How to choose compression underwear

compression leggings for varicose veins

Compression stockings are widely used to maintain proper, physiologically, pressure in a person's lower extremities. Such socks 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 or anti-varicose underwear, medical jersey.

Leggings, socks, as well as compression stockings for varicose veins are recommended for phlebologists. Such underwear should also be worn for thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, lymphedema and other problems with the blood vessels of the extremities.

What kind of compression underwear is, which is better - compression tights or socks, the doctor will tell and recommend during the examination.

The therapeutic effect when using such underwear is manifested due to the fact that socks, tights or tights support blood vessels, compress varicose veins. This, in turn, evenly redistributes blood flow from varicose veins to healthy ones.

Such underwear helps to activate blood circulation, improve tissue nutrition.

Choosing the right compression stockings can help reduce the risk of blood clots.

Another important argument in favor of using such underwear is that there are almost no contraindications to the use of medical knitwear. It does not cause side effects, but it is also a good method of preventing the progression of varicose veins and helps maintain the veins in a physiological state.

How does a compression garment work for varicose veins?

Earlier, when medical knitwear was not produced, elastic bandages for varicose veins were used. However, their use has several significant drawbacks.

  • First of all, elastic bandages must be put on for a long time, and in order to achieve the desired effect, it must be done correctly.
  • An important drawback is the inability to constantly wear an elastic bandage. Aesthetic appearance does not allow everyday wear, while, for example, compression underwear and knitwear from other modern manufacturers look very nice and aesthetic.
  • Despite the fact that bandages have a low cost, it will not be possible to save when wearing them. After all, such a bandage quickly becomes unusable. Therefore, it is better to learn how to choose high-quality knitwear and buy compression underwear for varicose veins.

What is the purpose of compression underwear and what is its effect? Compressing varicose veins, this knitted fabric speeds up the flow of blood through deep veins. As a result, venous congestion is eliminated, which is a prerequisite for the formation of varicose veins. Those who are interested in which compression underwear is better for varicose veins should consider that it pays to buy high-quality products. After all, branded high-quality knitwear ensures a gradual or gradual reduction in pressure from the wrist to the shoulder or from the lower leg to the thigh.

For example, a good online store of compression underwear for varicose veins offers socks that provide maximum (100%) pressure in the lower leg and partial (40%) pressure in the thigh area. It is this distribution that is the most correct from the physiological point of view, therefore, it provides the greatest therapeutic effect. This method of pressure distribution normalizes blood flow due to the following effect:

  • The operation of the valve apparatus improves and returns to normal.
  • The dilated lumen of the peripheral veins of the thighs and lower legs, especially the subcutaneous ones, is reduced.
  • The effect of the muscle pump increases. When the muscles contract during exercise, the blood is pushed upwards.

Effective compression underwear for pregnant women. But during pregnancy, you must choose such a jersey, following the individual recommendations of the doctor.

How to choose compression socks?

Before choosing compression stockings for varicose veins, you must clearly understand that such underwear cannot eliminate the serious causes of venous insufficiency. It is therefore used before radical treatment. The medical jersey simulates a situation as if the veins were dilated, removed or sealed.

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 maximum. It is very important not only to wear compression underwear, but also to use ointments and creams prescribed by your doctor, practice folk remedies for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins, as well as lead a healthy lifestyle.

In order for the effect to be most noticeable, it is important to choose the right medical underwear. In this case, you should take into account not only the reviews that can be read online and the prices of bedding, but also its quality, compression class.

Compression socks are usually divided into three types:

  • hospital - ie the one used exclusively in the hospital;
  • medical;
  • prophylactically.

But, regardless of whether the jersey is needed for treatment or prevention, it should be bought exclusively in specialized stores or at points of sale that are official dealers of manufacturers of such underwear recognized by doctors. It is important that in such actions, consumers must be helped to choose the right size of jersey, because the effectiveness of treatment depends on it. To find the perfect underwear, the salesperson first measures the foot in four locations. Then a special size chart is used according to which socks or tights are selected.

You can buy underwear in four degrees of compression:

  • First-class compression(18-21 mm Hg) - preventive jersey, the wearing of which is indicated in the following cases:
    • during pregnancy;
    • with a tendency to varicose veins;
    • in the presence of initial symptoms of varicose veins: if the veins are noticeable under the skin, after prolonged standing or sitting, the legs hurt, there may be pronounced spider veins on the legs, and edema occurs in the evening;
    • if a person leads a lifestyle in which he is forced to sit or stand a lot - in the office, driving a car, behind the counter, etc.
  • Second compression class(23-32 mm Hg) - the most popular underwear. Compression socks of the 2nd compression class are used to treat varicose veins, thrombophlebitis. The hospital also uses compression class 2 hospital jerseys.
  • Third compression class(34-46 mm Hg) - compression stockings of this class are used for patients with trophic disorders and severe venous insufficiency.
  • Fourth compression class(from 49 mm Hg) - this class is used very rarely - for men and women with lymphedema.

Before you buy socks or tights for varicose veins, you should decide what kind of underwear is better to buy. Those who are buying anti-varicose tights for the first time should not immediately choose the 2nd compression class. After all, it can happen that this will be too much compression for the vascular system.

First, it is better to buy cheap underwear - the price of compression leggings 1st class of some companies will be quite acceptable. After wearing it and gradually getting used to such underwear, you can later buy more expensive orthopedic leggings for varicose veins.

For prevention purposes, only Class 1 underwear is used. If a person is already developing varicose veins, then a phlebologist will help you choose leggings. You should also ask your doctor about how to choose compression leggings for pregnant women to make the expectant mother feel good when wearing such underwear. In this case, it is important to choose the size of anti-varicose tights or socks so that they do not cause noticeable discomfort.

But no matter how enthusiastic the reviews about this or that underwear are, you have to understand that with its help you will not be able to cure varicose veins, because wearing underwear does not eliminate the causes of the disease. Compression stockings help to stop the development of the disease and prevent the formation of new varicose veins.

It is impossible to wear such underwear in the hot summer weather, so during the summer you must use medicines for varicose veins and use other methods to fight this disease.

In order not to damage the product and achieve the greatest effect, you must know how to properly wear compression tights - this is indicated in the instructions.

No matter what the price of such a canvas, it can keep compression for about 5-7 months.

What you need to know when buying compression socks?

Before you buy such underwear, you must clearly know how to choose the right compression stockings for varicose veins. Specific quality standards for compression garments have been defined. The most important and strictest among them is the European RAL-GZ-387.

pressure distribution of compression stockings for varicose veins

Any manufacturer who wants to produce a knitwear that suits him must initially pass a very strict certification in Switzerland or Germany. Therefore, if elastic orthopedic socks for varicose veins have such a certificate, it indicates its high quality. Knitwear with such a certificate provides pressure that is distributed to the extremities (40-70-100%) and has a healing effect. The standard is proven by the packaging of the product, as well as the presence of a special label.

To choose a good product, you need to focus not only on how much such socks or socks cost, but, above all, on the manufacturer and the verified point of sale of the goods. Indeed, in the domestic market it is very easy to make a mistake and buy fake medical socks or tights. In addition, in specialty stores, the customer will certainly be asked how to determine the size, for both men and women. You need to buy compression stockings for pregnant women in proven stores.

Since medical underwear is worn daily, it is very important to choose a hypoallergenic model. Therefore, you need to focus not on user reviews, but, above all, on personal feelings. Oeko-Tex Standard 10 mark of the European standard of environmental friendliness must be present on the bedding - this guarantees that the product is made of a material that does not cause allergies.

How to wear compression socks properly?

When buying medical jerseys, you must know how to train and how to properly wear such underwear.

People who want to prevent the progression of varicose veins most often wear 2nd class compression stockings. After all, both the efficiency and the cost of class 2 compression stockings are often the most acceptable for the patient. However, it often happens that the products of the 2nd degree of compression are very uncomfortable to wear. Moreover, most often the 2nd compression class for men and women proves inconvenient precisely because a person does not wear such a product properly. After all, it can't be worn as tights for a child, gathered in an accordion and pulling socks up to the thighs. Both leggings and leggings or socks should be worn slowly, gradually straightening them over the leg.

putting on compression stockings for varicose veins

Such underwear will be difficult for obese people to wear. To facilitate this process, special tools can be purchased at the store. How much such devices cost depends on the manufacturer. Compression stockings should be worn in gloves so as not to damage the bedding with nails. In addition, if a person wears medical or other gloves, then the bedding slides better.

If the second class of compression underwear is uncomfortable to wear, in some cases you can limit yourself to the first class. Moreover, the price of class 1 compression socks for women and men is lower. However, the cost of stockings for varicose veins on the legs depends on other factors.

A person wearing a medical jersey should have smooth feet - no roughness, blisters. Shorten your toenails and file them to avoid inflating your laundry.

It is better to wear such underwear in the morning, on rested and, accordingly, not swollen limbs. In this case, both the legs and the jersey must be completely dry.

For those who are interested in whether it is possible to sleep in such socks, you must understand that there is no need for that, because the load on the limbs is minimal during sleep.

If a phlebologist prescribes a patient to wear Class 3 products, it will be harder to put them on and, consequently, more time will have to be spent on it. It is better to use special devices for that.

If the size chart on a particular page seems vague to you, it is better to ask an expert on how to choose the size of compression stockings for surgery or for everyday wear. After all, if the size is chosen incorrectly, both wearing and wearing such underwear will be extremely inconvenient.

It is important to take proper care of these items and to know how to wash and dry them.

Compression garment care

When buying orthopedic underwear for women and men, you must take into account that it is best to have at least two pairs of such a jersey. After all, you need to wash it daily to get rid of dust, debris and dead skin particles, which can very quickly damage the fibers of the laundry.

Washing is done exclusively by hand, with the help of baby soap. Such laundry cannot be washed in a typewriter. You must wash at a temperature not exceeding 40 ° C. It is forbidden to iron and bleach. Also, do not use conditioners or rinse aids. After all, they also destroy the structure of the contraction tissue.

Dry the compression stockings by spreading them out on a horizontal surface. You can’t twist it and squeeze it, you get wet with a towel easily. Drying the jersey in the sun, the battery in a vertical position is not allowed.

You have to be very careful with the silicone straps that are important for fixing the laundry. During washing, it is better not to wet them and wipe them with a disinfectant napkin.

What to wear with such products depends on the taste of the woman. But, as a rule, the knitwear of modern manufacturers is very beautiful and elegant.

Contraindications for wearing compression underwear

Before choosing compression stockings for varicose veins, you must clearly know whether the patient has contraindications for wearing them. Medical jersey has several such contraindications.

There are categorical contraindications, as well as relative ones, in which it is allowed to wear such a jersey after consultations with doctors - cardiologist, dermatologist, endocrinologist.

Wearing a medical jersey is absolutely contraindicated for such diseases:

  • atherosclerosis;
  • endoarteritis;
  • orthoarteritis;
  • thromboangiitis obliterans.

Under such conditions, the lumen of blood vessels decreases and systolic blood pressure drops to 80 mm. rt. Art. , therefore, it is strictly forbidden to reduce the pressure in the lower extremities.

Compression garments should be worn very carefully for those who have skin problems and high skin sensitivity.

You should not wear socks or tights for allergic manifestations and inflammatory processes on the skin, as well as for dermatitis, pressure ulcers, eczema, thrombophlebitis, open wounds.

If varicose veins manifest as a result of diabetes, such underwear should also not be used. Compression stockings are not used in the case of septic phlebitis, severe cardiopulmonary insufficiency, if circulatory problems are manifested at rest.

You can also find the opinion that the jersey can cause atrophy of the muscular layer of the vein walls. When a person stops wearing medical underwear, the opposite effect is probable, due to which the venous wall will stretch, and the varicose veins will progress even more.

Of course, there is no way to check the condition of every vein in a person wearing such underwear. However, most phlebologists consider this theory wrong, citing the following evidence:

  • a person cannot wear a medical jersey day and night;
  • if the veins are compressed, then the blood flow in them decreases but does not stop;
  • as a rule, atrophy of the muscle wall develops if a person has a genetic disposition, as well as if a local specific inflammatory process with a venous path develops, and when using knitwear, these phenomena are reduced;
  • sometimes, after stopping the use of bedding, the person initially feels a little worse, because the tone of the venous wall decreases for a while, but we are not talking about atrophy.

Also, after the end of the period of wearing such underwear, people with varicose veins may feel that it has become harder for them to walk. Therefore, many people decide not to give up wearing.

Thus, compression garments, which have been used for decades, are a convenient 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 condition of the patient and will help you choose the most appropriate product.