlebitis is the inflammation of the veins accompanied by the formation of blood clots.
In This Article You Will Find:
The 2 Main Types of Thrombophlebitis
Thrombophlebitis is of two main types. When the affected vein is located near the surface it is superficial thrombophlebitis, but when it is deep within a muscle, it’s a case of deep vein thrombosis or DVT). While superficial thrombophlebitis rarely leads to serious complications, in the case of deep vein thrombosis, if the clot starts moving through the bloodstream towards the vital organs, it can lead to a real life-threatening situation!
Hence, if you experience any of the following symptoms related to DVT: spontaneous leg pain or when touching, a local warmth sensation, swelling in the leg, go to see a doctor immediately. If these symptoms are accompanied by fever, an increase in heart rate, shortness of breath, chest pain, are coughing up blood go to the emergency right away!
Superficial thrombophlebitis is usually treated with an anti-inflammatory treatment and does not have the same urgency.
Please note that once the diagnosis of thrombophlebitis is confirmed, combining natural remedies with conventional (allopathic) treatments can have a dangerous potential and, therefore, it is necessary to consult a herbal doctor before following any natural remedies for thrombophlebitis on your own.
Before we go to the natural remedies for thrombophlebitis, let’s look into the risk factors and potential causes of this condition.
What Causes Thrombophlebitis?
Thrombophlebitis is more common in men, especially those who have a static occupation or use means of transport over long distances (long flights or bus rides), but also in patients with conditions that require prolonged bed rest. It is important to know that immobilizing a person in bed automatically involves a risk of phlebitis.
The main causes of thrombophlebitis are:
- prolonged bed rest (immobilization) after surgery or paresis/paralysis
- a static job (office jobs where you sit down most of the time)
- predisposition to blood clots (thrombosis)
- smoking
- alcohol
- high-fat diet
- cancer tumors
The biggest risk factor in developing thrombophlebitis is smoking. Smokers have a 2-3 times higher chance of suffering from this condition. The second is drinking alcohol. Alcohol disrupts the entire activity of the cardiovascular system, and certain types of alcoholic beverages, such as red and red wine, are strictly contraindicated in thrombophlebitis, as they promote thrombus formation and increase blood pressure.
Other risk factors for thrombophlebitis are red meat consumption, a diet rich in fats and cholesterol, sedentarism as well as certain medication or medical treatments that potentially cause blood vessel wall damage.
10 Natural Remedies for Thrombophlebitis
1. Willow Bark
Willow bark is the ancestor of aspirin, and aspirin is one of the most powerful blood thinners. It contains salicylates, that have an action similar to aspirin, but without its side effects, which prevent thrombus formation and have slightly vasodilating effects. Willow bark powder can be taken internally, 3 teaspoons a day. This is one of the most effective natural remedies for thrombophlebitis.
2. Wild Garlic Tincture
Among all the medicinal plants in the European flora, wild garlic is one of the strongest natural blood thinners with antiplatelet effects. It prevents and relieves coronary atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and is beneficial in conditions of the superficial venous system (varicose veins, thrombophlebitis).
Wild garlic comes out in Spring when it can be consumed in the form of juice: 1-2 glasses a day, on an empty stomach, in cures of at least 20 days. For the rest of the year, you can use wild garlic tincture: a teaspoon diluted in half a glass of water, four times a day, in cures of one month, with a week of pause. Wild garlic is one of the most powerful natural remedies for thrombophlebitis.
3. Tomato Juice
Drink a glass (200 ml) of freshly squeezed tomato juice (not pasteurized) 3 times a day, for 30 days. Tomato juice is a life-saving treatment for this condition because it helps reduce blood clots and does not allow others to form. It is also very effective for smokers who have thrombophlebitis, because it diminishes the harmful action of tars from cigarette smoke, which is extremely harmful to the blood, and greatly favors the appearance of thrombophlebitis.
Tomato juice should be consumed as soon as it has been prepared, use only organically-grown, ripe tomatoes. Bottled or pasteurized tomato passata or juice do not have the same; only use freshly squeezed tomato juice.
4. Lemon Juice
Take two medium-sized organic lemons, wash them very well and grate the peel. Then cut the core of lemons as small as possible and put both the cores and the peels alongside two tablespoons of honey in 1 liter of water in a large jar or pot. Cover and leave the lemons to macerate at room temperature for 3-4 hours, strain, and drink the juice obtained in one go.
Repeat the treatment 7 days in a row.
Lemons have blood-thinning effects, as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-febrile action and, importantly, this remedy is an extraordinary venous tonic, preventing the formation and worsening of varicose veins, which are a favorable factor for thrombophlebitis. It is also an excellent remedy in cases of acute and subacute thrombophlebitis, as well as a very good means of preventing this condition.
5. St. John’s Wort
This medicinal plant contains a class of active substances, called coumarins, which help prevent blood clots from forming and migrating through the bloodstream. The extract from St. John’s wort is a very good adjunct for those who want to quit smoking, given that this addiction is an important risk factor for thrombophlebitis. You can have St. John’s wort extract, 4-6 capsules per day, in 30-day courses, followed by a 15-day pause, to prevent and ameliorate thrombophlebitis.
6. Clay Wraps
Mix four to eight tablespoons of medicinal clay with a mix of water and apple cider vinegar (in a 3:1 ratio), until you obtain a paste. Spread it on the affected area, and wrap it in place with plastic foil to prevent the water from evaporating. Keep the wrap on for at least 2 hours, and repeat twice a day. It has proven anti-inflammatory effects for thrombophlebitis.
7. Herbal Baths
Make leg/foot baths with stinging nettle root by adding two handfuls of well-washed and finely chopped roots, along with 5-10 leafy stems, in a basin with 5 liters of cold water overnight. The next day, heat up the liquid with the plants to boiling point. Take foot baths for 20 minutes with the nettle infusion, as hot as possible. Do not remove the plants from the water. One batch can be reused 2-3 times, only heat it up before each use.
You can also use vine leaves for the footbath, by boiling a handful of vine leaves boil for 3-5 minutes in 3 liters of water. Use the infusion to bathe, while warm. This remedy is effective in thrombophlebitis with edema, and it strengthens the walls of the blood vessels and improves blood flow in the lower legs.
Last but not least a herbal mix of yarrow (30 g), peppermint (25 g), great yellow gentian (10 g), St. John’s wort (25 g), and arnica flowers (10 g). Take daily footbaths with an infusion obtained from these herbs in 2 l of water, to which you add 2 tablespoons of sea salt.
8. Ginko Biloba & Poplar Buds Extract
Ginkgo Biloba extract has beneficial effects not only on the arteries but also on capillaries and veins, with direct health benefits in varicose veins, post-thrombotic syndrome, and varicose ulcers, including thrombosis and thrombophlebitis. While black poplar buds extract (Populus nigra) has an elective action on the arteries of the lower limbs, restores collateral circulation, and fights associated trophic disorders, being indicated in thrombophlebitis and thromboembolic symptomatology.
These two remedies can be combined with Ginseng, which inhibits thrombus production by stimulating prostacyclin synthesis and reducing thrombogenesis. In addition, Ginseng in combination with Ginkgo biloba works by reducing the plasma concentration of fibrinogen, which is one of the real vectors of the risk of imminent thromboembolism.
9. Common Comfrey
Slightly crush a few fresh comfrey leaves and apply them to the affected area, after anointing it with calendula salve. Dress the leg and leave the comfrey leaves on overnight. Continue every day for 3-4 weeks. This natural remedy has great effects on varicose veins with thrombophlebitis. Cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias) is another medicinal herb that can help with thrombophlebitis. Apply the milky sap inside the fresh plant on the affected area daily until full recovery. Fresh wormwood leaves poultices are also effective for thrombophlebitis.
10. Forest Therapy
Extracts from trees can help improve and even treat thrombophlebitis when diet adjustments and lifestyle changes are also made. Horse chestnut extract is effective in thrombophlebitis and thrombosis while a combination of quacking aspen bark and willow bark has proven its effectiveness in thrombophlebitis with ulcerations.
To make the remedy, mix a tablespoon of fine dried aspen bark powder, one tsp of dried willow bark powder, another one of ground marigold flowers, and a medium-sized onion, grated. Scald the herbal mix with 200 ml of boiling water and infuse until morning. Strain through a coffee filter or cloth and mixed the infusion with 2 tablespoons of good quality honey. Soak a sterile dressing (cotton, folded gauze) with the obtained solution, squeeze the liquid so that it does not drip, and apply it to the affected areas. Horse chestnut is used internally, according to the instructions on the package.
Diet for Thrombophlebitis
Diet plays a key role in healing thrombophlebitis. First of all, drastically reduce or cut out:
- smoking (is a trigger and can aggravate the disease)
- alcohol and coffee are strictly forbidden!
- animal fats including smoked meats, deli,
- dairy products (cheese, milk, butter)
- pickled foods of any kind (pickles, vinegar, sour cabbage juice, etc)
- sugar and sweets
- fried foods
- soda drinks
Instead, have plenty of:
- fresh spring water or distilled water
- herbal teas (yarrow, dandelion, nettle root, burdock root)
- fresh vegetables, raw or in soups or salads, prepared with raw oil (cold-pressed)
- cold-pressed orange juice
- tomatoes
- carrots, parsley root and leaves, celery root and leaves, cucumbers
- yellow and red bell peppers
- lettuce
- raw zucchinis
- garlic
- green or dried onions
- sprouted wheat
- potatoes and rice
- buckwheat (raw, boiled, or buckwheat bread)
- fruits especially apples (high in pectin)
- seasonal fruits such as wild blueberries, blackcurrants, raspberries, strawberries, sea buckthorn, and figs with raw honey
- fruits and veggies juices
- wild-caught fish (cod, mackerel, salmon, etc.) grilled or boiled
Natural Supplements for Thrombophlebitis
- Magnesium – helps increase the effectiveness of antithrombotic drugs
- Reishi extract – this medicinal mushroom has antiplatelet effects, preventing the formation of blood clots and their migration through the circulatory system.
Read Also: 9 Herbs That Dissolve Blood Clots Naturally
We really hope that the natural remedies for thrombophlebitis here will truly help you out. We want to remind you that this can be a very serious health condition, and we advise you to consult a doctor before following any alternative treatments. Much health to you!
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