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The price differences in Compression Stockings and Socks can be confusing.  The pictures look the same and the descriptions don't always shed a lot of light on why one sock costs so much more than another.  Is it just brand?  Are they all the same?  The short answer is, no, there are important differences between a manufacture's economy line and their premium line.  Companies like Jobst make a wide range of compression stockings and socks.  All compression stockings need to be hand washed and l …

Compression stockings and socks are used to help relieve tired, achy legs, swelling of feet and ankles, and to increase blood flow. Compression stockings and socks come in different compression levels. The measurement used for compression stockings, is mmHg, otherwise known as millimeters of mercury. The higher the number of mmHg, the firmer the compression will feel when wearing the socks or stockings. The different levels of compression are worn to combat different medical conditions. The bes …

I spend a lot of time researching and learning about ostomy.  I have read countless articles on ileostomy, what it is, how it works, and how to help people live their best life with one.  An ileostomy is a surgically created opening in the abdominal wall.  With an ileostomy the ileum, the lowest part of the small intestine, is brought through the abdominal wall to form a stoma.  The stoma is actually the intestine.  The stoma is usually pink or red and it does not have nerve endings.  Right aft …

Common Questions Regarding Using Medical Tape with Your Ostomy SystemProblem: The edges of my ostomy wafer are peeling up when I am in the pool or when it is hot and I am sweating. Solution:3M Blenderm is a waterproof plastic tape. The waterproof aspect of this tape will help it stand up to the pool or even sweat from the summer heat.  The best way to tape an ostomy wafer is to "frame" the outside edges with the tape. Literally making a picture frame of tape, make sure the tape is half on the wa …

When you are standing in a pharmacy aisle or looking at an online medical supply store, it is very easy to be overwhelmed with the choices for medical tape.  This will hopefully help you understand what 3M means by medipore, transpore, microfoam, etc. 3M makes high quality medical and surgical tape. More than likely, if you were in the hospital you have seen 3M tape. All the medical tapes listed in this article are hypoallergenic. They are not all latex-free.Different Styles of 3M Medical Tape: …

Emergency preparedness is important for everyone.  Weather conditions can disrupt electricity, water, and shipping.  You should always have canned goods, flashlights, water, extra batteries, and an emergency radio on hand just in case.  But what if you have a medical condition, like an ostomy?  This brings a whole new reason for emergency preparedness.   Most people have their ostomy supplies delivered to their home directly from an online medical supply store.  When shipping halts due to impas …

There are standard wheelchairs and there are transport chairs, how do you know which one will best meet your needs?  The first step is, you need to determine how you will be using your new wheelchair or transport chair.  Will you be pushing yourself?  Which chair will work best for your budget?  Will a caregiver or family member be pushing you in the chair?  Another consideration is, how often will you be using your chair?Transport Chair Information:Transport chairs have small front and back w …

Express Medical Supply is celebrating their customers with FREE GIFTS!  Every order placed between February 9th - 13th will receive a free gift!  The free gift is for any order no matter how small and because this is such a great offer, supplies may be limited so substitutions may occur.  Each day will mean a new surprise gift!  Every night at midnight, the free gift will change, so each day is a chance for something new to be added to your order!  The gift is for all of our customers who place …

In 1995, Marty Postlethwait founded the Shadow Buddies Foundation to help her son Miles. Miles wanted a friend just like him, someone that had the same physical challenges that he was born with, he wanted a doll that could shadow him to his doctor's appointments and be a friend during treatments. Marty took action and she made Miles his Shadow Buddy. Shadow Buddies started with dolls that represented 4 different medical conditions and has now expanded to include 26 conditions.An amazing aspect o …

Nitrile, Latex, or Latex-Free Medical Gloves: Which Works for Me?There are many varieties of medical gloves.  How do you choose which type of gloves to use?  What should you look for in an exam glove?  What is a nitrile glove? How do you know if you are allergic to latex? It can be daunting to see a shelf or online medical supply store full of many varieties of the same item. They are made of different materials and they have different costs, so how do you know which one you need? Personal pre …