Proper selection of compression garments to protect your blood vessels

compression stockings for varicose veins

Varicose veins continue to conquer the world.

He may have already reached your house. If not, it may happen in the future.

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

How to be?

See a phlebologist. He will prescribe treatment and possibly advise you to buy linen against varicose veins. We'll talk about him later.

Do you think varicose veins are not dangerous?

Let's see if that's the case.

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

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

  • Edema
  • Itching and burning
  • Tired legs
  • Discoloration of the skin
  • Cramps
  • Vascular cobwebs

That does not sound scary. Not surprisingly, many people ignore the symptoms of the disease for years and sometimes decades.

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

The greatest danger with varicose veins is not symptoms but complications.

Trophic ulcers - necrosis of certain areas of the skin due to circulatory disorders. Such defects take a very long time to heal. Wounds are more likely to reappear after treatment.

Blood clots are blood clots that occur when the vessel wall 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 the vein 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 off and move through the body along with the blood, real games begin with death. If blood clots penetrate the heart or brain and block the blood vessels there, the patient may die.

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

Of course, the disease does not kill in a few days. Dangerous complications sometimes occur only after a few years, but that does not mean that there is no need to be treated. See your doctor as soon as possible.

An integrated approach is used to combat varicose veins. This means that it is impossible to get rid of diseased blood vessels just with the help of medication or exercises. Even treating varicose veins with compression stockings will not solve the problem in itself. But it will become an important part of the therapy and will ease the symptoms of the disease.

You may not believe that underwear will help you. After all, how is knitting related to vessels?

We will tell you about this now.

Healing pressure - how compression clothing helps blood vessels

Dilated veins do not pump blood to the heart well. The knitting creates pressure on certain areas of the legs. This improves blood circulation and reduces stress on the vein walls.

Lingerie with varicose veins creates a kind of frame around the vessels. This support prevents the expansion of weak veins and keeps their walls in good shape.

The choice of compressive force depends on the leg area. For example, a sweater with maximum pressure is commonly used on the ankles. In this area, the blood begins to rise to the heart and a great deal of effort is required to overcome gravity.

But on the hips, 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.

Contact a phlebologist for the correct compression garments. An incorrectly selected jersey will not help your vessels, but will harm them.

Here are the situations where certain types of underwear are used.

Types of compression stockings

types of compression stockings

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 the laundry will only aggravate the condition of the veins.

If you buy jersey for the treatment of varicose veins, first go through a medical examination. He will check the condition of the blood vessels and determine which compression garment is right for you.

It is divided into 3 main types:

  • Stockings
  • Tights
  • Knee socks

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

We will talk about the benefits of stockings, tights and golf further.

Compression stockings

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 enclose the legs tightly and press on the walls of the blood vessels, which improves blood circulation. They too:

  • Prevents blood clots
  • Relieves swelling
  • Relieves pain after standing for a long time
  • Protects against varicose veins

Knitted socks for the treatment of varicose veins are also used during pregnancy. When carrying a child, the vessels in women's bodies are exposed to great stress and often swell. Therefore, doctors advise pregnant women in trimester 2-3 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 tights

This type of jersey completely covers the legs from the toes to the waist. Tights from varicose veins do not slip when they go and are comfortable to wear. However, keep in mind that you will need to take them off several times in one day and it will take 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 across the hips, tights against varicose veins help better than stockings or knee height. Their features:

  • Improving blood circulation
  • Leg muscle massage
  • Venous wall support
  • Elimination of excess lymph fluid

Compression tights are used for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins. They are also prescribed for recovery after bone surgery.

Compression at knee height

Socks for varicose veins are prescribed for people with diseased veins in the lower legs. If there are problems with blood vessels below the knees, such underwear will help you.

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

This underwear performs the following functions:

  • Contracts blood vessels
  • Strengthens the venous walls
  • Removes edema

Socks against varicose veins are comfortable to wear under clothing. If necessary, they can be removed quickly, for example by an examination by a doctor.

Remember - the effectiveness of knitting depends on how much it presses on your legs. These are the so-called compression classes. We will talk about them further.

Classes of knitwear against varicose veins

classes of knitwear against varicose veins

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

There are 4 classes of compression:

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

2 class: Pressure from 23 to 32 mmHg. Art. It is prescribed to treat 2nd degree varicose veins and thrombophlebitis. Wear it and your wounds will heal faster.

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

4th grade: Pressure from 46 to 50 mmHg. Art. Such knitwear helps fight lymphostasis and edema in case of complications of varicose veins. Often prescribed after surgeries.

You can even buy knitwear for prevention without consulting a phlebologist. He does not squeeze his legs too much and will not hurt. But underwear in class 2-4 should only be chosen by a doctor.

How to choose compression garments to avoid varicose veins

If you need to buy knitwear for the prevention of varicose veins, start by taking a measurement. When you wake up, do not get out of bed. Measure your calf, thigh and ankle circumference immediately. You also need to know the length of the foot and leg. When buying lingerie, these measurements will be helpful.

Choose knee-length pants, socks or tights based on the location of the problem veins. If they are below the knees, knee height will suit you. To stop the development of varicose veins in the upper legs, buy anti-varicose stockings or tights.

Pay attention to the knit fabric. Give preference to cotton products - they are easy and comfortable to wear. Some manufacturers produce underwear with antibacterial and antifungal coatings. It will not bother you with an unpleasant odor.

Manufacturers produce a wide range of compression stockings. Simply choose socks, tights or sneakers that suit you.

Postoperative care - how much to wear knit after treatment

If you have varicose veins in the late stage and have had a vascular operation, then for full recovery you should wear special underwear. The phlebologist will tell you how long to go in it.

Do not break the knitting routine.

Remember that the doctor has prescribed this underwear for you for a reason. The effectiveness of the treatment depends directly on whether you are wearing knitwear or not.

Imagine for a second you were transposed into the karmic driven world of Earl. It seems to be okay.

But this is not the case.

The shirt closes the wound after the operation. It prevents air from entering and prevents blood poisoning. Underwear also protects blood vessels from the formation of blood clots.

Do not risk your health. You have already been through the surgery and now a complete recovery does not depend on the doctor. Take a few months and you can return to a satisfying life with healthy veins.

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

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

After miniflebectomy

After the operation, the treated leg must be covered with elastic jersey. It has been shown to reduce intradermal bleeding and pain. Special underwear also helps prevent venous thrombosis.

Compression stockings after miniflebectomy should be worn for at least one week. The maximum period is 6 weeks. During this period, knits of 2nd class are usually assigned, but it is pointless to use it further. Class 1 linen is enough to support the vessels.

After sclerotherapy

The duration of wearing compression stockings depends on the number of vessels treated. For example, if a doctor healed 1-2 veins, then you should only wear socks or tights for 3-4 months. During this time, new, healthy vessels will emerge.

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

7 signs that you need to wear compression stockings

Such underwear is useful not only for varicose veins. We recommend considering buying a preventative sweater if you have one of these signs:

  • Overweight
  • Pregnancy
  • Vascular stars
  • Strong loads on the legs
  • Passive lifestyle
  • Diabetes
  • Disposition for vascular disease

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

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

Who is contraindicated to wear compression stockings

Unfortunately, not everyone can benefit from the special vein underwear. In some diseases this is dangerous. Here is a list of them:

  • Severe angiopathy and diabetic polyneuropathy
  • Trophic wounds not associated with vascular disease
  • Acute soft tissue infection
  • Heart-lung failure
  • Septic phlebitis

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

Extension of the life of knitwear - care rules

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

You may ask, "Why, because I do not get it dirty? ".

Still, dust accumulates on the socks during the day. In addition, dead skin cells settle on them. So you can not do without washing.

Use baby soap or other products made for delicate fabrics. Hand wash your laundry.

But what you can not do about it:

  • Koge
  • Press out
  • Dry on a horizontal surface

This will damage the socks and render them unusable for treatment.

By following these simple rules, you can wear one sweater until your refund.

If you've read that far, you may have learned a lot about compression garments. It's up to us to tell you where to get help choosing it.

Doctors will quickly diagnose and select compression stockings

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

The doctor will review the medical history and perform an examination. Then he will perform ultrasound diagnostics - it will show sick vessels down to the smallest detail.

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

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