Archive for May, 2009

Support Hose after Stroke: New Research Says Support Hose Doesn’t Work

Stroke patients don’t benefit from wearing support hose, found a study in the most recent issue of the United Kingdom-based The Lancet journal.

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland found that the risk of blood clots in stroke patients didn’t improve when they wore thigh high support stockings. In addition, the researchers reported that 5 percent of patients developed ulcers, dead skin tissue, and blisters.

As a result of their findings, the study authors suggest reevaluating current recommendations that all stroke patients wear support hose after surgery.

Although this research indicates that support stockings may not reduce the risk of dangerous blood clots and deep vein thrombosis, other research has indicated that support hose are often improperly used, even by nursing staff and medical personnel. Patients are often prescribed the wrong size stockings, they may be instructed to wear thigh high stockings when knee high varieties work just as well, and both medical personnel and patients may have trouble putting the support hose on the right way.

Many studies have found that using support hose contributes to increased blood flow and reduces the risk of venous disorders. Although this study found that stroke patients don’t benefit, compression garments may still help relieve aching, tired legs, reduce the risk of varicose veins and leg swelling, and cut the risk of blood clots during travel and after surgery – but only if they’re used properly.

What’s the best brand to use? Support hose manufactured by Jobst, Juzo, Mediven, and Sigvaris, come with detailed instructions on how to use the legwear for best results.

Men Support Hose

Men who need support hose may feel intimidated by choosing compression garments – after all, unlike women, most guys may have no experience buying legwear. But buying men support hose doesn’t have to be a challenge. Many hosiery retailers know that guys experience varicose veins, leg cramps, leg fatigue, and other ailments that can be aided by support stockings.

Common brands of support hose for men include Sigvaris, Jobst, Juzo, and Mediven. You can get information about the pros and cons of these brands from a sales person at your local medical supply store or through online legwear retailers.

Men support hose may come in a variety of styles, including:

• Knee high support hose (available in common men’s sock colors, such as black, white, and tan) and ribbed socks
• Thigh high support hose (also available in common colors like black or tan)

Before you can buy support hose for men, you’ll need to measure yourself and get a recommendation from your doctor about what compression is right for you.

Sigvaris, Juzo, Jobst, and Mediven support hose for men come in the following compression levels (mmHg stands for millimeter of mercury):

• 8-15 mmHg
• 15-20 mmHg
• 20-30 mmHg
• 30-40 mmHg
• 40-50 mmHg
• 50-60 mmHg

Once you choose men support hose, you’ll have to learn how to care for your stockings properly. Whatever brand you choose, the support panty hose should come with washing instructions. Your doctor can tell you how long to wear your stockings each day.

Using your support hose properly will help reduce the risk of varicose veins, ensure your legs are fatigue- and ache-free, and reduce the risk of dangerous blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis and other ailments. People with diabetes often wear men support socks since their circulation is often impaired due to diabetes.

A good source of information about compression garments is About Compression Stockings.

Sigvaris Hose for Those Who Want Fashion and Support

Just because you need support hose for pregnancy, varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis prevention, and other conditions that cause tired, achy legs doesn’t mean you want to throw fashion out the window. Sigvaris hose offers a variety of fashionable support stockings for men and women.

Thickness

If you want a lighter-weight support hose that looks like regular panty hose but supports like a compression stocking, try the Sigvaris Sheer Fashion hosiery line. These stockings come in knee high and thigh high lengths and include ribbed dress socks for men. They are no thicker than a pair of panty hose – there’s no need for anyone to wear droopy, unsightly looking support hose!

Color

When you go with Sigvaris hose, your choices aren’t limited to boring taupe. You can choose a variety of colors such as black, charcoal, navy, white, suntan, and terracotta in both support hosiery and socks.

Styles and Textures

Whether you want casual cotton socks or fashion hosiery, Sigvaris offers a variety of patterns and textures, including ribbed, casual socks or lighter-weight dress socks. Try the Casual Cotton or the Cushioned Cotton lines.

Although drugstore support stocking brands often work well for milder cases of varicose veins and aching legs, those with more serious cases of varicose veins, lymphedema, or other chronic venous disorders often benefit by purchasing support stockings from a specialty retailer. A doctor can prescribe tighter support stockings that may alleviate your circulatory condition, and legwear retailers can provide stockings that fit your fashion needs, too.

Where can you buy support hose? Buying support hose online is often the most convenient process for people who need legwear. Online retailers such as Sigvaris hose, Jobst support hose, Mediven, and Juzo offer measuring instructions on their websites that will help ensure you get support stockings that fit perfectly. You can also get support stocking help at your local medical supply store – these stores often have sales associates trained to fit you for the latest in supportive legwear fashion.

Jobst Hose

Elastic support panty hose and support hose work well to alleviate leg cramps and leg swelling. Support hose, like Jobst support hose, work by applying pressure to the veins and lymphatic system of the leg.

Because a compression stocking is made of elastic fibers and rubber, it tightly presses against the leg. This added pressure supports the veins, keeps blood circulating more easily, and reduces the risk that clots or swelling will occur in the lower part of a person’s body.

Jobst hose are manufactured in several levels of compression, measured by mmHg (millimeter of mercury). Over-the-counter (support) Jobst support hose come in 10-15 mmHg or 15-20 mmHg varieties. Medium hose require a prescription and come in 20-30, 30-40, 40-50, and 50+ mmHg varieties. High compression hose come in 18-21, 23-32, 34-46, and up to 50 mmHg varieties. High compression stockings are usually custom made.

Your doctor or phlebologist (a doctor who specializes in treating vein disorders and varicose vein treatment) may refer to your Jobst hose as support hosiery, medical compression stockings, anti-embolism stockings, or lymphedema compression stockings.

All of these support stockings work on the same basic principle – tightly supporting the veins in the leg to promote better blood flow. Jobst support hose work best when a person has been prescribed the right amount of compression and gets a good fitting compression stocking.

Here are some user comments on Jobst support hose:

• Women’s UltraSheer Moderate Support Thigh Highs 15-20 mmHg: “They gave me the compression I needed (15-20,) but looked like regular pantyhose. Even though my blood clot has been gone for 4 years, I still buy these to wear as support stockings because they make my legs feel so nice.”
• UltraSheer Firm Support Knee Highs 20-30 mmHg: “Nice tone and transparency. I wore for my post operation support. Breathable and comfortable.”
• Jobst for Men 15-20 mmHg Support Socks: “I have tried several brands of support hose and I feel that these socks give me the most comfortable support and they seem to fit my legs better than the other brands I have tried. I have finally settled on these hose for my everyday support hose.”
• Jobst Maternity Compression Hose 15-20 mmHg