Alexa RoyNeuropathy is the term for nerve damage that can result in pain, tingling, and numbness. The symptoms vary depending on what caused the neuropathy but what they all have in common is that they can affect your daily activities and even make it difficult to walk or stand.
If you suffer from neuropathy, you’re probably looking for ways to ease the symptoms and get back to feeling like yourself again. Compression socks are a common recommendation, but do they really help? Read on to get to know if compression socks are good for neuropathy.
What causes neuropathy?
Neuropathy is a condition in which nerves are damaged. Neuropathy can affect the entire body or just a portion of it, depending on the cause. It can be caused by diabetes, injury, or another condition that causes inflammation of the nerves. Neuropathy may also be hereditary (in other words, you were born with it).
Neuropathy causes numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness to varying degrees depending on what part of your body has been affected. For example: if neuropathy affects your feet then you might experience:
You should talk with your doctor before using compression socks for neuropathy because they may not be right for everyone.
Compression Socks Has Been Shown To Reduce Pain
While it’s true that compression socks can help alleviate symptoms of neuropathy, wearing them incorrectly can cause even more harm than good!
For example, if you’re wearing the wrong size or style of compression socks, it could actually increase your risk of developing blisters or sores on your skin because they put too much pressure on certain areas of your feet (which obviously isn’t what we want).
The other thing worth mentioning here is how long you should wear these things—and here’s where I have some good news: studies have found that even just 15 minutes a day can make a difference!
If You’re Wearing Them, Know The Signs of Too Much Pressure
If you’re wearing compression socks, make sure you know what to look for if the pressure is too high. Signs of too much pressure include swelling, numbness, tingling, or pain in your feet. If you experience any of these symptoms while wearing the socks, remove them immediately and contact a doctor.
If there aren’t any noticeable signs that your compression socks are giving you trouble (meaning they fit snugly but don’t cause discomfort), it’s okay to wear them up to 12 hours a day. However long you decide to wear your compression stockings is up to personal preference.
Some people prefer around 10 hours per day while others do it all at once—and will depend on how often you work out and how much walking around takes place during that period of time.
If possible try not to wear them when sleeping because we recommend only wearing them during periods where there are going to be movements that would otherwise disturb their effectiveness.
This may mean taking them off before going into bed but might also mean removing them as soon as getting out of bed each morning so they can be worn again later in the day.
Tight Stockings May Do More Harm Than Good
Many people who have neuropathy also have diabetes. If you are at risk of getting an infection in your feet, wear shoes and socks that protect your skin.
You can also get special insoles for your shoes to help keep moisture away from the bottom of your feet. This helps reduce the chance of skin breakdown, swelling, blood clots, and pain from tight socks or shoes.
If you have neuropathy in your hands or legs and need to wear compression stockings on a regular basis be sure that they fit properly so they don’t cause more harm than good.
Read: Compression Socks vs Diabetic Socks [The Key Differences]
Compression Socks Can Also Cause Damage and Are Often Not Recommended
The degree of swelling must be taken into account before using compression socks.
If you have too much swelling it could lead to further complications like strokes or heart attacks when your blood vessels are constricted by the tightness around them due to wearing compression garments.
These conditions would then mean that there’s less room for blood flow through them which can lead to issues like those mentioned above occurring so make sure not to wear any sort of compression garment unless necessary!
If you do decide that compression socks might help alleviate some symptoms associated with neuropathy such as tingling sensations then make sure only do so under supervision from a health professional since improper usage could result in unwanted side effects such as headaches/nausea etc.
Also Read Our Compression Socks Reviews:
FAQs
There are several factors that affect wearing time such as situations and your comfort. You can wear it between 3 hours to 24/7. If you get better sleep by doing so. Wearing for longer than 16 hours a day could irritate you. So, your daily routine and needs play a big role here.
Neuropathy can affect the feet and make it hard to wear shoes. If you have neuropathy, you will need to wear shoes that give your foot plenty of room, provide cushioning, don’t rub or chafe, and make sure they are durable enough to withstand daily activity.
One of the major problems with neuropathy is that it can gradually get worse, and lead to other health conditions. There is a plethora of compression socks for healing and relieving symptoms. The good news about compression socks is that they are able to restore blood flow, which helps in relieving the condition.
Conclusion
If you’re suffering from neuropathy and chronic pain due to diabetes, then compression socks may be a good option for you. They will help alleviate the swelling in your feet and legs by reducing fluid build-up that is often associated with diabetic neuropathy. Compression socks come in many different styles so there’s sure to be one that fits your lifestyle and preferences perfectly!
