Correct Selection of Compression Clothing to Protect Your Blood Vessels

compression stockings for varicose veins

Varicose veins continue to conquer the world.

He may have already arrived at your house. Otherwise, it could happen in the future.

It is worth remembering that in developed countries in Europe and North America, varicose veins affect up to 35% of adults. Furthermore, with age, the number of patients only increases.

How to be?

Consult a phlebologist. He will prescribe treatment and possibly advise you to buy flax for varicose veins. We'll tell you about it later.

Do you think varicose veins are not dangerous?

Let's see if that's how it is.

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

Interestingly, the disease itself is not fatal to patients. Yes, it's uncomfortable. For example, with varicose veins, the symptoms appear:

  • Edema
  • Itching and burning
  • tired legs
  • skin discoloration
  • Convulsions
  • vascular spider webs

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

We understand why they do this. But that doesn't mean 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. These defects take a long time to heal. Ulcers are more likely to reappear after therapy.

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 venous walls are damaged, blood clots build up in them. The problem is that they block blood flow and impair the supply to nearby tissues.

But even that isn't so bad.

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

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

Of course, the disease doesn't kill in a few days. Dangerous complications sometimes only appear after a few years, but that doesn't mean there is no need for treatment. See 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 with just the help of medication or exercise. Even treating varicose veins with compression stockings will not solve the problem by itself. But this will become an important part of the therapy and will alleviate the symptoms of the illness.

You may not believe that underwear will help you. After all, how does the mesh relate to the vessels?

Let's talk about it now.

Healing Pressure - How Compression Clothing Helps Blood Vessels

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

Lingerie with varicose veins creates a kind of frame around the vases. This support prevents the expansion of weak veins and keeps your walls in good condition.

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

On the hips, the jersey is used with a pressure of 40% of the maximum. Here, the blood in the veins moves more easily and doesn't need strong support.

Consult a phlebologist for the correct compression strap. An incorrectly selected shirt will not help your pots, but it will harm them.

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

Types of Compression Socks

types of compression stockings

For anti-varicose underwear to have a beneficial effect on the veins, it is necessary to choose it correctly. We are talking about medical devices that are not always useful for blood vessels. Again, too much pressure from the clothes only makes the veins worse.

If you buy a shirt to treat varicose veins, get a medical examination first. He will check the condition of your blood vessels and determine which compression strap is right for you.

It is divided into 3 main types:

  • Socks
  • tights
  • Knee socks

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

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

Compression socks

This is the name of a product for preventing and treating varicose veins. It is mainly used in the early stages of the disease. Stockings against varicose veins wrap around the legs and put pressure on the walls of blood vessels, improving blood circulation. They also:

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

Knitted socks for treating varicose veins are also worn during pregnancy. When carrying a child, the vessels in a woman's body are exposed to great stress and often swell. Therefore, for 2-3 trimesters, doctors advise pregnant women to wear this underwear.

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

Compression tights

This type of shirt completely covers the legs from toes to waist. The varicose vein tight pants do not slip when walking and are comfortable to wear. However, you must remember that you will have to take them out 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 the blood vessel problems have spread above the hips, varicose stockings will help better than stockings or even the knees. Its functions:

  • improve blood circulation
  • Leg muscle massage
  • Venous wall bracket
  • Elimination of excess lymph fluid

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

Knee-length compression

Varicose stockings are prescribed for people with diseased veins in the lower legs. If problems arise with blood vessels below the knees, this underwear will help.

They don't restrict movement. Therefore, in golf you can practice or walk. Many people take them with them on their travels.

This underwear performs the following functions:

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

Varicose stockings are comfortable to wear under clothing. If necessary, they can be removed quickly, for example during a medical examination.

Remember - the effectiveness of the mesh depends on how hard it puts pressure on your legs. These are called compression classes. We'll talk more about them.

Classes of meshes against varicose veins

mesh classes against varicose veins

The compression class of clothing is measured in millimeters of mercury or mmHg. Art. As we've already said, the pressure is maximum on the feet. It decreases from the bottom to the top. Therefore, the upper part of the shirt hardly puts pressure on the legs.

There are 4 classes of compression:

1st class: Pressure from 18 to 22 mmHg. Art. It is used to prevent varicose veins and to treat the early 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.

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

4th grade: Pressure from 46 to 50 mmHg. Art. These meshes help to fight lymphostasis and edema in case of varicose vein complications. Often prescribed after operations.

You can buy fabrics for prevention yourself, without consulting a phlebologist. He doesn't pinch his legs too much and it won't hurt. But underwear from Grades 2 to 4 should only be chosen by a doctor.

How to Choose Compression Clothing to Avoid Varicose Veins

If you are going to buy knits for the prevention of varicose veins, 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 will also need to know your foot and leg length. When shopping for lingerie, these measurements will come in handy.

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

Pay attention to the fabric of the knits. Prefer cotton products - they are easy and comfortable to use. Some manufacturers produce underwear with antibacterial and antifungal coatings. It won't bother you with an unpleasant smell.

Manufacturers produce a wide range of compression socks. You just need to choose socks, tights or high tops that suit you.

Post-operative care - how much to wear knitted clothes after treatment

If you have advanced varicose veins and have had a vascular operation, for a complete recovery you will need to wear special underwear. The phlebologist will tell you how long you have to walk in it.

Don't break the knitting routine.

Remember, your doctor prescribed this underwear for you for a reason. The effectiveness of the treatment directly depends on whether you are using mesh or not.

Imagine, you decided to do without socks that left you out for just one day. Looks like everything is fine.

But this is not the case.

The shirt closes the wound left after the operation. Prevents air entry and prevents blood poisoning. In addition, underwear protects blood vessels from forming blood clots.

Don't risk your health. You've already had the operation and now a complete recovery doesn't 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 cannot undress 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 miniphlebectomy

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

Compression stockings after miniphlebectomy should be worn for at least one week. The maximum period is 6 weeks. During this period, 2nd grade knitting is normally assigned, but it is useless to use it later. Class 1 clothing is sufficient to support the boats.

after sclerotherapy

The period of use of compression stockings depends on the number of vessels treated. For example, if a doctor has healed 1-2 veins, you will only need to wear socks or tights for 3-4 months. During this time, new healthy vessels will appear.

If the phlebologist has cured 5 to 6 veins, it will take longer to walk in class 2 stitches, up to 6 months. The doctor will then perform an examination and, if recovery is successful, you can wear lower-class compression underwear.

7 Signs You Need to Wear Compression Socks

This underwear is useful not just for varicose veins. We recommend considering purchasing a preventive shirt if you experience one of these signs:

  • Overweight
  • Pregnancy
  • vascular asterisks
  • strong loads on the legs
  • passive lifestyle
  • Diabetes
  • predisposition to vascular disease

In obesity, varicose vein elastic stockings help you lose weight more quickly. 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 like prolapsed uterus.

Who is contraindicated to wear compression stockings

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

  • Severe angiopathy and diabetic polyneuropathy
  • Trophic ulcers not associated with vascular diseases
  • Acute Soft Tissue Infection
  • Cardiopulmonary Failure
  • septic phlebitis

Another stocking treatment for varicose veins is contraindicated for people with chronic leg artery disease if the upper pressure drops below 80 mm Hg. Art.

Extending the service life of meshes - care rules

If you want the varicose compression briefs to work until recovery, you need to take care of them properly. For example, it needs to be washed daily.

You may ask, "Why, why don't I get dirty? ".

Even so, dust accumulates in the socks during the day. Also, dead skin cells settle on them. So you can't go without washing.

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

But what you can't do with it:

  • Boil
  • Squeeze
  • Dry on a horizontal surface

This will damage the socks and make them useless for treatment.

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

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

Doctors will quickly diagnose and select compression stockings

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

The doctor will review the medical history and perform an exam. He will then perform the ultrasound diagnosis - he will show the diseased vessels in minute detail.

Once the diagnosis is made, the doctor will determine if you need a mesh, 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 find out how to buy compression stockings, just consult a phlebologist at your medical center.