Kentville, NS Summerside, PEI
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Home Veins Medical compression therapy

Medical compression therapySupport from the outside.

Graduated compression is strongest at the ankle and decreases up the leg, supporting the calf muscle pump and helping blood return toward the heart.

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Fitted by certified fittersMeasured and fitted in clinic, not ordered from a chart Ultrasound and consult in one visitYour scan is read with you the same day Treating veins since 2007Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island

Who it is for

Is this right for me?

The short answer is that the ultrasound decides. Here is how we think about it.

Compression is used two ways here: as treatment in its own right for venous symptoms, and alongside a procedure. After sclerotherapy you will wear stockings for fourteen days, and that is part of what makes the treatment work.

It may be recommended for varicose veins, venous reflux or chronic venous insufficiency, swollen feet, ankles or legs, aching, tired or heavy legs, venous skin changes, venous leg ulcers or a history of ulceration, swelling after a deep vein thrombosis, symptoms from prolonged standing or sitting, and during pregnancy.

You can have symptoms of venous disease without visible varicose veins, which is why the ultrasound matters even when your legs look unremarkable.

Symptoms we treat

  • Aching legs
  • Heaviness
  • Swelling
  • Night cramps
  • Visible bulging veins
  • Skin changes or discolouration

Any of these, with or without veins you can see, is worth an assessment.

The procedure day

How it works

Step by step, so there are no surprises on the day.

  1. Step 1

    Your legs are measured

    Measurement is done in clinic by a certified fitter. More compression is not necessarily better, and the correct size and length matter as much as the pressure.

  2. Step 2

    The right strength is chosen

    Compression strength is measured in mmHg. The right level depends on your symptoms, medical history, circulation and the reason for wearing it.

  3. Step 3

    Style and fabric are chosen

    Many fabrics, colours and styles are available, including everyday socks and hosiery. The best garment is one you will actually wear.

  4. Step 4

    You are shown how to wear them

    On in the morning before swelling develops, wrinkles smoothed out, no bunching or rolling at the top.

  5. Step 5

    Application aids if you need them

    Ask if putting them on or taking them off is difficult. There are aids for exactly this.

The fitting detail, the brands we carry and help with insurance coverage are on the compression and bracing page.

Getting ready

Before your appointment

A few practical things that make the day easier.

Come in the morning if you can

Legs are least swollen earlier in the day, which makes for a more accurate measurement.

Bring your prescription or plan

If compression has been recommended after a procedure or by another clinician, bring what you were told.

Insurance

Many extended health plans cover graduated compression stockings, particularly where there is a documented medical need. Our fitters help patients navigate insurance and brand selection as a matter of routine.

Tell us about your circulation

Compression is not appropriate for everyone, and reduced arterial blood flow needs assessment first.

What happens afterward

Recovery

What to expect, and when.

  1. Day 0

    You are measured and fitted in clinic, and leave wearing or carrying the right garment for your legs.

  2. Days 1 to 3

    Stockings go on in the morning, before significant swelling develops. They should feel firm and supportive, but never painful.

  3. Weeks 1 to 2

    After sclerotherapy, compression is worn for fourteen days. For symptom management, wear is ongoing as directed.

  4. Weeks 4 to 6

    [CLIENT TO CONFIRM: how often should compression garments be replaced, and when should patients come back to be re-measured?]

Being straight with you

Side effects and suitability

No treatment is right for everyone, and this is what we tell patients before they decide.

Possible side effects

  • Stockings that feel painful rather than firm are the wrong size, strength or length. That is a fitting problem, not something to push through.
  • Bunching or rolling at the top can cut in and should be corrected.
  • Remove the stockings and seek advice if you develop new pain or numbness, significant discomfort, or unusual changes in the colour or temperature of your foot or leg.

Compression is helpful for many people, but it is not appropriate for everyone.

When it may not be recommended

  • You have reduced arterial blood flow. Certain arterial circulation problems need particular assessment before using compression.
  • You have another medical condition that needs assessment first. Seek professional advice if you are unsure.
  • You develop new pain, numbness or changes in the colour or temperature of the foot or leg while wearing them: remove and seek advice.

What to expect

Results and evidence

What the treatment does, and what the published evidence says about it.

Appropriately prescribed compression can help reduce venous symptoms and swelling. It complements movement as part of conservative management: the everyday measures used to help manage venous disease without a procedure.

Compression improves symptoms, but it does not remove varicose veins and does not repair damaged valves. Some people also benefit from treatment directed at the affected veins.

What the research says

Endothermal ablation, the group of treatments that includes endovenous laser, is recommended as first-line treatment for confirmed varicose veins with reflux in the NICE guideline on varicose veins (CG168). A randomised trial comparing laser ablation, radiofrequency ablation, foam sclerotherapy and surgical stripping was published by Rasmussen and colleagues in the British Journal of Surgery in 2011.

[CLIENT TO CONFIRM: Dr Davidson to approve citation. Suggested: NICE CG168, Varicose veins: diagnosis and management; and Rasmussen LH et al., Br J Surg 2011]

Paying for it

Cost and coverage

The question most people arrive with.

Payment options depend on what is being treated and why. Some vein care has public coverage and some does not, and we would rather tell you plainly at your consultation than have you guess. What applies depends on the clinical picture, and that is exactly what the ultrasound establishes.

Cost, coverage and financing

Medical compression therapy, answered

Questions

The questions patients ask us most often.

How do compression stockings work?

Your leg veins carry blood back toward your heart, and one-way valves prevent backward flow. Graduated compression is strongest at the ankle and decreases higher up the leg, supporting the calf muscle pump and helping direct venous blood upward.

Is more compression better?

No. More compression is not necessarily better. The right level depends on your symptoms, medical history, circulation and the reason for wearing it, which is why legs are measured.

When do I put them on?

In the morning, before significant swelling develops. Smooth out wrinkles and avoid bunching or rolling at the top.

What if I cannot get them on?

Ask about application aids. Difficulty getting stockings on and off is common and solvable.

Do they have to look medical?

No. Many fabrics, colours and styles are available, including everyday socks and hosiery. Choose a garment you can wear comfortably and regularly.

Is compression safe for everyone?

No. Certain arterial circulation problems and other medical conditions need assessment before using compression. Seek professional advice if you are unsure.

How long do I wear them after sclerotherapy?

Fourteen days. This is not optional: it is part of what makes the treatment work.

Will my insurance cover them?

Many extended health plans do cover graduated compression stockings, particularly where there is a documented medical need. Our fitters help patients navigate insurance and brand selection as a matter of routine.

Will compression get rid of my varicose veins?

No. Compression can improve symptoms, but it does not remove varicose veins and does not repair damaged valves. Some people also benefit from treatment directed at the veins.

Where do I get measured?

In clinic, by one of our certified fitters. The fitting detail and the brands we carry are on the compression and bracing page.

Also at the vein clinic

Related treatments

Vein care is rarely one treatment on its own.

A liquid agent is injected into the vein through a fine needle, making it shrink and disappear over the weeks that follow.

A laser closes a diseased vein from the inside, through a single entry point, under local anesthetic, in about one to two hours.

A painless scan maps the veins in your legs and shows how blood is actually moving through them, and your surgeon reviews it with you in the same visit.

Tired of achy, heavy legs?

Book an assessment and your surgeon will tell you plainly whether this is the right treatment for your legs.

Call 902-678-2121 Book a consultation

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