If you have poor circulation in your legs, symptoms of blood clots, the beginnings of varicose veins, your doctor may recommend that you start wearing compression support stockings to help improve the circulation in your lower body. If you’ve never used compression socks or stockings before, we’ve compiled a few common questions to ask your doctor, to make sure you are comfortable and ready to take on this change.
A good place to start is to ask whether or not you’ll need a prescription and what compression level your doctor recommends. These questions are sometimes one in the same, since higher compression levels typically require a prescription, but it is important to ask both questions, so you can get a better idea of what to expect after you purchase your compression socks or stockings. Prescription level compression support stockings are tighter and provide more pressure on your legs.
Another good way to prepare yourself is to ask your doctor about how much you are going to need to spend to purchase your compression socks or stockings. Your doctor may not be able to provide an exact amount, but should be able to give you a ballpark range or even a few suggestions about where to get a good deal on the brand or compression level he or she wants you to get.
Next, you might want to inquire about how long each day you should wear the compression support stockings. Certain conditions require that you wear the stockings all day. For example, when advised to wear a compression stocking for varicose veins, your doctor may encourage you to wear the compression stocking all day. With other conditions, you may only have to wear compression socks for a few hours a day, or only in certain circumstances, like extended periods of inactivity.
Finally, we hope you are comfortable enough with your doctor that if you think of any other questions, or come up with questions after your initial appointment, you can ask questions until you feel comfortable and informed about using your new compression support stockings.