FAQs

The Comfort Store stocks a large inventory of JOBST®by BSN Medical as well as compression garments from Sigvaris Group and Vim&Vigr. We are able to fit most of our customers in ready-to-wear garments because of the wide range of sizes available; however, your healthcare provider may feel you need a garment with specific features, or perhaps the shape of your leg will require a custom-made stocking. We can determine your needs during your first visit. Specific measurements are taken for all garments to determine the exact size needed even for ready-to-wear.

If your health care provider has prescribed a custom-made garment because a unique fit is needed or there is a need for special features within the garment, an appointment is necessary for this precise measuring to be done by one of our experienced fitters. The prescription may be hand carried or faxed to us. You may call the store to schedule an appointment for the measuring and ordering of a custom-made garment. Approximately 30 minutes should be allowed for a fitting session. Measurements will be done and your order will be placed with delivery times ranging from 5 – 10 days. All measurements are Comfort Store specific with ordering made using our Fitter’s Fitting Number. The Comfort Store accepts responsibility for the fitting of each garment and does not share those measurements with other entities.

While you may have been told you need TEDS, in many cases it means you need compression stockings. TED hose, short for thromboembolism-deterrent hose, are those used for non-ambulatory patients to prevent blood clots during and immediately following surgery; however, our common phrase is “TEDS are for beds”! Once the patient is ambulatory – sitting, standing, or walking – a gradient compression garment (far more fashionable than hospital white) will offer a better fit and be far more comfortable because of the better fit while applying the appropriate gradient compression at the ANKLE.

Many of our customers are self-referred, and a prescription is not required for purchasing a ready-to-wear compression garment. Our customer will usually leave The Comfort Store with the garment needed with no special ordering required. An RX from your healthcare provider does give us guidance as to the particular compression level and type of garment he/she feels necessary, and an RX also will save you the sales tax. You may have your healthcare provider fax the RX to us at 512-326-8541.

An appointment is not needed for the fitting of a ready-to-wear garment. If you actually need a custom-made garment, an appointment is necessary for the fitting. Please call to schedule with one of our fitters.

While we are not a provider for most insurance plans, we will provide information for insurance codes to enable the customer to file against his insurance provider for possible reimbursement. Insurance plans vary from company to company and member plan to member plan. Only your insurance company can advise you on reimbursement based upon your specific plan and deductible amount. A prescription from your healthcare provider is necessary, and it must include an ICD-10 code (diagnosis code). We will provide you with the HCPC number/product number necessary for filing.

You will be given information on the care of your garment. While elastic garments, including socks, are not fragile, they do require a little extra attention, and caring for your stockings appropriately will extend the life of the garment. Washing thigh highs, for example, should be done after each wearing to refresh the silicone dots or strips so the garment is held in place and doesn’t slide down the leg. It also refreshes the yarns in the stockings that pick up flakes of dead skin and body oils.

It is recommended that your stockings be replaced every
4-6 months. Medical grade stockings are designed to give a specific compression level at the ankle and calf i.e. 15-20 mmHg, 20-30 mmHg, and 30-40 mmHg. They will lose their compression level after 4-6 months depending on how many pairs you have and how you have cared for them. Wearing older stockings or not caring for them properly could allow edema (swelling) to return or not give the protection to the veins that the stockings provided when they were new.

We stock many open toe stockings for women and several for men. Your healthcare can make suggestions for either closed toe or open toe as needed for your specific medical needs. If you don’t have a prescription, the staff at The Comfort Store can make suggestions to meet your lifestyle needs.

Most of our customers learn to put their compression stockings on with no difficulty, but it does require practice. There is a “learning curve” for donning these garments. Some of our customers will have difficulty because of weakness in the hands or difficulty in reaching the feet. We have numerous donning devices or butlers for assisting in getting the stockings on. They are VERY helpful for even caregivers who may be assisting in donning the stockings.

While it sounds very logical that zippers will help in donning stockings, this is not the case. While we do carry stockings with zippers, they often require 3 hands to get the stockings on – two hands to pull the zipper together so that a third hand can pull up the zipper. Donning devices or butlers do a much better job! There are several little helpful tricks to more easily get compression stockings on.

The cost of your compression stockings is based upon the style and compression level. Do you need a knee high, a thigh high, or a waist high? AND what is the compression level needed – 15-20 mmHg, 20-30 mmHg, or 30-40 mmHg.

Heredity plays a huge role in whether you develop varicose or spider veins or blood clots. If a family member had these problems, there is a good possibility that you will eventually develop the same. Wearing compression stockings can play a key role in prevention. Other factors are standing for long periods, travel, pregnancy, and following surgical procedures – all huge factors for developing swelling, vein problems, and DVT’s (blood clots).

Compression stockings should be used for lymphedema care, a condition of the lymphatic system, an important part of the circulatory system. Compression stockings are usually prescribed AFTER lymphedema treatment i.e. Manual Lymph Drainage. Once treatment has occurred, and when the edema or swelling of the limb is at a manageable level, stockings are usually prescribed to maintain the edema related to this condition.

Compression garments have come a long way over the years. For women, we have sheer stockings, diamond patterned sheer stockings, socks with cute prints and stripes, and fabrics that are opaque like tights.

Unless you have been diagnosed with a medical condition, a compression level of 15-20 mmHg is the usual recommendation for traveling to prevent DVT’s or edema. Some socks, called Travel Socks, are sized by shoe size only and are often found in travel magazines. These may not be engineered as gradient compression socks nor be FDA approved. Ankle and calf measurements are very important. A person with a 10 shoe size in these “travel socks” would choose a size large but might actually have a very small ankle measurement. A very small ankle measurement probably would need a size small in a gradient compression, ankle/calf sized sock to get the 15-20 mmHg needed to prevent swelling and blood clots. While choosing a shoe sized sock sounds quick and simple, it’s not always the best prevention.