At most, a correctly fitted compression sock will induce itching and redness. Irritation, discomfort, swelling, and a lack of circulation can all be caused by an ill-fitting compression sock. Do the advantages of compression socks outweigh the disadvantages?
Definitely!!
Let’s start with the benefits of compression stockings before moving on to the negative effects of using compression socks.
Conditions in which compression stockings can help a lot
- Individuals who desire to avoid soreness, pain, and exhaustion caused by long periods of sitting at work or on the road.
- People with minor to moderate varicose veins
- Individuals with slight to moderate edema and swelling symptoms will get help
- People who do not have any particular leg ailments or diseases but want to safeguard their feet and ankles from minor injuries.
- Light compression socks can also help pregnant mothers enhance blood flow in their legs during the early stages of their pregnancy.
- Varicose veins, DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis), and spider veins can all be controlled with this product.
- People who are rehabilitating from surgery, medical procedures, or sclerotherapy
- People who endure long hectic shifts
You may be wondering why, if there are so many advantages to using compression stockings, then how it can be harmful?
What are the Side Effects of Wearing Compression Stockings
When side effects of compression stockings can appear?
Check your legs daily for regions of skin changes, such as irritation or redness, if your doctor has prescribed compression stockings. These changes could mean one of the following:
- Your stockings aren’t fitting properly, and you’re not putting them on or taking them off properly.
- You have an infestation and are allergic to the material of the stockings
What exactly are the Side Effects?
I’ll now go through the portion that everyone skips over when they hear how great a product is without going over the basics of their needs, which is why we’re here today…
When something beneficial is done incorrectly or applied incorrectly, it might result in a negative outcome.
- Skin infections
- Skin diseases
- Blood circulation disruption
Side effects of wearing compression stockings
One of the categories for which compression socks are recommended is older folks, as they may benefit from them. Compression stockings, like other medical procedures, have both benefits and hazards. You must consider these factors to determine if an intervention is more beneficial or harmful in your scenario. Let’s have a look at the disadvantages and drawbacks of that goal.
Compression Stockings’ Negative Effects
While there are certain hazards connected with wearing compression socks incorrectly, wearing the wrong ones, or choosing ones that do not fit properly, they are mainly related to wearing them poorly. The following are some of the most common side effects of compression stockings:
- Problems with Circulation
Though compression stockings are intended to promote blood flow throughout the legs and body, when they do not fit properly, they can have the opposite effect. They may be able to limit blood circulation in the legs in this scenario.
- Skin Issues
Compression socks have a detrimental influence on the skin, which is a concern for many people, especially the elderly. It’s likely that these stockings will exert enough pressure on the skin to break it, which could lead to blisters or infection. Itching, redness, skin irritation, and transient skin dents are all possible side effects. Chafing scrapes, cuts, and bruises are all possible side effects. They can also cause burning, scratching, scrapes, or bruising, particularly if the skin or air is dry.
Compression socks can cause skin irritation in certain persons, such as the elderly, nourished people, and those with thin, sensitive, brittle, and/or easily irritated skin. However, when stockings are worn incorrectly, these negative impacts on the skin are considerably more likely, such as:
- Wearing the incorrect size, style, or level of compression
- Wearing them in such a way that they exert too much stress or have an unequal distribution
- They’re being overused.
- Several Populations are at Risk
There are some people for whom the hazards of compression stockings may exceed the benefits. These medical clothes, for example, are not indicated for those who do not have enough arterial circulation or who have severe vascular disease. Finally, before you put them on, talk to your doctor about your individual health situation. You can also consult with your doctor about the optimum type and level of compression to use for your specific situation. However, more people should wear them safely.
- Compression stockings that do not fit or sit properly on the leg
Generally, compression stockings may provide significant health benefits, particularly for certain categories of people, such as the elderly. They aid in the circulation of blood from the legs to the heart. While there is some risk in wearing compression stockings that do not fit or sit properly on the leg, the risk is generally discovered in wearing compression stockings that do not fit or sit properly on the leg. Wearing properly fitted stockings in the recommended manner delivers additional benefits while reducing danger. You can read more about how to put on compression socks.
- Side Effects of Compression Stockings: A Case Report
A case study showed that once a patient who was a 76-year-old man and lived alone in sheltered housing and uses a zimmer frame to get around. He had type 2 diabetes and venous illness in his medical history. He was initially prescribed grade 3 compression stockings (40–60 mmHg) as a conservative treatment. He was obese at the time, and he had chronic edema in both his legs and feet. The stockings were initially helpful in resolving the ulcer, but their continued use caused complications. The patient developed a second ulcer on the anterior portion of his shin, proximal and lateral to the initial ulcer, believed to be caused by compression stocking pressure.
After 10 months of conventional therapy, the patient was examined by his Physician and sent to a local plastic surgery service for further guidance due to continuous worsening and no progress.
What Kinds of Issues Can Be Caused by Wearing the Wrong Compression Socks?
If you do not wear the right compression socks, you may experience a variety of issues. The following are some of the issues you might encounter:
- Loss of sensation and tingling of the lower limbs
- Ulcers, intense itching, and skin irritation
- Sudden and inexplicable joint pain, especially in the knees
- Poor circulation
- Pain
- Edema of the legs, feet, and toes
- Sudden spasms of the feet, toes and legs
- Forefoot edema and lymphedema
The flat dorsum of the forefoot and toes receives little or no pressure in traditional compression devices. This may cause increased swelling in the forefoot and toe area, with a potentially higher risk of interdigital fungal infection, according to specialists’ experience in infected individuals, in immobilized patients, and, in particular, in lymphedema.
- Nerve damage
Following compression treatment, peripheral nerve injury with numbness or palsy has been described after compression bandaging, IPC, and the use of MCS or TPS. 31–37 The most commonly injured nerve was the common peroneal (fibular) nerve at the fibular head, and the typical presentation of common peroneal nerve palsy comprised acute, total, or partial foot drop, as well as concomitant nubular head pain.
“Moreover, in extreme situations of heart insufficiency, compression stockings should be avoided. MCS should not be used on a regular basis in NYHA III situations. Compression therapy in this patient group should be used with caution and under thorough supervision, including clinical and haemodynamic monitoring. In less severe situations, a gradual rise in compression pressure is all that is required. In less severe situations, a gradual rise in compression pressure causes relatively brief increases in heart burden and may result in a significant reduction in peripheral edema.”
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