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There are many medical benefits of compression stockings for spider veins. They are prescribed as treatment for many medical diseases related to venous and lymphatic circulation. Compression stockings are also are used to help other common problems that occur in healthy individuals like decreasing fatigue after athletic exertion, prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and relief from symptoms related to pregnancy.
They are called compression stockings, compression socks, or support stockings. This refers to the same thing: a fitted elastic stocking or sock that compresses the leg with the most compression at the ankle and progressively less up the leg to promote venous and lymphatic circulation. They come in many different sizes and must be properly fit for each person to ensure that compression is uniform. This is not your “one size fits all.” In fact, sometimes they must be custom fitted. The good news is there are different colors and fabrics, so no need for you to wear the unattractive bright white stockings you see at the hospitals. For men, the socks can look just like a regular dress sock, and for women they can look like attractive pantyhose. Let’s not forget about athletes, we see more and more professional athletes wearing compression garments. In fact, wearing compression garments is now almost a sign of status.
For travelers, wearing compression stockings, combined with exercise, has been shown to reduce the development of DVT. Wearing medical grade support stockings can also reduce leg fatigue associated with travel. If your job requires you to sit or stand for long periods of time, the improved venous and lymphatic circulation from compression socks helps bring relief to tired, achy feet and legs. So if you travel frequently, or take long trips by car or plane, there are a number of benefits to wearing compression socks.
Athletes of all kinds are wearing compression socks and sleeves during workouts, training, competition, and to lessen fatigue and speed-up recovery. Athletes use stockings made from the high-tech fibers like core-spun CoolMax® to provide support for feet, ankles, calves, and legs while promoting venous circulation, allowing for faster recovery and reduced muscle fatigue.
For years, pregnant women have benefited from wearing maternity leg compression stockings, which help the swelling, leg cramps, and general leg achiness caused by pregnancy. The boost in circulation provided by the support stockings can help to re-energize tired and sore legs in pregnant and non-pregnant individuals.
Compression can help relieve symptoms of aching legs, heaviness, tiredness, and itching brought on by varicose veins. Compression stockings can’t prevent varicose veins from developing, or make the varicose veins that have developed go away; however, not only the stockings provide symptom relief, but also, with more advanced vein problems like venous ulcers, are crucial for ulcer healing and preventing recurrence. Medical grade support stockings are important for treatment of superficial and deep phlebitis DVT. They have even been shown to relieve the burning and itching symptoms spider veins often cause. That is why vein specialists like Dr. Wright almost always recommend support stockings for their patients.
Lymphedema is a medical condition where the body has difficulty circulating the lymph fluid in an affected limb or limbs, which leads to swelling and discomfort. Compression garments or stockings are critical to help improve lymph circulation. Compression socks not only improve swelling, they also reduce infection and skin breakdown.
Diabetics have a higher risk of blood clots developing in their legs and are for developing skin ulcers and swelling in their legs. Compression stockings help with these problems, so they are routinely recommend for diabetic patients.
