Compression stockings improve venous blood circulation and can relieve pain caused by varicose veins. If you have varicose veins in your family or circle of friends, you have probably heard of compression stockings.
Not only people with varicose vein problems benefit from compression stockings. Compression stockings can also provide relief for patients with poorly healing wounds, fluid in the legs and other circulatory problems. Furthermore, people at risk of blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) may benefit from wearing compression stockings. People who have to stand for a long time for their job also experience less fatigue and moisture in the legs when they wear compression stockings.
What are compression stockings?
Compression stockings are a medical specialized device. You might think that a compression stocking is mainly a very tight nylon stocking. But in reality, a compression stocking is an advanced piece of work that can really make a difference for varicose veins or other leg complaints.
How do compression stockings work?
When you know how something works, you may be more willing to try it. Compression stockings put pressure on your leg veins. This pressure reduces edema (fluid) in the legs and helps prevent blood from pooling in the leg veins.
When the muscles in your lower legs contract, they act like a pump. This pump helps the blood to return to the heart through the veins. The tiny valves in those veins open when the blood flows upwards and close to keep the blood from flowing back. Malfunctioning valves ensure a reduced flow. The blood partially flows back and collects in the vein, increasing the pressure in that vein. As a consequence, the vein weakens and becomes wide and tortuous. A varicose vein develops.
For the blood to flow back to the heart, the veins in the legs have to work against gravity. Anything that interferes with that flow, such as circulatory problems, lack of movement, or poor blood vessel condition results in blood pooling in the veins of the lower legs or feet. This blood accumulation can cause swelling (edema), pain and fatigue in the legs, varicose veins and in some cases can result in inflammation of the vascular system (phlebitis). By applying pressure from the outside with a stocking, the blood flows back to the heart more easily.
How to care for your compression stockings
There are a number of points to consider in order to enjoy your stockings for as long as possible.
Support socks need to be washed every other day. But washing ensures that the elasticity of the stocking decreases, which also reduces support and pressure. It is therefore wise to purchase several stockings.
The stockings should be washed with cold or lukewarm water. Not in the washing machine but by hand. Use a mild detergent and no fabric softener. Never put the stockings in the dryer but hang them on a rack to dry. Replace the stocking every four to six months.
