NON-SURGICAL

Veins are blood vessels that carry blood from your organs back to the heart. In the legs, blood travels from the feet back to the heart against gravity. The leg contains two sets of veins, the deep veins (responsible for 70% of blood flow back to the heart) and the superficial veins that lie just under the skin.

Stockings

Many types of surgical support stockings are available. The choice depends on how bad the symptoms and problems are. Whichever type is chosen, the stocking should be fitted for the patient. Tightness should be checked by the surgeon. For patients with disease of the deep veins, wearing support stockings is often the only treatment available.

Bandages

The type of bandage chosen depends on how tight it needs to be. Bandages are more useful for treatment of venous ulcers. The bandage must be firm and should cover all the leg from the toes to at least the knee and often above the knee.