Solidea sleeve?

While I have used and love the Solidea sleeve, it is meant to be a daytime garment to be used while your muscles are active.

The possible problem with wearing a compression sleeve meant for daytime as a night garment is that it may twist and create a tourniquet effect, actually blocking lymph flow.

Garments made for nighttime use, where your muscles are inactive, would be a much safer choice for sleeping.

Binney, Kira, anything to add?  Opinions?

binney...I just started pt and my gal spoke about a sleeve for when I am active...I don't have issues yet with LE but she said it would help prevent LE... Do you order online and what do sleeves run?  She said hers are 50 or 60 dollars....wonder if they are cheaper online...thanks Rosie 

damiana, think seventeen times before putting an Ace bandage on your hand or arm.  I was going to say think twice, but that's too mild a warning! I'll try to explain why, but YOOHOO, BINNEY, if I got this wrong, please don't hesitate to correct me.

Ace bandages give constant pressure, and the more you stretch them, the more compression they give.  LE bandages deliver more pressure by applying more layers. It's way too easy to apply too much compression with an Ace bandage, because you'd have to have an incredibly light and consistent touch when pulling.

Also, LE bandages are designed to apply more compression when your muscles are moving against them, and less compression when your muscles are inactive. The muscles push the lymphatic capillaries against the firmness of the sleeve or bandages, in a pumping action.  You want there to be less pressure between pumps, and that's not going to happen with the Ace bandage. 

Incredibly, we've heard of some doctors telling patients to just use an Ace bandage. It's easy to fall into that trap, because visually, they sure do look the same.  But they're not.

There's a lot to know, isn't there?

Carol

Carol, I'm with you on that. No ACE, for the reasons mentioned. The learning curve on this is so steep, and the information offered by our medical providers so sparse, that it sure can be confusing!

Better nighttime solutions while you're waiting for a great night solution are to elevate your arm at night on pillows (tricky but worth the effort) and buttonhole the therapist into teaching you to wrap your arm properly with short-stretch bandages. It's not easy to learn, but it's a fantastic thing to know how to do--helps you take back control of your life because you can respond quickly to any changes or flares, sleep comfortably as needed, and even use it for travel that might otherwise cause flares. We just really need to know how to care for ourselves.

Go for it!
Binney

damiana, I learn something new about LE every week.  It's astonishing what there is to learn, but it's also amazing how many people in this forum know so much, and are so willing to share.  I owe Binney and many others a huge debt of gratitude for helping me understand what I'm dealing with.