What I Need to Know About Compression Stockings?
-
Your Doctor will give you a prescription for the stockings with the correct tightness.
-
You only need a knee-length stocking(even if your blood clot is above the knee).
-
Purchase stockings in the morning when your leg is least swollen.
-
Wear the stocking only on the leg with blood clot.
-
Take stockings off at night.
-
Buy a new pair every 3-6 months.
-
If it is too uncomfortable to wear stocking all day, wear it for a few hours at a time, and then slowly increase the number of hours you wear it.
-
Put your stocking on first in the morning when your leg I least swollen
-
Do not allow wrinkles in the stocking
-
Do not cut the stocking
-
Do not fold or roll the stocking down
-
If you have trouble bending over to put on your stocking, use rubber dishwasher gloves(they give better you a better grip to pull up to the stocking) or a stocking aid.
-
Wash and dry the stocking as directed on the label to prevent it from shrinking or being damaged.
Consultations and Follow-ups
Consultation
-
A full medical history questionnaire, examination, and then a colour duplex doppler scan will be done by a specialized vascular sonographer to determine if there is an underlying vein problems e.g. faulty valves inside the veins, resulting in venous insufficiency.
-
The duplex doppler and the examination results will be discussed with you and a tailored treatment plan for your specific condition will be explained to you.
Primary Treatment
-
If the scan indicates faulty veins, the required gold standard treatment (Endovenous laser ablation), which treat the source of your vein defect and then the body restores healthy blood flow to the legs.
-
Ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy or foam sclerotherapy under direct vision is often required as a secondary treatment to treat tributary veins.
-
If you have minor varicose veins, that implicate the duplex doppler did not demonstrate faulty veins you will have only foam sclerotherapy. If you only have spider veins the recommended treatment is usually microsclerotherapy
Follow-up
-
Usually after 3 months you have a further duplex doppler scan to confirm that the refluxing vein has been successfully destroyed and the source of the reflux was correctified.
-
Foam sclerotherapy or micro sclerotherapy are required at this stage by most patients.
Next Follow-up
-
After 6 months 90% of cases patients do not need further treatment. If any treatment at this stage, it is only foam sclerotherapy or microsclerotherapy.
Knee or Hip Replacement Surgery?
Check Your Vein First!
One of the most common orthopedic diagnoses in advancing age is osteoarthritis, also known as OA. This disease occurs over time due to years of “wear and tear” on our joints. OA can damage any joint in the body, the knee is affected in the majority of the population. Over time, after conservative treatments have been tried, a mutual decision between your physician and you have been made to proceed with a knee replacement.
The big question “What must I do?” to achieve the best possible surgical outcome with the least number of complications. Vein Solutions South Africa has been working with a number orthopedic surgeons to optimize their patients venous status prior to joint surgery.
If you are planning to have a knee, hip replacement surgery or even a knee arthroscopy, first visit a vein specialist. The are very important reason why.
Vein Solutions
Meet the Team
Mr. G Jones Northcliff
After several years of leg pain and swelling, I experienced instant relief with minimal down time. Amazing results!!! I would highly recommend Vein Solutions for anyone with varicose vein problems. The best team.
Mr. Herman Roodt Krugersdorp
Dr Gideon van Wyk is the most respected specialist surgeon and I have recommended him to all my friends. I had a venous ulcer for 14 years and I was planning to amputate my left leg. Dr Gideon van Wyk healed my ulcer within 2 months.
James Nienaber
Very friendly staff, the consultation, scan was done and within minutes the found the problem and in an hour the operation was done and there I walked out with the feeling that I have empty legs.