Yoga and its adjuvant therapies for the management of varicose vein disease: A narrative review

Abstract

Varicose veins (VVs) are twisted and dilated veins, mostly located in the lower limbs. The particular condition is mostly neglected due to lack of awareness about the issue, lack of symptoms, or late appearance of symptoms. The current review summarizes the overview of VV and available treatment options (conventional as well as nonconventional such as Ayurveda, exercise, and Yoga) for VV. VVs can range from uncomplicated asymptomatic visible small veins to symptomatic complicated varicose eczema and varicose ulcers. We identified 200 papers on VV between 2000 and 2021, out of which 40 were selected for particular review. Article search was done through Medline, Google Scholar, PubMed, psycINFO, and EMBASE using the keywords “varicose veins” and “surgery,” “treatment,” “conservative methods,” “Ayurveda,” “exercise,” and “Yoga.” The randomized and nonrandomized control, self as control studies, narrative reviews, systematic reviews, as well as case studies are included. The review focuses on the importance of nonconventional alternative form of therapies, specially Ayurveda, exercise, and Yoga, for the management of VV. There are a large number of studies done on VV, but a negligible number of studies are available to prove the effectiveness of Yoga on the particular condition. A lot of research trials on urgent basis are needed to prove the efficacy of Yoga in VV disease.