POTS and Compression Clothing

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with POTS or another type of dysautonomia, you've most likely heard about compression clothing from your doctor or while researching online.

In this blog post, we'll explore how compression clothing works, the benefits it offers for people with POTS, and what to consider when buying them to ensure you get the best results.

How Compression Clothing Helps

When we stand, gravity pulls our blood down to the lower half of our bodies. To manage this change in blood pressure, the body usually responds by increasing our heart rate and narrowing our blood vessels. However, in people with POTS, this system doesn’t function correctly.

Compression clothing works by minimising blood pooling in the lower half of the body, increasing the amount flowing to the heart and vital organs.

Benefits

By wearing compression clothing, people with POTS should experience less severe symptoms while standing and being active. Being able to spend more time upright and active will support healthier lifestyles and improve both physical and mental wellbeing.

How to Pick the Right Compression Garments

Types of compression clothing include:

• Stockings

• Tights

• Shorts

• Socks

• Abdominal binder/hernia belt

Garments that compress the largest blood vessels, which are located in the thighs, buttocks, and belly, provide the most benefits. Socks alone may not help to a large extent.

What level is best for people with POTS?

Class 2 compression garments, which provide pressure ranging from 23-32 mmHg, are recommended for POTS patients.

When Should I Wear Them?

Compression clothing isn’t worn all the time; it can change with the seasons and depending on the wearer’s activity. Comfort and practicality are also important. For example, you wouldn't want to feel constricted by an abdominal binder during a meeting, and you may struggle wearing extra layers during the summer.

Do wear compression clothing when you are upright and active, meaning anytime your body is working against gravity. You don’t need to wear them when you are reclining or have your legs elevated, such as on a footrest.

You don't wear compression clothing in bed unless recommended by a doctor.

Conclusion

With various options available to meet individual needs, compression clothing can be a valuable tool in managing POTS symptoms. By improving circulation and reducing the symptoms associated with standing and physical activity, these garments can enhance people living with POTS overall quality of life.

It's important to remember that effectively managing POTS often requires a multifaceted approach. Combining the use of compression clothing with proper hydration, an appropriate diet, and medications prescribed by a doctor will lead to greater improvements in symptoms. By taking a comprehensive approach to your treatment, you can empower yourself to lead a fuller, healthier life despite the challenges of POTS.

Remember that learning to manage life with dysautonomia takes time, but things will improve as you find the treatment and lifestyle adjustments that work for you.