Economy Versus Safety

I was talking to a therapist recently who was having trouble convincing his patients to invest in compression garments.

In fact just recently I was talking to one of my old patients who had called to replace her Lymphedema sleeve. When I asked her where she had been getting her garments since she had been in therapy with me she confessed that she had been wearing the same sleeve for two years. Although that sleeve was in one piece, with a few holes and runs, it had stopped doing its job a long time ago.

As a result her arm had increased in size she was surprised the same size no longer fit. Her choices were to go to a larger sleeve or go back to therapy.

Believe me when I tell you that I am tight with the pennies myself. I feel that a few little holes in a shirt gives it character but I know that there are some things that you can’t skimp on. It just doesn’t make sense.

My mother would have called it “penny poor & pound foolish" (she was from Yorkshire). Wouldn’t it make better sense to throw a garment in the washing machine and have some nice clean ones in the drawer ready to put on. Lets put it in perspective. What other personal item of clothing would you buy one of and have to machine wash it every night so you could wear it the next day?

Wearing the same one every day is OK but hand washing is ineffective in bringing back the garments stretch. The bottom line is that although compression garments are expensive, we pay for many more expensive non-medical items without a second thought.

Good compression garments control edema, prevent wounds and infections, and improve blood flow. A meal at a restaurant may cost as much and may improve your spirits, but not your overall well being!

 John Wellum, CPD

*Important: We are smarter than to try to practice medicine without a license! The information presented on this site is for informational purposes only. New medical information is available weekly - so check with your doctor and therapist before making any changes to your treatment!