Compression socks are widely used to maintain proper pressure, physiologically, on a person’s lower body. Such stockings are used in the complex treatment of varicose veins, as well as for the prevention of this disease. In medicine, special underwear for veins is called a medical jersey. It is also called compression underwear or anti-varicose, medical jersey.
Tight pants, socks, as well as knee -high compression for varicose veins are recommended to be worn by phlebologists. Such underwear should also be worn for thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, lymphedema and other problems with the blood vessels of the legs.
What kind of compression underwear, which is better - compression tights or stockings, the doctor will tell and recommend during the appointment.
The therapeutic effect when using such underwear is shown due to the fact that stockings, leggings or tights support the vessel, squeezing the dilated veins. This, in turn, redistributes blood flow from the dilated ducts to the healthy ones.
Such underwear helps activate blood circulation, improves tissue nutrition.
Choosing the right compression socks can help reduce the risk of blood clots.
Another important argument in favor of the use of such underwear is that there are almost no contraindications to the use of medical knitwear. It does not cause side effects, but at the same time it is a good method to prevent the development of varicose veins and helps keep the veins in a physiological state.
How do compression garments work for varicose veins?
Earlier, when medical knitwear was not produced, elastic bandages were used for varicose veins. However, its use has some significant drawbacks.
- First of all, elastic bandages need to be used for a long time, and to get the desired effect, this must be done correctly.
- An important drawback is the inability to wear elastic bandages all the time. The non -aesthetic appearance does not allow to wear them every day, while, for example, compression underwear and knitwear from other modern manufacturers look very beautiful and aesthetically pleasing.
- Despite the fact that the bandage has a low price, it will not be able to save money when wearing it. After all, such bandages very quickly become unusable. Therefore, it is better to learn how to choose high -quality knitwear and buy compression underwear for varicose veins.
What are compression underwear for and what are the effects? Compressing the dilated veins, this knitted fabric accelerates blood flow through the deep veins. As a result, venous stasis is eliminated, which is a prerequisite for the development of varicose veins. Those interested in better compression underwear for varicose veins should take into account that it is worth buying high -quality products. After all, branded high-quality knitwear provides graduates, that is, a gradual decrease in pressure from the wrists to the shoulders or from the bottom of the legs to the thighs.
For example, a great online store for compression underwear for varicose veins offers stockings that provide maximum pressure (100%) on the bottom of the leg and partial (40%) on the thigh area. This distribution is the most correct from a physiological point of view, therefore, gives the greatest therapeutic effect. By means of this pressure distribution, blood outflow is normalized due to the following effects:
- The work of the valve apparatus improved and returned to normal.
- The dilated lumen of the peripheral veins of the thigh and lower leg, especially the subcutaneous, is diminished.
- The effect of the muscle pump is increased. When muscles contract during exercise, blood is pushed upwards.
Compresses underwear effectively for pregnant women. But during pregnancy, you need to choose such a jersey, guided by the individual recommendations of the doctor.
How to choose compression socks?
Before choosing compression socks for varicose veins, you need to clearly understand that such underwear cannot eliminate the cause of serious venous insufficiency. Therefore, it is used before radical treatment. The medical jersey simulates a condition as if a vein has been dilated, removed or closed.
In addition, it is important to understand that non -surgical treatment of foot disease should always be comprehensive. Only in this case the effect will be maximized. It is very important not only to wear compression underwear, but also to use ointments and creams prescribed by a doctor, to practice folk remedies for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins, as well as to lead a healthy lifestyle.
For the most noticeable effect, it is important to choose the right medical underwear. In this case, one must take into account not only the reviews that can be read on the network, and the price of linen, but also the quality, compression class.
Compression socks are usually divided into three types:
- hospital - that is, used exclusively in hospitals;
- medicine;
- prophylaxis.
But, regardless of whether the jersey is needed for treatment or for prevention, it should be purchased exclusively at a specialty store or at a store that is an official distributor of the manufacturer of the underwear recognized by a doctor. It is important that in such a store, the consumer must be assisted in choosing the appropriate size for the jersey, because the effectiveness of the treatment depends on this. To find the perfect underwear, the salesperson first measures the feet in four locations. Next, a special size table is used, according to which socks or tights are chosen.
You can buy underwear in four degrees of compression:
- First class compression(18-21 mm Hg) - preventive jersey, the use of which is indicated in the following cases:
- during pregnancy;
- with a tendency to varicose veins;
- in the presence of early symptoms of varicose veins: if the veins are noticeable under the skin, after prolonged standing or sitting, sore legs, you can distinguish obvious spider veins on the legs, and edema appears in the evening;
- if a person leads a lifestyle where he or she has to sit or stand a lot - in the office, driving a car, behind the counter, etc.
- The second class of compression(23-32 mm Hg) - the most popular underwear. 2nd class compression socks are used for the treatment of varicose veins, thrombophlebitis. The hospital also uses compression class 2 hospital knitwear.
- The third class of compression(34-46 mm Hg) - compression tights of this class are used for patients with trophic disorders and severe venous insufficiency.
- Fourth class of compression(from 49 mm Hg) - this class is used very rarely - for men and women with lymphatic edema.
Before you buy stockings or tights for varicose veins, you should decide exactly which type of underwear is better to buy. Those buying anti-varicose tights for the first time should not immediately choose the 2nd class of compression. After all, maybe this would be too strong a compression for the vascular system.
First, it is better to buy cheap underwear - the price of class 1 compression tights from some companies will be quite acceptable. After wearing them and gradually getting used to such underwear, you can buy more expensive orthopedic tights for varicose veins.
For preventive purposes, only class 1 underwear is used. If a person is already suffering from varicose veins, then a phlebologist will help you choose tights. You should also ask your doctor about how to choose compression tights for pregnant women so that pregnant women feel comfortable when wearing such underwear. In this case, it is important to choose the size of tights or anti-varicose stockings so that they do not cause visible discomfort.
But no matter how enthusiastic the reviews about this or that underwear, you need to understand that it will not work to cure varicose veins with its help, because wearing underwear does not eliminate the cause of the disease. Compression stockings help stop the progression of the disease and prevent the appearance of new varicose veins.
In hot summer weather, it is impossible to wear such underwear, therefore, during the summer, you need to use medication for varicose veins and use other methods to combat the disease.
In order not to damage the product and get the greatest effect, you need to know how to wear compression tights properly - this is indicated in the instructions.
No matter how much the linen costs, it can maintain compression for about 5-7 months.
What you need to know when buying compression stockings?
Before buying such underwear, you need to know clearly how to choose the right compression stockings for varicose veins. Specific quality standards have been defined for compression garments. The most important and stringent among them is the European RAL-GZ-387.
Any manufacturer wishing to produce matching knitwear must first go through very strict certification in Switzerland or Germany. Therefore, if elastic orthopedic stockings for varicose veins have such a certificate, this indicates its high quality. Knitwear with such a certificate exerts a distributed pressure on the limbs (40-70-100%) and is curative in nature. This standard is evidenced by the packaging of the product, as well as the presence of special labels.
To choose a good product, you need to focus not only on how much it costs as much as knee -high or socks, but, first of all, on the manufacturer and the proven point of sale of the item. Indeed, in the domestic market it is very easy to make mistakes and buy fake medical stockings or tights. In addition, in specialty stores, buyers will certainly be prompted on how to determine the size, both for men and women. In a trusted store, you need to buy compression socks for pregnant women.
Since medical underwear is worn every day, it is very important to choose a hypoallergenic model. So you don’t have to focus on user reviews, but, first of all, on personal feelings. The Oeko -Tex Standard 10 mark for European eco -friendly standards must be on the linen - this guarantees that the product is made from allergy -free materials.
How to wear compression stockings properly?
When buying a medicated jersey, you need to know how to wear it and how to wear the underwear properly.
Often, people who want to prevent the development of varicose veins wear class 2 compression stockings. After all, both the efficiency and price of class 2 compression stockings are often most acceptable to patients. However, it often happens that 2nd level compression products are very uncomfortable for a person to wear. Moreover, often 2nd class compression for men and women turns out to be inconvenient precisely because one is not wearing such a product properly. After all, it should not be worn like tights for children, gathered in an accordion and pulling the stockings up to the thighs. Both tight and knee-high pants or stockings should be worn slowly, gradually straightening them over the legs.
Underwear like this will make it difficult for obese people to wear it. To facilitate this process, special tools can be purchased at the store. How much such a device costs depends on the manufacturer. Compression knitwear should be worn with gloves so as not to damage the linen with nails. In addition, if a person wears medical or other gloves, then the linen glides on better.
If second class compression underwear is uncomfortable to wear, in some cases you can limit yourself to first class. In addition, the price of class 1 compression stockings for women and men is lower. However, the price of stockings for varicose veins on the legs depends on other factors.
Someone wearing a medical jersey should have smooth feet - no roughness, calluses. Cut your toenails short and flatten them to avoid puffiness on your clothes.
It is better to wear such underwear in the morning, at rest and, therefore, not to swell the limbs. In this case, both the foot and the jersey must be completely dry.
For those who are interested in whether can sleep in such stockings, you need to understand that there is no need for this, because during sleep the load on the limbs is minimal.
If a phlebologist prescribes a patient to wear a class 3 product, it will be more difficult to wear it and, therefore, more time will have to be spent on this. For this, it is better to use special devices.
If the size table provided at a particular site seems unclear, it is better to ask a specialist about how to choose the size of compression stockings for surgery or for daily wear. After all, if the size is chosen incorrectly, both wearing and wearing such underwear will be very inconvenient.
It is important to take care of these items properly and know how to wash and dry them.
Compression garment care
When buying orthopedic underwear for women and men, you need to consider that it is easiest to have at least two pairs of such jerseys. After all, you need to wash it every day to get rid of dust, debris and dead skin particles, which can damage the fibers of clothing quickly.
Washing is done only by hand, using baby soap. Such linens should not be machine washed. You need to wash at a temperature not exceeding 40 ° C. Do not iron and bleach. Also, do not use conditioner and rinse. After all, they also destroy the structure of the narrowing tissue.
Dry the compression sock by spreading it on a horizontal surface. You can not twist and squeeze it, you can easily wet it with a towel. Drying the jersey in the sun, the battery in a vertical position is not allowed.
You need to be careful with silicone strips, which are important for repairing clothes. While washing, it is better not to wet it and wipe it with a disinfectant napkin.
What to wear with such a product depends on the taste of the woman. But, as a rule, knitwear from modern manufacturers is very beautiful and elegant.
Contraindications to wearing compression underwear
Before choosing a knee -high compression for varicose veins, you need to know clearly if the patient has contraindications to wearing it. Medical jerseys have several such contraindications.
There are category contraindications, as well as relative ones, where it is permissible to wear such a jersey after consulting a doctor - cardiologist, dermatologist, endocrinologist.
Wearing a medical jersey is strictly prohibited for diseases such as:
- atherosclerosis;
- endoarteritis;
- orthoarteritis;
- thromboangiitis obliterans.
In such cases, the vessel lumen is reduced, and systolic blood pressure drops to 80 mm. rt. Art. , Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to reduce the pressure on the lower part of the foot.
Compression garments should be worn with extreme caution for those who have problems with the skin and high skin sensitivity.
You should not wear socks or tights for manifestations of allergies and inflammatory processes on the skin, as well as for dermatitis, bed sores, eczema, thrombophlebitis, open wounds.
If varicose veins are manifested as a result of diabetes, such underwear should also not be used. Compression socks are not used in cases of septic phlebitis, severe cardiopulmonary insufficiency, if circulatory problems are shown during rest.
You can also find the opinion that jerseys can trigger atrophy of the muscular layer of the vein wall. When a person stops wearing medical underwear, the opposite effect may occur, as a result of which the walls of the veins will stretch, and the varicose veins will grow even more.
Of course, there is no way to check the condition of every vein in someone wearing such underwear. However, most phlebologists consider this theory to be wrong, citing the following evidence to support it:
- one cannot wear a medical jersey all the time;
- if the vein is compressed, then the blood flow in it is reduced, but it does not stop;
- as a rule, atrophy of the muscle wall develops if a person has a genetic predisposition, as well as if a local specific inflammatory process develops with venous stasis, and when using knitwear, this phenomenon is reduced;
- sometimes, after stopping the use of linen, at first a person feels a little worse, because for a while the tone of the venous wall decreases, but we are not talking about atrophy.
Also, after the expiration of wearing such underwear, people with varicose veins may feel that it has become more difficult for them to walk. Therefore, many people choose not to give up wearing it.
Therefore, compression garments, which have been used for decades, are a simple and effective method for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins. However, before you start using it, you should consult a phlebologist. The doctor will determine the patient's condition and will help choose the most suitable product.