If you experience from a vein-related condition, as well as recovering after surgery, or on a long flight, compression stockings could help you with a variety of concerns.
What are the compression stockings?
Compression stockings are a type of elastic sock specially designed to put pressure on your feet. The goal is to create a smooth blood circulation. It is tighter at the feet, then gradually loosen up to the calves. Pressure on the feet and ankles helps the blood vessels to pump blood, so that more blood can return to the heart and less blood stasis in the legs and calves. Therefore, compression stockings will not only reduce swelling and pain in your legs, but also prevent serious conditions such as the formation of blood clots.
When should you wear compression stockings?
Compression socks are usually recommended by doctors if blood circulation in the legs is disturbed. Usually caused by problems related to blood vessels. If your feet feel heavy at night or experience swelling or pain, it is very important to see a doctor to find the root cause of the problem.
Furthermore, the doctor will determine whether you need to use compression stockings or not. The use of compression stockings is usually required in the following conditions:
- Chronic venous insufficiency. This condition occurs when the valves in your veins are damaged so they can’t pump blood to your heart properly.
- Deep vein thrombosis (deep vein thrombosis or DVT).
- Varicose veins are enlarged veins due to valve disorders or the condition of weakness in the walls of the veins. Due to the enlarged diameter, the normal pressure is not sufficient to pump blood back to the heart.
- Pregnancy. The veins of the legs are always affected during pregnancy. Often women who are pregnant experience swelling of the legs because the enlarged uterus presses on the blood vessels and the presence of hormones that dilate the blood vessels.
Are there any side effects from wearing compression stockings?
The use of compression stockings generally does not cause side effects for your health. Even so, you must make sure that the stockings are not too tight because it can cause tissue damage due to the cut off of blood and oxygen supply to the legs.
In some people, wearing compression stockings may irritate the skin and cause redness. If you experience this condition, it is generally caused by the wrong size of the stockings, improper use, to the stocking material that triggers allergies.
In addition, compression stockings should also be avoided by people with certain conditions because they can be dangerous and have the potential to trigger new health problems. Some groups of people who should avoid wearing compression socks include:
- Patients with heart failure
- Patients with arterial disease
- Sufferers of infection or inflammation of the skin
- Patients with inflammation of the blood vessels that spread throughout the body
If you suffer from any of the mentioned conditions and wish to use compression stockings, it is best to consult your doctor first. This is very important to reduce the health risks that can be caused.
How to choose the best product?
There are different types of compression stockings for every need. Both in terms of pressure (light to very strong), size and length (knee-high to the top of the thigh), material, colour, and more. For example, to treat varicose veins with very mild symptoms, you may only need the usual knee-high or knee-high socks (which end just above the calf, below the knee). However, if your symptoms are severe, you may be advised to use special compression stockings from a medical supply store (must be prescribed by a doctor) where special measurements are taken for you first.