Correct selection of compression garments to protect your blood vessels.

compression stockings for varicose veins

Varicose veins continue to conquer the world.

It may have already arrived at your house. If not, it may happen in the future.

Remember that in developed countries in Europe and North America, varicose veins affect up to 35% of adults. Also, with age, the number of patients only increases.

How to be?

Consult a phlebologist. She will prescribe treatment and possibly advise you to purchase bedding for varicose veins. We will talk about him later.

Do you think varicose veins are not dangerous?

Let's see if it is so.

Varicose veins- It is an enlargement of the veins in the legs, which occurs due to the weakening of the venous valves. It interrupts the blood circulation.

Interestingly, the disease itself is not life-threatening for patients. Yes, it is uncomfortable. For example, with varicose veins, symptoms appear:

  • Edema
  • Itching and burning
  • Tired legs
  • Skin discoloration
  • Seizures
  • Vascular cobwebs

It doesn't sound scary. Not surprisingly, many people ignore the symptoms of the disease for years and sometimes decades.

We understand why they do this. But this does not mean that these people are right.

The main danger of varicose veins is not the symptoms, but the complications.

Trophic ulcers: necrosis of certain areas of the skin due to circulatory disorders. Such defects take a long time to heal. Ulcers are more likely to come back after treatment.

Blood clots are blood clots that occur when the wall of the vessel is damaged. They are useful in some situations. For example, if you cut yourself, blood clots will prevent heavy bleeding.

There are also less pleasant examples.

When venous walls are damaged, blood clots accumulate on them. The problem is that they block blood flow and impair the supply of nearby tissues.

But even this is not so bad.

When blood clots break loose and move through the body along with the blood, the real games with death begin. If blood clots enter the heart or brain and block the blood vessels there, the patient may die.

After such varicose veins it no longer seems to be a harmless disease.

Of course, the disease doesn't kill in a couple of days. Dangerous complications sometimes appear only after a few years, but this does not mean that they do not need to be treated. Ask your doctor as soon as possible.

To combat varicose veins, an integrated approach is used. This means that it is impossible to get rid of diseased blood vessels only with the help of medications or exercises. Even treating varicose veins with compression stockings will not solve the problem on its own. But it will become an important part of the therapy and alleviate the symptoms of the disease.

You may not think that underwear will help you. After all, how are knitwear related to pots?

We tell you this now.

Healing Pressure: How Compression Garments Help Blood Vessels

Enlarged veins do not pump blood well to the heart. The tissue creates pressure in certain areas of the legs. This improves blood circulation and reduces stress on the venous walls.

Undergarments with varicose veins create a kind of frame around the vessels. This support prevents the expansion of weak veins and keeps its walls in good condition.

The choice of pressure force depends on the area of the leg. For example, the maximum pressure shirt is commonly worn on the ankles. In this area, the blood begins to rise to the heart and it takes a lot of effort to overcome the force of gravity.

But on the hips, a jersey is used with a pressure of 40% of the maximum. Here, the blood in the veins moves more easily and does not need strong support.

Consult a phlebologist about the correct compression garment. An incorrectly selected shirt will not help your boats, but it will damage them.

These are the situations in which certain types of underwear are used.

Types of compression stockings

types of compression stockings

In order for anti-varicose underwear to have a beneficial effect on the veins, you need to choose it correctly. We are talking about medical devices that are not always useful for blood vessels. Again, too much pressure from clothing will only worsen the condition of the veins.

If you buy a T-shirt for the treatment of varicose veins, first take a medical examination. They will check the condition of your blood vessels and determine which compression garment is right for you.

It is divided into 3 main types:

  • Tights
  • Tights
  • Knee high socks

The choice of knitwear depends on the location of the diseased veins, your lifestyle, and other factors.

We'll talk more about the benefits of socks, leggings, and golf.

Compression socks

This is the name of a product for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins. It is used mainly in the early stages of the disease. Stockings against varicose veins tightly wrap the legs and press the walls of the blood vessels, improving blood circulation. They too:

  • Prevents the formation of blood clots.
  • Relieve swelling
  • Relieve pain after standing for a long time.
  • Protects against varicose veins

Knitted stockings for the treatment of varicose veins are also used during pregnancy. When a child is carried, the vessels of the woman's body are exposed to great stress and often swell. Therefore, during the 2-3 trimester, doctors advise pregnant women to wear this underwear.

Compression stockings are versatile. They help varicose veins even above the knee, but they are more comfortable to wear than tights.

Compression socks

This type of jersey completely covers the legs from the toes to the waist. The varicose veins stockings do not slip when walking and are comfortable to wear. However, you must remember that you will have to take them off several times a day, and this takes time.

This underwear is often recommended for pregnant women, as it not only protects the veins, but also supports the abdomen.

If blood vessel problems have spread above the hips, varicose vein stockings will be more helpful than knee-highs or stockings. Its functions:

  • Improving blood circulation.
  • Leg muscle massage
  • Venous wall support
  • Removal of excess lymphatic fluid

Compression stockings are used for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins. They are also prescribed to recover from leg surgery.

Knee High Compression Stockings

Varicose vein socks are prescribed for people with diseased veins in the lower legs. If problems with the blood vessels have arisen below the knees, such underwear will help you.

They do not restrict movement. Therefore, in golf you can practice or go for a walk. Many people take them with them on their travels.

This underwear performs the following functions:

  • Constricts blood vessels
  • Strengthens the venous walls
  • Eliminate edema

Varicose socks are comfortable to wear under clothing. If necessary, they can be quickly removed, for example, during an examination by a doctor.

Remember: the effectiveness of knitwear depends on the pressure they put on your legs. These are the so-called compression classes. We will talk more about them.

Kinds of knitwear against varicose veins

knitwear classes against varicose veins

The compression class of clothing is measured in millimeters of mercury or mmHg. Art. As we have already said, the pressure is maximum in the feet. Decrease from bottom to top. Therefore, the upper part of the jersey puts almost no pressure on the legs.

There are 4 kinds of compression:

First class: Pressure from 18 to 22 mmHg. Art. It is used for the prevention of varicose veins and the treatment of the initial stage of the disease.

2nd. degree: Pressure from 23 to 32 mmHg. Art. It is prescribed for the treatment of second degree varicose veins and thrombophlebitis. Use it and your ulcers will heal faster.

Grade 3: Pressure from 33 to 45 mmHg. Art. Doctors prescribe this underwear to patients with trophic disorders and venous insufficiency.

Fourth grade: Pressure from 46 to 50 mmHg. Art. Such knitwear helps fight lymphostasis and edema in case of varicose vein complications. It is often prescribed after operations.

You can buy knitwear for prevention yourself, without consulting a phlebologist. Don't squeeze your legs too tight and it won't hurt. But the underwear of classes 2-4 should be chosen only by a doctor.

How to choose compression garments to avoid varicose veins

If you're shopping for varicose vein prevention knitwear, start by taking a measurement. When you wake up, don't get out of bed. Measure the circumference of the calf, thigh, and ankle immediately. You also need to know the length of the foot and leg. When buying lingerie, these measurements will come in handy.

Choose knee-highs, stockings, or tights based on the location of the problem veins. If they are below the knees, knee-length shoes will fit. To stop the development of varicose veins on the upper legs, buy varicose tights or tights.

Pay attention to the fabric of knitwear. Give preference to cotton products, they are easy and comfortable to use. Some manufacturers produce underwear with antibacterial and antifungal coatings. It will not bother you with an unpleasant smell.

Manufacturers produce a wide range of compression stockings. You just have to choose stockings, pantyhose or knee-high stockings that suit you best.

Post-operative care: how much to wear knitwear after treatment

If you have late-stage varicose veins and have undergone vascular operation, then for a full recovery you need to wear special underwear. The phlebologist will tell you how long to walk on it.

Don't break the knitting routine.

Remember, your doctor prescribed these underwear for a reason. The effectiveness of the treatment directly depends on whether you are wearing knitwear or not.

Imagine, you've decided to dispense with your teeth-on-your-teeth stockings for just one day. Looks like it's ok.

But this is not the case.

The shirt closes the wound that was left after the operation. Prevents air entry and prevents blood poisoning. Also, underwear protects blood vessels from blood clots.

Don't risk your health. You have already undergone the operation, and now a full recovery does not depend on the doctor. Take a few months and you can return to a full life with healthy veins.

The phlebologist decides how long the shirt should be worn. You can't take off your clothes for a long time without consulting it.

We will tell you in detail how much to wear compression stockings after phlebectomy and sclerotherapy.

After mini-phlebectomy

After surgery, the treated leg should be covered with an elastic sweater. It has been shown to reduce intradermal bleeding and pain. Also, special underwear helps prevent venous thrombosis.

Compression stockings should be worn after miniphlebectomy for at least one week. The maximum period is 6 weeks. During this period, knitwear of the second class is usually assigned, but there is no point in wearing them anymore. Class 1 clothing is sufficient to hold the containers.

After sclerotherapy

The term of use of compression stockings depends on the number of vessels treated. For example, if a doctor healed 1-2 veins, then he should wear stockings or tights only for 3-4 months. During this time, new, healthy glasses will appear.

If the phlebologist has healed 5-6 veins, it will take him longer to walk in class 2 knitwear, up to 6 months. The doctor will then conduct an examination and, if recovery is successful, you will be allowed to wear underwear of a lower compression class.

7 signs you should wear compression stockings

Such underwear is useful not only for varicose veins. We recommend considering purchasing a preventative t-shirt if you have one of these signs:

  • Overweight
  • The pregnancy
  • Vascular asterisks
  • Heavy loads on the legs
  • Passive lifestyle
  • Diabetes
  • Predisposition to vascular disease

With obesity, elastic stockings from varicose veins help you lose weight faster. They remove excess fluid, smooth fat folds and tone the skin.

For pregnant women, underwear helps support the abdominal muscles. This avoids many problems, such as prolapse of the uterus.

Who is contraindicated to wear compression stockings?

Unfortunately, not everyone can benefit from the benefits of lingerie with special veins. In some diseases, this is dangerous. Here is a list of them:

  • Severe angiopathy and diabetic polyneuropathy
  • Trophic ulcers not associated with vascular disease.
  • Acute soft tissue infection
  • Cardiopulmonary failure
  • Septic phlebitis

Another treatment of varicose veins with stockings is contraindicated for people with chronic diseases of the arteries of the legs, if the upper pressure fell below 80 mm Hg. Art.

Extending the useful life of knitwear: rules of care

If you want compression underwear for varicose veins to serve you until recovery, you must take proper care of it. For example, it should be washed daily.

You can ask, "Why, why don't I mess it up? "

Even so, dust accumulates on socks during the day. Also, dead skin cells settle on them. Then you can not do without washing.

Use baby soap or other products made for delicate fabrics. Wash your clothes by hand.

But what you can't do with it:

  • Boil
  • Squeeze
  • Dry on a horizontal surface.

This will damage the stockings and render them useless for treatment.

By observing these simple rules, you can wear a t-shirt until your recovery.

If you've read this far, you may have learned a lot about compression garments. It remains for us to tell you where they will help you choose it.

Doctors will quickly diagnose and select compression stockings.

If you need to choose underwear not for prevention, but for the treatment of varicose veins, you can not do without the help of a phlebologist. We recommend making an appointment with a specialized clinic.

The doctor will review your medical history and perform an exam. Then you will conduct an ultrasound diagnosis - it will show diseased vessels down to the smallest detail.

Once the diagnosis is made, your doctor will determine if you need knitwear and, if so, which one. To select it, the doctor must know the size and shape of the leg, as well as your daily routine.

To know how to buy compression stockings, just consult a phlebologist at the medical center.