Varicose veins continue to conquer the world.
He may have already made it to your house. If not, it may happen in the future.
Remember that in the developed countries of Europe and North America, varicose veins affect up to 35% of adults. Moreover, with age, the number of patients only increases.
How to be?
See a phlebologist. He will prescribe treatment and possibly advise you to buy linen for varicose veins. We will tell about him later.
Do you think that varicose veins are not dangerous?
Let's see if this is so.
Varicose veins- This is an enlargement of the veins of the legs, which occurs due to the weakening of the venous valves. It disrupts blood circulation.
Oddly enough, the disease itself is not life-threatening for patients. Yes, it is uncomfortable. For example, with varicose veins, symptoms appear:
- Edema
- Itching and burning
- Tired legs
- Discoloration of the skin
- Convulsions
- Vascular cobwebs
Doesn't sound scary. Not surprisingly, many people ignore the symptoms of the disease for years, and sometimes decades.
We understand why they do this. But this does not mean that these people are right.
The main danger with varicose veins is not symptoms, but complications.
Trophic ulcers - necrosis of certain areas of the skin due to circulatory disorders. Such defects take a very 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 accumulate on them. The problem is that they block blood flow and impair the supply of nearby tissues.
But even this is not so bad.
When blood clots break off and move through the body along with the blood, real games with death begin. If blood clots enter the heart or brain and block blood vessels there, the patient may die.
After such varicose veins no longer seem to be a harmless disease.
Of course, the disease doesn't kill in a couple of days. Dangerous complications sometimes appear only after a few years, but this does not mean that there is no need to be treated. 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 medication or exercise alone. Even the treatment of varicose veins with compression hosiery will not solve the problem by itself. But it will become an important part of therapy and will ease the symptoms of the disease.
You may not believe that the underwear will help you. After all, how is knitwear related to vessels?
We will tell you about this now.
Healing pressure - how compression garments help blood vessels
Dilated veins do not pump blood to the heart well. The knitwear creates pressure on 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 vessels. This support prevents the expansion of weak veins and keeps their walls in good shape.
The choice of pressure force depends on the leg area. For example, maximum pressure jersey is commonly used on the ankles. In this area, the blood begins to rise to the heart and a lot of effort is needed to overcome the force of gravity.
But on the hips, jersey is used with a pressure of 40% of the maximum. Here, the blood in the veins moves more easily and does not need strong support.
Consult a phlebologist for the correct compression garment. An improperly selected jersey will not help your vessels, but will harm them.
Here are the situations in which certain types of underwear are used.
Types of compression hosiery
In order for anti-varicose underwear to have a beneficial effect on the veins, you need to choose it correctly. We are talking about medical devices that are not always useful for blood vessels. Again, too much pressure from the laundry will only worsen the condition of the veins.
If you buy knitwear for the treatment of varicose veins, then first go through a doctor's examination. He will check the condition of the blood vessels and determine which compression garment is right for you.
It is divided into 3 main types:
- Stockings
- Tights
- Knee socks
The choice of knitwear depends on the location of the diseased veins, your lifestyle, and other factors.
We will talk about the benefits of stockings, tights and golf further.
Compression stockings
This is the name of the product for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins. It is mainly used in the early stages of the disease. Stockings against varicose veins tightly wrap the legs and press 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 stockings for the treatment of varicose veins are also used during pregnancy. When carrying a child, the vessels in the body of women are exposed to great stress and often swell. Therefore, for the 2-3 trimester, doctors advise pregnant women to wear this underwear.
Compression stockings are versatile. They help varicose veins even above the knee, but they are more comfortable to wear than tights.
Compression tights
This type of jersey completely covers the legs from the toes to the waist. Tights from varicose veins do not slip when walking and are comfortable to wear. However, you must remember that you will have to take them off several times in 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 problems with blood vessels have spread above the hips, tights against varicose veins will help better than stockings or knee-highs. Their functions:
- Improving blood circulation
- Leg muscle massage
- Venous wall support
- Elimination of excess lymphatic fluid
Compression tights are used for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins. They are also prescribed for recovery from leg surgery.
Compression knee-highs
Socks for varicose veins are prescribed for people with diseased veins in the lower legs. If problems with blood vessels have arisen below the knees, then such underwear will help you.
They do not 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 blood vessels
- Strengthens the venous walls
- Removes edema
Socks against varicose veins are comfortable to wear under clothes. If necessary, they can be quickly removed, for example, during an examination by a doctor.
Remember - the effectiveness of knitwear depends on how much it presses on your legs. These are the so-called compression classes. We will talk about them further.
Classes of knitwear against varicose veins
The compression class of the laundry is measured in millimeters of mercury or mmHg. Art. As we have already said, the pressure is maximum at the feet. It decreases from bottom to top. Therefore, the upper part of the jersey almost does not put pressure on the legs.
There are 4 classes of compression:
1st class: Pressure from 18 to 22 mmHg. Art. It is used for the prevention of varicose veins and the treatment of the initial stage of the disease.
2nd grade: Pressure from 23 to 32 mmHg. Art. It is prescribed for the treatment of 2nd degree varicose veins and thrombophlebitis. Wear it and your ulcers will heal faster.
3rd grade: Pressure from 33 to 45 mmHg. Art. Doctors prescribe this underwear to patients with trophic disorders and venous insufficiency.
4th grade: Pressure from 46 to 50 mmHg. Art. Such knitwear helps to fight lymphostasis and edema in case of complications of varicose veins. Often prescribed after operations.
You can buy knitwear for prevention yourself, without consulting a phlebologist. He does not squeeze his legs too much and will not harm. But underwear of classes 2-4 should be chosen only by a doctor.
How to choose compression garments to avoid varicose veins
If you are going to buy knitwear for the prevention of varicose veins, then start by taking a measurement. When you wake up, don't get out of bed. Measure your calf, thigh and ankle circumference immediately. You also need to know the length of the foot and leg. When shopping for lingerie, these measurements will come in handy.
Choose knee-highs, stockings, or tights based on the location of the problem veins. If they are below the knee, knee-highs will suit you. To stop the development of varicose veins in the upper legs, buy anti-varicose stockings or tights.
Pay attention to the fabric of the knitwear. Give preference to cotton products - they are easy and comfortable to wear. Some manufacturers produce underwear with antibacterial and antifungal coatings. It will not bother you with an unpleasant smell.
Manufacturers produce a wide range of compression hosiery. You just need to choose stockings, tights or knee-highs that suit you.
Postoperative care - how much to wear knitwear after treatment
If you have late stage varicose veins and have had a vascular operation, then for full recovery you need to wear special underwear. The phlebologist will tell you how long you have to walk in it.
Do not break the knitwear routine.
Remember, the doctor prescribed this underwear for you for a reason. The effectiveness of the treatment directly depends on whether you are wearing knitwear or not.
Imagine, you have decided to do without tights that have set the teeth on edge for just one day. It would seem that it’s okay.
But this is not the case.
The jersey closes the wound left after the operation. It prevents air from entering and prevents blood poisoning. Also, underwear protects blood vessels from the formation of blood clots.
Don't risk your health. You have already gone through the operation, and now a complete recovery does not depend on the doctor. Take a few months and you can return to a fulfilling life with healthy veins.
The phlebologist decides how long the jersey should be worn. You cannot take off your clothes for a long time without consulting him.
We will tell you in detail how much to wear compression hosiery after phlebectomy and sclerotherapy.
After miniflebectomy
After surgery, the treated leg must be covered with elastic jersey. It has been shown to reduce intradermal hemorrhage and pain. Also, special underwear helps prevent vein thrombosis.
Compression stockings after miniflebectomy should be worn for at least a week. The maximum period is 6 weeks. During this period, knitwear of the 2nd class is usually assigned, but it is pointless to use it further. Class 1 linen is enough to support the vessels.
After sclerotherapy
The term of wearing compression hosiery depends on the number of treated vessels. For example, if a doctor has cured 1-2 veins, then you need to wear stockings or tights only for 3-4 months. During this time, new, healthy vessels will appear.
If the phlebologist has cured 5-6 veins, it will take longer to walk in class 2 knitwear, up to 6 months. Then the doctor will conduct an examination and if the recovery is successful, you will be allowed to use underwear of a lower compression class.
7 signs you need to wear compression hosiery
Such underwear is useful not only for varicose veins. We recommend considering buying a preventive jersey if you have one of these signs:
- Excess weight
- Pregnancy
- Vascular asterisks
- Strong loads on the legs
- Passive lifestyle
- Diabetes
- Predisposition to vascular disease
With obesity, elastic stockings from varicose veins help to lose weight faster. They remove excess fluid, smoothen folds of fat and tone the skin.
For pregnant women, the underwear helps support the abdominal muscles. This prevents many problems, such as prolapse of the uterus.
Who is contraindicated to wear compression hosiery
Unfortunately, not everyone can benefit from the benefits of special vein lingerie. In some diseases, this is dangerous. Here is a list of them:
- Severe angiopathy and diabetic polyneuropathy
- Trophic ulcers not associated with vascular disease
- Acute soft tissue infection
- Cardiopulmonary failure
- Septic phlebitis
Another treatment of varicose veins with stockings is contraindicated for people with chronic diseases of the leg arteries, if the upper pressure dropped below 80 mm Hg. Art.
Extending the life of knitwear - care rules
If you want the compression underwear for varicose veins to serve you until recovery, you need to properly care for it. For example, it needs daily washing.
You may ask: "Why, because I don’t get it dirty? ".
Even so, dust accumulates on the stockings during the day. In addition, dead skin cells settle on them. So you can't do without washing.
Use baby soap or other products made for delicate fabrics. Hand wash your laundry.
But what you can't do with it:
- Boil
- Squeeze out
- Dry on a horizontal surface
This will damage the stockings and make them useless for treatment.
By observing these simple rules, you can use one jersey until your recovery.
If you've read this far, you may have learned a lot about compression garments. It remains for us to tell where you will be helped to choose it.
Doctors will quickly diagnose and select compression hosiery
If you need to choose underwear not for prevention, but for the treatment of varicose veins, then you cannot do without the help of a phlebologist. We recommend making an appointment with a specialized clinic.
The doctor will review the medical history and conduct an examination. Then he will perform ultrasound diagnostics - it will show diseased vessels down to the smallest detail.
After the diagnosis is made, the doctor will determine if you need knitwear, 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 the medical center.