You may have seen them. Or if you haven’t, you’ve probably heard of them.
Varicose veins are blue and/or purple veins that look like thick, bumpy ropes cascading down someone’s leg. Unlike “spider veins,” they are painful and uncomfortable, restricting blood flow, making it difficult for a person to stand or sit for long periods of time without relief.
About 50 to 55 percent of women in the U.S. have some type of vein issue or leg pain, which can be resolved with a simple leg pain screening. Varicose veins normally affect half of people 50 years and older—but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes they can affect a younger person, too.
Pressure is most applied to the legs, which hinders the flow of blood from the bottom of the body up to the heart. This makes the legs most susceptible to varicose veins. One way to alleviate that pressure is by wearing compression stockings.
Compression stockings = relief
In the 20th century, a man named Conrad Jobst discovered the now $20-50 stocking. Suffering from chronic venous insufficiency, Jobst, who also happened to be an engineer, discovered that his legs felt better when they were submerged in a swimming pool. The pressure, he determined, made the pain go away.
Jobst sought out Dr. Otto Gauer and together they designed the first compression stocking. They decided that pressure would be highest at the ankle and decrease gradually up to the knee. When a person is standing, pressure peaks at the ankle. Therefore, the two men needed to counter the internal venous pressure with an appropriate amount of external pressure. This design is still in effect today.
To get the most out of your compression stockings, try this:
Slip them on first thing in the morning and keep them on until you go to sleep at night. Compression stockings come in different weights, light pressure to strong pressure; lengths, from knee-high to the top of the thigh; and different colors.
Before you spend your money
Call your health insurance company and find out if they’ll pay for them. Or see if you can get a prescription from your doctor. And finally, be on the lookout for a medical equipment store where they’ll be able to measure your legs to ensure the best fit and optimum comfort.
If you have any questions about Fort Myers sclerotherapy vein screening or compression stockings, do not hesitate to call us at 239-694-VEIN or send us a quick email at [email protected].
Varicose veins are blue and/or purple veins that look like thick, bumpy ropes cascading down someone’s leg. Unlike “spider veins,” they are painful and uncomfortable, restricting blood flow, making it difficult for a person to stand or sit for long periods of time without relief.
About 50 to 55 percent of women in the U.S. have some type of vein issue or leg pain, which can be resolved with a simple leg pain screening. Varicose veins normally affect half of people 50 years and older—but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes they can affect a younger person, too.
Pressure is most applied to the legs, which hinders the flow of blood from the bottom of the body up to the heart. This makes the legs most susceptible to varicose veins. One way to alleviate that pressure is by wearing compression stockings.
Compression stockings = relief
In the 20th century, a man named Conrad Jobst discovered the now $20-50 stocking. Suffering from chronic venous insufficiency, Jobst, who also happened to be an engineer, discovered that his legs felt better when they were submerged in a swimming pool. The pressure, he determined, made the pain go away.
Jobst sought out Dr. Otto Gauer and together they designed the first compression stocking. They decided that pressure would be highest at the ankle and decrease gradually up to the knee. When a person is standing, pressure peaks at the ankle. Therefore, the two men needed to counter the internal venous pressure with an appropriate amount of external pressure. This design is still in effect today.
To get the most out of your compression stockings, try this:
Slip them on first thing in the morning and keep them on until you go to sleep at night. Compression stockings come in different weights, light pressure to strong pressure; lengths, from knee-high to the top of the thigh; and different colors.
Before you spend your money
Call your health insurance company and find out if they’ll pay for them. Or see if you can get a prescription from your doctor. And finally, be on the lookout for a medical equipment store where they’ll be able to measure your legs to ensure the best fit and optimum comfort.
If you have any questions about Fort Myers sclerotherapy vein screening or compression stockings, do not hesitate to call us at 239-694-VEIN or send us a quick email at [email protected].