For many of those who live in the American continent the title of this post may seem strange, since across much of its geography compression stockings come only in packs of a pair, but should they go to Europe and ask for stockings in a pharmacy they will soon realize that many brands sell only in single units.
Hence the doubt arises. Do I buy a compression stocking for the leg that I think has varicose veins or do I buy both?
I go back to my fundamental explanation, varicose veins are a disease that has a lot to do with heredity and is due to involvement of the connective tissue of our veins (it being a little weaker than that of people without varicose veins) so that Veins of susceptible people dilate due to venous hypertension and—associated with an inflammatory process—their walls suffer damage, this inflammation reaches almost all veins.
In other words: Varicose veins are a disease that certain people are prone to and can affect any vein in their lower limbs when they are exposed to risk factors associated with increased pressure within these blood vessels.
It is logical to think that when a person shows a varicose vein they already have an inflammatory process underway in other less obvious veins, therefore I usually recommend wearing stockings on both legs, otherwise the disease would progress and that is not what we want.
– Splitting a problem into its parts is an ancient way of studying it and coming up with the most effective solutions
Now, the fact that an evaluation in a vascular laboratory shows that one of our legs does not have “hemodynamically significant” alterations does not mean that there are non-detectable alterations since initially this method may not be sensitive to incipient changes in the vascular wall.
Someone with symptoms of varicose veins who does not have significant hemodynamic involvement in tests may use a low compression stocking (rest stocking) in this leg, whereas on a leg with varicose veins the required compression may be greater and may be around the values of moderate compression. Even in the same patient, on different legs, we can have both cases.
So when buying stockings I recommend that in the absence of any contraindication they be used on both legs and that the ideal degree of compression should be individualized for each one.
Each case must be individualized as it is not surprising that whoever tolerates moderate compression stockings can wear them on both legs, even requiring one of moderate compression and the other of light compression. This would not be the case for high compression stockings (used for ulcers) that compress much more and should only be worn on the legs affected by ulcers, lymphedema or post thrombotic syndrome (if applicable).
- Indications and contraindications of compression stockings
- Compression stockings to prevent vein thrombosis
- Compression stockings for sleep?
- Uses of stockings according to their degree of compression
- Compression stockings in Overweight and Obesity
- Best compression stockings for varicose veins
- Stocking allergy
- Stockings to prevent economy class syndrome
- Pregnancy and use of Compression Stockings
We always recommend attending the consultation of a specialist in vascular diseases.
