Compression stockings are now widely used in the complex therapy and prevention of varicose veins to maintain physiologically adequate pressure in the lower extremities.
In the medical literature, such special underwear is also referred to as medical stockings, anti-varicose compression underwear or medical compression stockings.
These are hosiery that phlebologists recommend for the treatment and prevention of vascular problems in the legs. Compression underwear is mainly used for varicose veins, thrombosis, epithelial ulcers, thrombophlebitis, lymphedema.
- The therapeutic effect of compression underwear is due to the supportive, constricting effect of the dilated vein, which contributes to the reorientation of blood flow from altered, dilated veins to healthy ones.
- Improves tissue nutrition, increases blood circulation
- The most important thing is that such a jersey, when used correctly and in size, reduces the risk of blood clots forming.
- And what is also important is that in the absence of contraindications to the use of compression underwear, it is a safe and simple way to prevent varicose veins, to maintain the natural, physiological state of the veins.
The therapeutic effect of compression stockings on varicose veins?
In the past, prior to the large-scale production of high-quality medical canvas, elastic bandages have been widely used, with a number of disadvantages:
- first of all, they have to be applied very correctly every time, which doesn’t always work and takes a lot of time
- second, the appearance of the bindings does not allow them to be worn for work, for example
- third, the low price proves to be misleading, as the bonds deteriorate very quickly, which denies any savings.
What is the impact on the use of the medical jersey? When the dilated veins are compressed, the compression garments used for varicose veins accelerate blood flow through the deep veins, thereby eliminating venous congestion. Moreover, the high-quality modern compression stocking provides a gradual, i. e. gradual, pressure drop from the lower leg to the thigh, or from the hand to the shoulder.
For example, the pressure exerted by the compression stocking or stockings on the lower leg is up to 100% and on the upper thigh is 40%. This is the most expedient and physiologically determined change in pressure that has a therapeutic effect. This mode of pressure distribution to the veins stimulates and normalizes upward blood flow due to:
- repair and normalization of valve equipment
- reduction of the enlarged lumen of the peripheral veins of the thigh and leg, especially the saphenous vein
- increasing the effect of the muscle pump - when the muscles contract from physical exertion, the blood shifts upwards.
However, it should be borne in mind that compression canvas treatment of varicose veins does not eliminate the deep causes of venous insufficiency and is applied before radical surgical treatment. This field mimics the situation where enlarged veins are closed or removed.
In addition, non-surgical conservative treatment of foot-and-mouth disease should be comprehensive. The maximum effect can be achieved by using the creams and ointments recommended by your doctor, living a healthy lifestyle, wearing compression socks or stockings every day, and using folk remedies to treat varicose veins.
Contraindications to the use of compression stockings
Like any treatment, any cure or medication has many contraindications, and the medical field is no exception. Some people should not use compression clothing at all, others should use it with caution after thoroughly diagnosing and consulting their doctor. If there are relative contraindications, consult a dermatologist, cardiologist, endocrinologist.
- Such underwear is absolutely contraindicated in atherosclerosis, thromboangiitis obliterans, endoarteritis, orthoarteritis. In such chronic diseases of the arteries of the legs, it leads to a decrease in vascular lumen and systolic blood pressure of less than 80 mm. rt. Art. lowering the pressure in the lower extremities with the help of a medical jersey is categorically impossible.
- People with hypersensitive skin should use medical knitwear with caution.
- It is not recommended to use compression underwear for inflammatory skin diseases, allergic skin reactions, various dermatitis, bedsores, open wounds, acute thrombophlebitis and eczema.
- Diabetes is a relative contraindication, as such underwear should also not be used if the blood vessels in the legs are damaged due to diabetes.
- Compression stockings should also not be used for septic phlebitis and severe cardiopulmonary insufficiency if circulatory disturbances occur at rest.
Many people are afraid to start wearing compression underwear because it is believed that the jersey causes atrophy of the muscle layer in the vein walls and if discontinued, the opposite negative effect can occur - when a venous wall cannot withstand the blood pressure in the lumen of the vessel. Therefore, due to atrophy of the venous walls, the existing varicose veins progress even further.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to perform clinical examinations on all veins subjected to compression, but phlebologists believe this opinion is wrong because:
- The patient should not wear compression clothing around the clock
- In the veins exposed to compression, blood flow is reduced rather than completely stopped.
- Muscle wall atrophy is most commonly caused by genetic predisposition and a locally specific inflammatory process, with venous stasis and venous filling. And it all goes down when you wear the leotard.
- This can only happen according to the patients' initial feelings if the bedding is stopped. In this case, a temporary deterioration of condition and well-being occurs for a period of time, which cannot be explained by the atrophy and progression of varicose veins, but by a temporary decrease in the tone of the venous wall.
- At the end of using compression underwear for patients with varicose veins, the opinions and feelings of patients - it is difficult for most people to get used to starting to walk after using compression stockings. Many argue that when using a medicinal product, the legs seem to become light and many no longer want to give up using them.
How to choose a compression garment
Medical compression underwear and jerseys are divided into: hospital, which is used only in hospitals, prophylactic and therapeutic. We examine in detail the compression classes of compression stockings for medical varicose veins, the selection, wearing, and care of compression underwear.
The most important aspect is to buy compression stockings, tights, knee pants only in specialized orthopedic salons or distributors of famous brands. With them, the trained staff knows how to choose the exact size of the bedding, as the wrong size can make the treatment completely ineffective. In a specialty store, the seller measures the leg at 4 locations and selects the size of the stocking or tights based on a special chart.
There are 4 degrees of compression:
- 18-21 mm. rt. Art. Compression Class 1 is a prophylactic compression that can and should be worn continuously: people prone to varicose veins, pregnant women, those with initial symptoms of varicose veins, when the subcutaneous veins are severely prominent, leg pain occurs. after prolonged sitting or standing, if the spider veins are pronounced and at the end of the day edema appears in the feet and ankles, healthy people whose lifestyle and work forcing them to sit or stand for long periods of time - office workers, drivers, hairdressers, salespeople.
- 23-32 mm. rt. Art. Compression class 2 is the best, most popular class for the treatment of thrombophlebitis and varicose veins.
- 34-46 mm. rt. Art. Compression Class 3 - Used for trophic disorders and severe venous insufficiency.
- 49 and more 4 compression classes - extremely rarely used, with lymphedema.
For those who choose a knitwear for varicose veins for the first time, don’t buy expensive, 2nd degree compression underwear right away, your vascular system may not be able to stand it. If you walk around in cheap lingerie for a while, get used to it, if you feel good in it, you can put on better and more expensive compression lingerie.
For prevention purposes, of course, it is advisable to use only compression class 1 underwear, and the compression class is determined by the phlebologist as soon as the varicose veins develop. Compression underwear does not cure varicose veins as the causes of its appearance are very deep and the external effect can only be suspended, no longer allowed, i. e. varicose vein compression tights are designed to prevent the appearance of new varicose veins. In summer, of course, it is not possible to wear knitwear, so in the warm season, you should take the medication orally or use other treatments.
You should also know that all compression underwear will hold the compression for up to 5-7 months.
The opinion of some women about the quality of compensatory lingerie from different manufacturers shows that the quality of expensive models is not always better than budget models. The bedding made in Germany is of good quality and the prices are quite reasonable.
What to look for when shopping and how to avoid counterfeiting?
There are quality standards for medical compression underwear for varicose veins, one of the most significant and stringent being the European standard RAL-GZ-387. In order for a manufacturer to use the logo of this standard, it must undergo rigorous certification in Germany or Switzerland. If the underwear has such a certificate, it means that it creates a really good quality, 40-70-100% distributed pressure and therapeutic, you can find this standard on the packaging and on the label on the product.
It is worth choosing a manufacturer very carefully, as there are many counterfeits on the market, so it is worth buying compression stockings or compression stockings either in retail stores or specialty stores where professionals choose the exact model. your measurements.
As such knitwear must be worn every day and must be hypoallergenic, the product purchased must bear the Oeko-Tex Standard 10 European Environmental Standard.
Are there any peculiarities in compression stockings, stockings, golfing?
You should be aware that even the second class of compression stockings, which is considered to be the most common, sometimes "exceeds its strength" for the patient:
- This is often due to the discomfort and difficulty of putting the underwear on. The peculiarity of such knitwear is that it cannot be worn like a children's tights, collected in an accordion and then pulled up. Both stockings and stockings should be worn gradually, spread out on the legs. If a person has a big belly and it is already a problem to put on the boots, it will be difficult to put on the underwear.
- For easier installation, many use special tools offered in the same salons. And gloves, which are mandatory, can be both household and medical, as expensive underwear can be ruined by a manicure, and underwear slips better if you have your hands in gloves.
- The toenails must, of course, be trimmed, filed, free of corns, roughness, otherwise the canvas will crack quickly or there will be a lot of bloating.
- It is also important for your feet to be dry, as well as underwear, to wear compression stockings in the morning when your feet are not swollen and relaxed.
- Compression Class 3 products are especially hard to wear - it’s a lot of work, and if a patient believes their phlebologist and is sure they need such treatment, be patient or they won’t be able to start treatment in that class. It is generally recommended to wear Class 3 and Class 4 compression with a special special device.
How to care for compression clothes?
- It is best to have 2 pairs of compression stockings as they should be washed every day - this is necessary to get rid of the smallest stains, dust, skin particles as they can damage the fibers of the garment faster than detergents.
- It should only be washed by hand with baby soap, as it is not machine washable. During washing, the water temperature must not exceed 40 C and the laundry must not be ironed or bleached.
- Any rinsing and conditioning has a destructive effect on the structure and should not be used for washing.
- Dry the laundry flattened on a horizontal surface, never unscrew it, but just gently press it into a towel. Do not dry knitwear on a battery, in a conventional dryer, in an upright position, or on an open day or with a hair dryer.
- It is also worth taking care of the silicone strips on the stockings, after contact with water they quickly lose their fixing properties, when washing, try not to wet them, but wipe them with an alcohol wipe.