Studies have shown that about 15% of males suffer from varicocele during adulthood. In some cases, varicocele can result in fertility issues if left untreated. Varicocele symptoms might not always require treatment; surgery is usually recommended only in severe cases when infertility risks are high. Patients with mild varicocele can relieve their symptoms at home by adjusting their daily routines. Let’s find out effective home remedies for varicocele relief in detail.

What Do You Mean By Varicocele?

Varicocele refers to the accumulation or pooling of oxygen-poor blood in veins carrying blood away from the scrotum, which is a loose bag carrying testes. It leads to the enlargement of the veins in the scrotum, causing swelling and pain. Blood pools in the scrotum due to poor blood circulation in the scrotum, which fails to push blood away from the testes through veins.

Varicocele is generally associated with no complications. But the proper treatment of this medical condition is needed; otherwise, it can lead to male fertility issues, including low sperm count, erectile dysfunction, underdeveloped testes, and infertility.

Symptoms Of Varicocele

There are rarely any symptoms associated with varicocele. These symptoms can include dull pelvic pain, small-sized testes, and infertility. In severe cases, varicocele can be large enough to notice on the testicular portion when touched by hand.

Causes Of Varicocele

Varicocele occurs when deoxygenated blood accumulates in the pampiniform plexus and causes swelling. The Pampiniform plexus is the network of small veins in the scrotum carrying blood away from the testes and then joining with the main testicular vein. Blood accumulation in this plexus can be due to the malfunctioning valves in veins. Most varicoceles occur on the left side of the scrotum because of the slight changes in the blood path than the right side.

Effective Home Remedies For Varicocele Relief 

Home remedies can be used by patients seeking treatment for varicocele without visiting a doctor. Here are the effective remedies which can alleviate varicocele symptoms, including pain and inflammation.

Apply Ice Pack

Providing a cold temperature through ice packs is an effective remedy for reducing varicocele symptoms. The main reason responsible for causing varicocele is dilated veins carrying oxygen-poor blood away from the scrotum. Lower body temperature helps constrict the blood vessels, including veins, thus limiting blood accumulation in the veins. This is the same working principle on which ice packs work for relieving varicocele.

Cold packs decrease the temperature of the scrotum and the nearby region. It causes the contraction of veins and helps recover normal blood circulation, boosting the flow of deoxygenated blood from the scrotum toward the heart. This further can help patients to recover from pain and inflammation caused by varicocele.

How To Apply Ice Pack For Varicocele Relief?

Follow the below-mentioned steps to make effective use of ice packs for relieving varicocele at home.

• Take medium-sized ice pieces.
• Fold the ice in a towel or fabric.
• Apply this towel to the scrotum or the groin area.
• Continue applying for at least 15 minutes with a few-second break in between.
• Repeat the same procedure twice or thrice a day.
• Continue performing ice pack application until you recover from varicocele.

Perform Yoga

Yoga is another effective home remedy for varicocele relief. Yoga boosts healthy blood circulation and promotes the backflow of oxygen-poor blood back to the heart. When patients suffering from varicocele perform yoga, there are stretches in the smooth muscles of veins in the scrotum, which allow vascular contraction and push the blood out of the scrotum. Yoga also alleviates many other varicocele symptoms, including anxiety, inflammation, and pain.

How To Perform Yoga For Varicocele Relief?

Different poses of yoga can be performed to recover the blood circulation in the blood vessels in the scrotum. Here’re discussed some easiest and most effective yoga practices for varicocele relief.

• Lie down on the ground and put your legs on the wall. Remain in the same position for at least 10 minutes. Repeat the same twice a day until you recover from varicocele.

• Sit on the flat ground with stretched legs in your front. Then, bend your knees one by one and sit in a V-shaped form from your leg’s side. Maintain the same position for at least 30 seconds and up to 15 minutes. Repeat this pose daily until you recover from varicocele.

• Lie down on the flat ground with legs slightly apart. Take a deep breath and silently observe and feel the whole body, from the toe to the head. Roll onto your right side once you are done. Perform this yoga practice for 10 to 15 minutes. Until varicocele is cured, repeat this pose daily.

Use Jockstrap

Jockstraps are undergarments that offer scrotal support to men. They effectively reduce the main symptoms of varicocele, including pain and inflammation. Jockstrap also provides compression to the scrotum, which prevents the accumulation of blood in the veins, thus relieving varicocele.

How to Use Jackstrap For Varicocele Relief?

Keep the below-mentioned points in mind before using jockstrap for varicocele relief.

• Jockstrap must be supportive.
• Jockstrap must not increase testicular temperature.
• Must use a jockstrap during vigorous exercise.
• Avoiding using it while resting or sleeping.

Take Antioxidants

Increased intake of antioxidants prevents the varicocele’s worsening and helps alleviate its symptoms. Antioxidants prevent cell damage of the testis and the scrotum caused by free radicals and reduce the chances of pelvic inflammation. Due to their protective properties, antioxidants efficiently alleviate varicocele symptoms such as pain and swelling. Therefore, it is always recommended that males increase the food offering a significant amount of vitamin C and other antioxidants.

How To Use Antioxidants For Varicocele Relief?

Add antioxidant-rich food such as oranges, grapes, lemon, strawberries, kale, broccoli, and red cabbage to your daily meals.

Take Cooling Showers

Like ice packs, the cooling shower is another way to lower body temperature. The cool temperature in the pelvic area allows the backflow of the deoxygenated blood to the heart and helps recover the dilated veins in the scrotum. This further helps reduce swelling and pain caused by blood accumulation in the pelvic region.

How to Perform Cooling Showers For Varicocele Relief?

Follow the below-mentioned steps for making showers effective for varicocele.

• Ensure water running out through the tap is cold.
• Run cold water for a longer duration on the testicles.
• Perform this cooling shower at least twice a day.

Eat Fiber-Rich Diet

GIT disorders such as constipation and indigestion can worsen the symptoms of the patients suffering from varicocele. Constipation puts pressure on the pelvic region while passing stools. This strain can cause enhance the inflammation in the pelvis and worsen the varicocele symptoms. Patients can control this condition by adding more dietary fiber to their diet. The fiber-rich diet promotes healthy digestion in the digestive tract and prevents constipation; this further helps in effective healing from varicocele.

How To Use Fiber-Rich Diet For Varicocele?

Add fiber-rich foods such as nuts, seeds, grains, and fruits to your daily meals.

Take Supplements

Patients can take supplements providing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties for varicocele pain relief. Horse chestnut extract can be the best option in this regard. This extract is prepared from the seeds of the plant named horse chestnut. This herbal remedy has been known for alleviating the pain and inflammation caused by varicocele.

Always go with the carefully prepared extract of horse chestnut. Never try consuming this plant in raw form. It is because raw horse chestnut contains esculin, a poison that can even lead to death. However, this herbal remedy is totally safe to consume in extracted form.

How To Use Horse Chestnut Extract For Varicocele?

Follow the steps below to get maximum effects and minimize horse chestnut’s side effects.

• Consult a homeopathic doctor about the dose of this herbal remedy. Taking 100 to 200 mg of horse chestnut extract is usually recommended.

• Only continue using this herbal remedy for up to six months. 

• Avoid taking a high dose of horse chestnut; otherwise, it can cause side effects.

Perform Light Exercise

Performing kegel and other exercises, such as walking to strengthen the pelvic muscles, can effectively cure varicocele. These exercises boost blood circulation toward the pelvic region and help alleviate inflammation and pain, thus reducing varicocele symptoms.

Eat Nuts And Seeds

Nuts and seeds offer a considerable amount of dietary fibers, which help in preventing gastrointestinal disorders, which otherwise can worsen the varicocele symptoms. Patients looking for effective recovery and taking other treatments for varicocele should add nuts and seeds to their diet.

Consume Lycopene

Lycopene is a potent antioxidant that can treat various male reproductive ailments, including varicocele. It reduces inflammation and pain in the pelvic region caused by varicocele.

You can increase lycopene consumption by adding more tomatoes to your diet. Many other red fruits, such as watermelon, carrots, and grapes, also contain lycopene and can be eaten to relieve varicocele.

Increase Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake

Omega-3 fatty acids provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and boost blood circulation in the body. All these abilities can boost the recovery process from varicocele. Patients should increase the intake of food offering a considerable amount of omega-3 fatty acids, including salmon, tuna, walnuts, and soybean.

Get A Massage

Gentle massage can also help in alleviating varicocele symptoms. Use any essential oil or moisturizers for massaging the pelvic region in a circular motion. It helps in alleviating varicocele symptoms by boosting blood supply. Avoid putting pressure on the blood vessels in the pelvic region; pain and inflammation can increase.

Increase Flavonoids Intake

Flavonoids alleviate varicocele symptoms by boosting blood circulation and preventing blood pooling in blood vessels. They can also reduce blood pressure by relaxing the smooth muscles of blood vessels, promoting effective recovery from varicocele. Patients can increase their flavonoid intake by eating food such as onions, spinach, broccoli, grapes, berries, and garlic.

How To Boost Recovery From Varicocele At Home?

Here’re mentioned some guidelines which can boost recovery from varicocele naturally at home.

• Avoid eating food that is hard to digest.
• Avoid strenuous physical exercises.
• Avoid alcoholic consumption.
• Avoid smoking.
• Take proper rest.

Conclusion

Varicocele can occur without any symptoms. Most of the cases, treatments are not recommended for varicocele; home remedies can work best in this regard. Patients can effectively alleviate their varicocele symptoms at home without visiting a hospital. But if you are not experiencing any improvement in your symptoms, there is a need for a complete medical checkup. Doctors can recommend surgery in severe cases.