Varicose veins continue to take over the world.
He may have already reached your house. If not, it could happen in the future.
Remember that in developed countries in Europe and North America, varicose veins affect up to 35% of adults. In addition, the number of patients only increases with age.
How to be?
Visit a phlebologist. He will prescribe you treatment and possibly advise you to buy underwear for varicose veins. We'll talk about it later.
Do you think varicose veins are not dangerous?
Let's see if that's the case.
Varicose veins- This is a dilation of the veins of the legs, which occurs due to the weakening of the venous valves. Disrupts blood circulation.
Oddly enough, the disease itself is not life-threatening for patients. Yes, it is uncomfortable. For example, varicose veins have symptoms:
- swelling
- Itching and burning
- Tired legs
- Skin discoloration
- Convulsions
- Vascular cobwebs
It 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 that doesn't mean these people are right.
The main danger in varicose veins is not the symptoms, but the complications.
Trophic ulcers - necrosis of certain areas of the skin due to circulatory disorders. Healing of such defects takes a long time. Ulcers are more likely to recur after treatment.
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 disrupt the supply of nearby tissues.
But even that is not so bad.
When blood clots break off and move through the body along with the blood, real death games begin. If blood clots enter the heart or brain and block the blood vessels there, the patient may die.
After such varicose veins, it no longer seems to be a harmless disease.
Of course, the disease does not kill in a few days. Dangerous complications sometimes appear only after a few years, but this does not mean that there is no need for treatment. See your doctor as soon as possible.
An integrated approach is used to combat varicose veins. This means that it is impossible to get rid of diseased blood vessels only with the help of drugs or exercise. Even treating varicose veins with compression stockings will not solve the problem on its own. But this will become an important part of the therapy and will alleviate the symptoms of the disease.
You may not believe that underwear will help you. After all, how does knitwear relate to vessels?
We will tell you about it now.
Healing pressure - how compression garments help blood vessels
Varicose veins do not pump blood well to the heart. The jersey creates pressure on certain areas of the legs. This improves blood circulation and reduces the pressure on the venous walls.
Lingerie with varicose veins creates a kind of frame around the vessels. This support prevents the dilation of weak veins and keeps their walls in good shape.
The choice of pressure force depends on the area of the feet. For example, a jersey with maximum pressure is usually used on the ankles. In this area, the blood begins to rise to the heart and it takes a lot of effort to overcome the force of gravity.
But on the thighs a leotard with a pressure of 40% of the maximum is used. Here the blood in the veins moves more easily and does not need strong support.
Consult a phlebologist for proper compression underwear. Improperly chosen jersey will not help your dishes, but it will harm them.
Here are the situations in which certain types of underwear are used.
Types of compression knitwear
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 a leotard to treat varicose veins, then first go through a medical 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:
- Socks
- Tights
- Knee socks
The choice of knitwear depends on the location of the diseased veins, your lifestyle and other factors.
Next we will talk about the benefits of socks, tights and golf.
Compression socks
This is the name of a product for the prevention and treatment of varicose veins. It is used mainly in the early stages of the disease. Socks against varicose veins tightly wrap around the legs and press on the walls of blood vessels, improving blood circulation. They too:
- Prevents the formation of blood clots
- Relieve swelling
- Relieve pain after a long stay
- Protects against varicose veins
Knitted socks for the treatment of varicose veins are also used during pregnancy. When carrying a child, the vessels in a woman's body are exposed to great stress and often swell. That is why for 2-3 trimesters doctors advise pregnant women to wear this underwear.
Compression socks are universal. They help with varicose veins even above the knee, but are more comfortable to wear than tights.
Compression tights
This type of jersey completely covers the legs from the toes to the waist. Varicose vein tights do not slip when walking and are comfortable to wear. However, you must remember that you will have to download them several times 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 the problems with the blood vessels have spread over the thighs, tights against varicose veins will help better than socks or knee-highs. Their functions:
- Improving blood circulation
- Massage the muscles of the legs
- Venous wall maintenance
- Elimination of excess lymph fluid
Compression stockings are used to prevent and treat varicose veins. They are also prescribed for recovery after leg surgery.
Compression knee pads
Varicose vein socks are prescribed to people with diseased veins of the lower leg. If the 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:
- It constricts blood vessels
- Strengthens venous walls
- Removes swelling
Socks against varicose veins are comfortable to wear under clothes. If necessary, they can be removed quickly, for example during an examination by a doctor.
Remember - the effectiveness of the jersey depends on how much it presses on your feet. These are the so-called compression classes. We will talk about them later.
Knitwear classes 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 in the legs. Decreases from bottom to top. Therefore, the upper part of the T-shirt exerts almost no pressure on the legs.
There are 4 classes of compression:
1st grade: Pressure from 18 to 22 mmHg. Art. It is used for the prevention of varicose veins and treatment of the initial stage of the disease.
2nd grade: Pressure from 23 to 32 mmHg. Art. It is prescribed for the treatment of grade 2 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 combat lymphostasis and edema in case of complications from varicose veins. It is often prescribed after surgery.
You can buy knitwear for prevention yourself without consulting a phlebologist. It does not bend its legs much and will not hurt. But underwear from grades 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 with the measurement. When you wake up, do not get out of bed. Measure the circumference of the calf, thighs and ankles immediately. You also need to know the length of the foot and leg. When shopping for underwear, these measures will be useful to you.
Choose knee-high socks or tights according to the location of the problem veins. If they are below the knees, high to the knees will suit you. To stop the development of varicose veins in the upper legs, buy anti-varicose socks 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 odor.
Manufacturers produce a wide range of compression knitwear. You just need to choose socks, tights or knee-high that fit you.
Postoperative care - how much to wear knitwear after treatment
If you have varicose veins at a late stage and have had vascular surgery, then you need to wear special underwear for full recovery. The phlebologist will tell you how long you need to walk in it.
Do not disturb the routine of knitwear.
Remember that your doctor has prescribed this underwear for a reason. The effectiveness of the treatment directly depends on whether you wear knitwear or not.
Imagine that you have decided to do without tights, which made the teeth on the edge in just one day. It seems to be fine.
But this is not the case.
Jersey closes the wound left after the operation. It prevents air from entering and prevents blood poisoning. Underwear also protects blood vessels from blood clots.
Don't risk your health. You have already undergone the operation and now the full recovery does not depend on the doctor. Take a few months and you can return to a full life with healthy veins.
The phlebologist decides how long the T-shirt should be worn. You can't take off your clothes for a long time without consulting him.
We will tell you in detail how much to wear compression stockings after phlebectomy and sclerotherapy.
After miniphlebectomy
After the operation, the treated leg should be covered with an elastic jersey. It has been shown to reduce intradermal bleeding and pain. Also, special underwear helps prevent venous thrombosis.
Compression stockings should be worn for at least one week after miniphlebectomy. The maximum period is 6 weeks. During this period, 2nd class knitwear is usually attributed, but it is pointless to use it additionally. Class 1 underwear is sufficient to maintain the dishes.
After sclerotherapy
The duration of wearing compression stockings depends on the number of treated vessels. For example, if a doctor cures 1-2 veins, then you should wear socks or tights for only 3-4 months. During this time, new, healthy vessels will appear.
If the phlebologist has cured 5-6 veins, walking in a class 2 jersey will take longer, up to 6 months. The doctor will then perform an examination and if the recovery is successful, you will be allowed to use underwear of a lower compression class.
7 signs that you need to wear compression stockings
Such underwear is useful not only for varicose veins. We recommend that you consider purchasing a preventative leotard if you have one of the following symptoms:
- Overweight
- Pregnancy
- Vascular asterisks
- Heavy loads on the legs
- Passive lifestyle
- Diabetes
- Predisposition to vascular diseases
In obesity, elastic stockings from varicose veins help to lose weight faster. They remove excess fluid, smooth out wrinkles and tone the skin.
For pregnant women, underwear helps maintain abdominal muscles. This prevents many problems, such as uterine prolapse.
Who is contraindicated to wear compression stockings
Unfortunately, not everyone can take advantage of underwear with special veins. 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
- Heart and lung failure
- Septic phlebitis
Another treatment for varicose veins with socks is contraindicated for people with chronic diseases of the arteries of the legs, if the upper pressure falls below 80 mm Hg. Art.
Extending the life of knitwear - rules of care
If you want compression underwear for varicose veins to serve you until recovery, you need to take proper care of it. For example, it should be washed daily.
You may ask, "Why, because I don't stain it? "".
However, dust accumulates on the socks during the day. In addition, dead skin cells settle on them. So you can not do without washing.
Use baby soap or other products made for delicate fabrics. Wash your laundry by hand.
But what you can't do with it:
- Boiling
- I squeeze
- Dry on a horizontal surface
This will damage the socks and make them useless for treatment.
By following these simple rules, you can use a leotard until you recover.
If you've read this far, you may have learned a lot about compression garments. It remains to say where they will help you choose it.
Doctors will quickly diagnose and choose compression stockings
If you need to choose underwear not for prevention but for the treatment of varicose veins, then you can not do without the help of a phlebologist. We recommend that you make an appointment at a specialized clinic.
The doctor will review the medical history and perform an examination. He will then perform an ultrasound diagnosis - it will show the diseased vessels to the smallest detail.
After the diagnosis, the doctor will determine if you need knitwear and if so, from which. To choose it, the doctor must know the size and shape of your legs, as well as your daily routine.
To find out how to buy compression stockings, just consult a phlebologist at the medical center.