Case history 31
Diagnosis – Varicose veins
Varicose veins are swollen, twisted, and sometimes painful veins, abnormally filled with blood. In normal veins, valves keep blood moving toward the heart. In case of varicose veins, the valves do not function properly. Blood pooling in the vein causes it to enlarge.
This process usually occurs in the veins of the legs, although it may occur elsewhere. Varicose veins are common, affecting mostly women.
Treatment
Treatment is usually conservative. Avoid excessive standing, raise legs when resting or sleeping, Wear elastic support hose. Surgical treatment is required for advanced cases, severe pain or leg ulcers.
Prognosis
Varicose veins tend to get worse over time. One can ease discomfort and slow varicose vein progression with self care.
Discussion
The account is given by the patient’s daughter. Her mother, a rather obese woman of about 55 yrs had been suffering from varicose veins.
“I remember my mother had been suffering from varicose veins for some 20 yrs. She had undergone surgery twice for varicose veins. Obese, she could not sit on the floor and had to sit on a chair.”*
“When she came for meditation she had to be allowed to sit on a chair because of severe pain in her legs. Some time after she could gradually manage to sit on the floor without much difficulty. Her general health improved and she was much more cheerful.”
“However, through regular practice of meditation, a few weeks later she was able to sit on the floor. Her physical and mental health improved considerably.”*
“She used to travel by car to avoid walking which caused great discomfort. She had never dreamt of travelling abroad. She could do so after some months.”
“Travelling was a problem. She could not walk long distances, having pain in her legs and great difficulty moving them. During meditation she started having spontaneous leg movements without the least pain. Her mobility improved and surprise of surprise, she even took a trip abroad with father and me!”*
(*Excerpts from article, Padmini, Magazine 4, 2011 P 51-52)
Effect of Meditation
Meditation proved to be a boon to her. She had for years been deprived of much of the joys of a normal life.
The stock of prana from her meditation helped her physically, by alleviating her serious varicose veins pathology, something the previous two surgical interventions could not do. The prana went into action causing spontaneous leg movements without any pain being felt. The prana was healing the diseased tissues.
Her whole outlook changed. She dared take a trip abroad. She was a changed person thanks to meditation.