Compression bandages are useful for healing minor joint sprains and reducing swelling. Most bandages are elasticized and allow you to wrap the bandage snugly around the area of injury or swelling. Occasionally, compression bandages are wrapped over a wound dressing to keep it in place. Compression bandages are made in different sizes and widths to accommodate different parts of the body. Compression bandages reduce swelling by aiding your veins in returning excess fluid to your circulation.
What to Look for
Most compression bandages come with a metal hook or Velcro attachment to help you keep the bandage in place. This feature is great because it keeps you from having to use a potentially dangerous safety pin or cumbersome tape to hold your bandage together. Taping your bandage can make it difficult to remove, and once you take off your bandage, it makes it difficult to reuse it.
Common Pitfalls
One common mistake people make when buying compression bandages is buying a bandage that's too small. Remember that in order to decrease swelling, you need to be able to wrap the bandage around your limb several times. If you purchase a bandage that's too big, most of them can be cut down to size. As long as the bandage is not applied directly over an open wound, they are reusable. And if your bandage is clean and still maintains its elasticity, go ahead and give it another application.
Another common mistake people make is that they apply the bandage too tightly. You never want to apply a bandage so tightly that your fingers or toes lose sensation, become cold or look discolored. If you are trying to reduce swelling, don't rely on the compression bandage alone. Elevation of the swollen limb will multiply the effects of the bandage. Elevation will aid the excess fluid around the site of injury to return back to circulation.
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