Greetings! Lisa here!
A friend recently passed along some information I didn’t know about previously that I think is pretty important, especially for our customers who suffer from conditions that produce clotting in the blood.
ABC News has done a story about doctors in COVID hotspots reporting unexpectedly high cases of blood clots among COVID cases. It’s become so common, doctors now call it COVID-19 associated coagulopathy, or CAC. The article quotes Dr. Alex Spyropoulos, a clot specialist and professor at Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, New York, as saying, “COVID-19 is the most thrombotic (clot-producing) disease we’ve ever seen in our lifetime.”
Who’s at Risk?
While it’s unclear how many COVID patients develop blood clots, those who have conditions like obesity and diabetes are at a higher risk for developing clots because of the inflammation throughout the body caused by COVID. If not caught early, this can be fatal. Blood clots have even been recorded in some cases of children who have contracted the virus. Those who are in certain high risk groups for the virus should take extra precautions to reduce the risk of blood clots using compression socks.
What Causes Blood Clots?
Blood clots form when parts of your blood thicken and form a mass. These clots can then travel to other parts of your body causing additional problems. There is a wide range of factors that can contribute to blood clots including certain medications, a family history of blood clots, heart complications, obesity, pregnancy, smoking, surgery, and other conditions and diseases such as the coronavirus.
How Are Blood Clots Treated?
In more severe cases where blood clots are present, they are often removed by means of surgery. Doctors may also use stents to keep blood vessels open. In post-recovery, and to assist prevention of blood clots for those who are at higher risk of developing them, healthcare providers will often recommend compression socks for blood clots and/or medications to thin the blood. Some medications will also dissolve blood clots that are already present.
Compression Socks for Blood Clots
Blood clots can occur anywhere in the body, but are most common in the lower legs or thighs. Compression socks for blood clots are designed to be tightest around the ankles and become looser in a gradient as the garment moves up. This gradient compression helps to improve circulation through the veins, moving blood towards the heart to reduce blood clot risk, and helps to prevent and decrease swelling. NCO’s compression garments also come in sleeves and bandages that can be made to fit your feet, legs, thighs, arms, and hands. NCO stocks various grades of compression levels to fit your specific needs, from ultra light to maximum pressure. Browse our collections of compression bandages, compression sleeves, foot wraps, leg wraps, gauntlets, and gloves to find solutions to your health and wellness needs.
Reducing Inflammation that Can Lead to Blood Clots
When circulation is poor, the risk of inflammation in the lower extremities increases. Compression socks for blood clots are made of strong, elastic-like materials that put pressure on your legs, ankles, and feet which discourages pooling of blood and inflammation. Compression garments are like a massaging accessory that works with your movements to help pump blood up and out of the extremities. Reducing your inflammation may also help decrease associated pain and discomfort.
Other Benefits of Compression Garments
From relieving medical conditions to giving athletes and healthcare workers extra support, compression garments and socks can be beneficial for issues aside from helping to reduce the risk of blood clots.
Compression wear can also reduce muscle fatigue during workouts, improve the oxygen flow to your muscles, help you recover from muscle injuries quicker, decrease the appearance of varicose veins, reduce the effects of Lymphedema, help prevent deep vein thrombosis, and keep swelling from pregnancy at bay.
The Unknowns About Blood Clots and COVID
While a lot about the nature of the coronavirus and why it causes blood clots is still unknown, we can be sure that there is a correlation between the virus and an increased risk of developing clots. And because we are seeing people who were not previously at risk for blood clots developing them after exposure, taking extra precautions with COVID certainly can’t hurt. Healthcare workers who are on the frontlines, like nurses, are already recommended to wear compression socks for blood clots just because of their occupational hazards.
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If you or a family member need extra support and protection from compression socks for blood clots, grab a pair from NCO as a thoughtful gift. Give us a call to place your order! If you have any questions, our experts can help you find the perfect garments to improve your circulation and help reduce the risk of blood clots.
As always, take good care!
Please note that this blog is not intended as medical advice or to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your primary care physician or other health provider regarding questions about your condition and best recovery solutions for your needs.