Support hose & socks are clothing articles that are worn similar to how knee, waist, or thigh stockings are worn. These help support people who are suffering from swollen spider veins, varicose veins, leg wounds and ulcers. There are many types of support clothing such as men’s microfiber dress socks, length mild support socks, support dress socks and support hose. Support hose and compression stockings are generally doctor prescribed, but for those who are always on their feet will benefit from these clothing articles. These support clothes can be bought over the counter, but knowing what strength and size to get are very important factors.
Support Hose from Compression Stockings
Both the support hose and the compression stockings help improve the body’s circulation. A lot of people may be confused about these two different health care clothing pieces being the same, when in fact, they have differences that may not be apparent. Even some of the distributors, support hose stores, and sellers add to the confusion by using the two different terms interchangeably. There are many similarities between the two, but they also have differences that place them into separate categories.
Their Similarities
Both the support hose and compression stockings share the same basic purpose; to promote healthier blood circulation throughout the body. When they are worn, they provide the necessary pressure from knee down to the foot to help improve the blood circulation. The foot receives the most pressure while the knee gets less of the pressure. The different levels of pressure that compression support hose and compression stockings provide will depend on the severity of the person’s medical condition. The more aggravated the condition is, the more pressure needed from the hose, the socks, and the stockings.
The Differences between Compression Stockings and Support Hose
The main difference between a compression stocking and a support hose is their mercury content or their compression levels. Compression stockings contain more than twenty millimeters of mercury while support hose contain less than twenty millimeters of mercury. Support hose can be bought in your local drugstores and be purchased over the counter, while compression stockings generally need a physician’s prescription in order to be obtained. Fitting is done by medical professionals for people who need a compression level of more than forty millimeters of mercury, or if the patient would want a custom made compression stocking.
Choosing the Right Compression Range of a Support Hose and a Compression Stocking
Wearing the right size of support hose is the key for it to work effectively. A wrong size often does not provide the best results that you would want, and may even agitate your current medical condition. Support hose that are knee-high are generally chosen with the consideration of a person’s shoe size, while the support hose for both the waist and the thigh depend on the weight of the person. Support hose are used to improve the circulation of the body, and wearing a too tight or too small supporting article may cause the circulation to be cut off. If the support hose or the compression socks are too big, they will not provide the needed support as well.
Mercury Content and Compression Variety
Those who are always standing up, those who are afflicted with spider veins and those who are always on the go or travelling will benefit from support hose that contain eight to fifteen millimeters of mercury. The variety of compression socks that has fifteen to twenty millimeters of mercury are excellent for people who suffer from varicose veins and mild swelling. These support hose types require measurements of the leg to provide the proper compression.
People who have ulcers and leg wounds are often prescribed compression stockings or compression socks that are twenty to thirty millimeters of mercury compression variety. These types of recommended compression stockings are also effective for those who are suffering from swelling in their legs. These compression support hose help alleviate mild to moderate swelling, and is also effective for more severe cases of swelling in the legs. These compression hose improves the circulation by increasing the blood flow while minimizing the swelling.
The last type of compression range of compression stockings is the thirty to forty millimeters of mercury. This compressions clothing variety is the most powerful and strongest of all types of compression. These health care compression clothing articles are excellent for people who are afflicted with severe swelling in the legs, leg pain, varicose veins, ulcers and leg wounds.
How to Choose the Proper Size
One of the most important things to know of is how to choose the proper compression support hose size. After being able to decide on what compression range you would really need for your needs, it is time that you choose the correct size that will help alleviate and treat your medical condition. All you would need to do is to measure your ankle, your calf, your thigh and your waist.
A size chart will be provided to you along with different sizes of compression support hose, socks or stockings. Use this size chart to deduce the most appropriate size that will fit your needs. In case that your waist as well as your thigh measurements will be able to fit into more than just one size, you should choose the compression support hose size that will perfectly fit your ankles. Your ankles should receive the highest compression and support level.