Has anyone with a vericocele healed it naturally? (Really against surgery)

Anyone have any advice?

look up varicocele under "Google" not the "inside" selection on the site.

I looked through a couple of those large threads..

CS, is your recommendation still surgery? The thought of surgery down there makes me
Extremely apprehensive and I would want to try any alternative possible first..

sizzlinghairs wrote:I looked through a couple of those large threads..

CS, is your recommendation still surgery? The thought of surgery down there makes me
Extremely apprehensive and I would want to try any alternative possible first..

I agree that surgery should be a last consideration. However, if this fails surgery might help
in this rare circumstance.

I would first try anything that improves the vascular system. Vitamin K2, a barrage of antioxidants (plant based).
Also, would try to raise your bed (google "inclined bed therapy").

Sizzling,

I used to have quite a large varicocele which was typically quite sore. On bad days where it was very apparent (swollen), the boys would hang really low and I'd get this throbbing feeling on the left side.

Flash forward to several months on an estrogen blocker, its basically resolved itself. There is evidence in the literature to connect varicocele to estradiol levels. Now, I don't want you to think that its a magical cure-all. I believe once the dysfunction in the valve is there, it probably never truly recovers. But what I can tell you is that (A) it is probably 80% less noticeable (some days you can't see it at all), (B) there is zero pain or throbbing sensation, (C) balls are hanging normally again, and concurrently (D) libido has returned to normal, (E) erection quailty is back.

I'd also point out that I've had an increase in physical activity with some weight loss as well, which has undoubtedly helped the situation. The fact I'm on my feet for many more hours of the day doing physical labor has increased blood flow, and the work of gravity has probably done more for my lower body circulation on the whole. So I can't tell you that lowering estrogen did it, in and of itself. But the combination of more activity and lowering estrogen has basically resolved the varicocele.

I understand you aren't big on the surgery. But that doesn't mean the pill is necessarily the answer either. Arimidex is a powerful drug and isn't something to play around with. I'd attempt a more natural regimen for estrogen control long before I'd take this option, and if I did go the drug route, I'd be getting tested to establish what the estrogen burden is to begin with. If your levels are normal, an aromatase inhibitor can tank you quickly and there are a variety of problems associated with estrogen that is too low. I'm just giving you the information for perspective. Again, try some natural ways for managing estrogen first, along with modifying your daily activity (time standing) as well and see if it helps. I also believe CS is right on with his recommendations above. There are quite a few threads lying around discussing natural estrogen control. Try the search function and see what you turn up.

Overall I think the biggest bang for your buck is being zinc sufficient, lowering body fat, and promoting liver health (lipoic acid, vitamin E, selenium, methionine, calcium d-glucarate, and perhaps some type of indole compound like DIM). Good luck.

Thanks AS54.

What if my estrogen levels are in the low normal range? I do have to get them tested again, but what if that is the case. As well with estradiol, all within low normal levels.. That would be my question.

I think I might try this chinese herbal combination. %80 success rate in vericocele dissapearance sounds pretty good to me, but who knows how well it will work in me. I should also try some other venous strengthening formulas.

But if my estro is high, you are saying zinc supplementation and increasing liver health to help with that?

*moreover, since I'm not great at reading and condensing large amount of info from multiple threads, could either yourself or CS clue me in on the core methods of naturally controlling estrogen? Would so much appreciate it. Just a couple things in a nutshell

Sizzling,

If your estrogen levels are in the normal range, especially low-to-normal, I wouldn't consider the aromatase inhibitor. It would probably create more issues for you than the
varicocele is causing.

I'd agree a more natural approach should be your first priority. I am not very educated on chinese herbal medicine, so I can't speak to how effective it can be. But that said,
I do have a bias against a totally plant based approach. Its just not part of my philosophy that throwing a mixture of different plants (whether that be tinctures or teas or powders) is going to solve an endocrine or a vascular problem. I don't think that jibes with the evidence. That's not to say that specific plant chemicals - considered individually (curcumin, for example) - can't have physiological benefits. But a veinous drainage problem is probably not going to be resolved taking a mixture of various plant powders which are all tenuously, traditionally associated to various bodily systems.

Body fat is the number one priority for lowering estrogen. Hands down. Aromatase is produced by fat tissue. Zinc is a natural aromatase inhibitor in its own right. The liver is the primary route for hormonal metabolism and then excretion, so we're just going on principle here, that the more functional the liver, the better you are able to metabolize estrogens and get them out of the body at a natural rate. And yeah, all of the things I recommended would be liver supportive. Of course, the gut is inextricably tangled with the liver. Estrogens can be metabolized by gut bacteria and recirculated in the system. This is one benefit of shooting for a healthy gut flora, and for also occaisionally trying to refresh the bile with something that can usher it out of the system, like a complex of plant sterols.

But that was only assuming estrogen was your problem. It may not be. I was just going on a link from the literature. It could be from inactivity. It could be oxidative stress from elevated blood sugar. Who knows. But this would be the point in the focus on strengthening the veinous system, as CS recommended.

AS54 pointed out some important things...

So on that note I will mention that curcumin inhibits 17-beta estradiol by 95% and helps positively modulate hormone regulation in the gut.

Also iodine inhibits elevated estrogen levels.

As does trans-resveratrol, so this is one of the many reasons why I take something like "Antioxidant Boost" which contains both of these (not to mention hair).

One other thing, which pertains to the inclined bed therapy is that when we sit down for hours at a time, we are massively impairing our blood flow in the venous system.

Most people I have observed who have varicoceles have jobs/professions who are forced to sit for long hours at a time.

Inclined bed therapy is a simple solution that really provides an advantage, and it costs virtually zero (because you just need a few wooden blocks to raise your bed). When you sleep, you are lying flat, this is not ideal for venous blood flow.
Just a 6 inch incline will make a world of difference.

I looked into that IBT and I think I might give it a shot.

That and the herb from the Chinese study might be my initial protocol.

My next question would be though, if given the right environemnt, can these venous structures actually repair themselves or are they dependent for the rest of ones life on whatever therapy is used?

I had a varicocele procedure. Originally thought it was a hernia, but doc wasn't sure so they cut me open :/

Anyways, turned out to be a varicocele and some fatty tissue buildup. I believe that I originally got it from trauma lifting heavy equipment.

Long story short, around 6 months after surgery I started having similar pain to when I had the varicocele. I thought, oh shit, please don't tell me I have to get it done again!

2 things I found that worked for me and have healed me ~90% after my recent onset of pain - not masturbating very often (I think I read someone post that advice here on immortalhair a while back - masturbating with a varicocele further inflames your tubes), and kegels to repair the damage. Yes, kegels worked for me. When a man performs them, it actually lifts your tubes/testicles all the way up through your inguinal canal area. Treat them like sets and hold it at the end as long as you can. It's amazing what strengthening that area can do. If I would have known what I do now, I wouldn't have had the procedure. But hindsight is 20/20...

You should attack it at both directions - exercise and CS's supplement recommendation. I also think B vitamins play a crucial role in varicose veins, although I don't remember exactly, you might want to google that.

btw, your testicles take a long time to heal after surgery. They get swollen and super tender. That was the worst part for me. I still have some testicular pain, though it wasn't from the varicocele itself, but from the procedure. If you can, avoid surgery at all cost.

I've been on K2 and antioxidants for a long time but I had a big varicocele that went away when I started doing PE more seriously and doing lots of kegels. I actually didn't even notice it dissapear. I just was in the shower one day and smacked my ball by accident where it would normally have hurt but it didn't. Went in for an inspection and it was totally gone. It was quite large sometimes before and I had avoided touching it because it grossed me out.

No idea how long it took to go away. Just suddenly noticed it was gone.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I will incorporate kegels, that much I can do now.

Duke: PE =penis exercises yes?

Also, when everyone talks about antioxidants, which ones in specific would
Be good?