Save Your Leg Veins With Compression Stockings and Support Pantyhose

Unless you happen to work in the healthcare field you may be amazed to find out that the body of an average adult contains a vast network of arteries and veins totaling nearly 100,000 miles in length.

It may further surprise you that one out of two women will be affected by varicose veins during their lifetimes.

Undoubtedly pregnancy brings about some amazing changes to a woman’s body.

Quite different to the joy of becoming a mother, some of the changes that come with being pregnant can be rather unpleasant, to put it mildly.  Expectant moms have to endure weight gain, nausea, back pains, leg pains and swelling of the legs and feet just to name a few.

All of these “side effects” can become increasingly bothersome as the due date of giving birth moves closer.

Beyond the more noticeable symptoms of leg pain and swelling in the legs there is an often overlooked, ignored or underestimated symptom of abnormally enlarged or swollen veins in the legs as a result of pregnancy.  The leg veins of an expectant mother have to work harder than ever mainly because of the vastly increased blood volume and the additional weight of the growing baby interfering with optimal blood circulation.

Veins must tirelessly handle the important job of transporting oxygen depleted blood and other waste products back to the heart and lungs. Moving up hill against gravity force the blood flow is supported by tiny one way valves in the veins that prevent back flow of the blood.  In addition, the contractions of the calf muscles assist like auxiliary pumps to help push the blood up through the legs.

The additional stress and strain on the leg veins from the pregnancy can cause serious damage that manifests itself in the milder form of spider veins and in more severe cases as bulging varicose veins.  Spider veins and varicose veins also have a high likeliness of worsening without any type of treatment.

If varicose veins and spider veins happen to retreat after pregnancy do not be fooled by that.  Once they have made their first appearance it is a pretty safe bet that a certain amount of damage has already been done to weaken the veins.  It may now only be a matter of time until the varicose veins show up again and when they reemerge, which is almost guaranteed during a subsequent pregnancy, the affected veins will be bulging worse than before.

Varicose veins are deformed and enlarged veins with damaged valves inside them.  Most of this damage is irreversible once it has occurred.  It can only be remedied by closing or removing the damaged and bulging veins if they become extremely painful and intolerable. Unfortunately in many cases more varicose veins appear even after surgery.

Wearing Compression Stockings Can Prevent Varicose Veins and Spider Veins

It should be pointed out that most women do not wear any compression stockings when pregnant for the first time.  Many simply don’t know that they should be taking preventative action and wearing compression hosiery to prevent varicose veins caused by pregnancy.

This is especially true if there is a family history or genetic tendency to varicose veins and other venous problems. Some women also simply pooh-pooh the possibility that they could develop varicose veins or scoff at the nuisance of having to don and doff compression hosiery.

Pleading ignorance like “that won’t happen to me” or refusing to take the extra step in preventative care of wearing compression stockings during pregnancy can cause a lot more pain and discomfort down the road once major varicose veins have developed.

It is true compression stockings may be a little bit more difficult to put on than regular hosiery but they are definitely worth the effort because they can make a huge difference in the long run.  Graduated compression stockings or pantyhose can relieve pain, achiness and swelling in the legs.  If applied early enough compression stockings can also prevent damage to the leg veins during pregnancy and even if you are not pregnant.

For legs that do not have any noticeable symptoms, preventative wearing of support pantyhose or support stockings can really give your legs a boost of energy and put more spring in your step.  And if you absolutely hate the idea of wearing above the knee compression hosiery you can also get considerable benefits from wearing knee high compression socks or knee high compression or support stockings.

If the health and appearance of your legs is a factor for you during and beyond pregnancy, you should definitely consult with your physician and get his recommendation on which type of compression or support hosiery would be best for you.

If this article has peaked your interest on the subject of compression stockings, we also recommend reading some of our related articles simply  by following the links below…

Maternity Support Stockings and Support Pantyhose – How can They Help During Pregnancy? 

If you liked this post please let us know by clicking the Facebook like button or the G+1 button below.  We also appreciate any comments and personal experiences you have to contribute.