Why You Should Never Ignore a Leg Ulcer

If you suffer from a leg ulcer, you should seek treatment immediately. Choosing to ignore it puts you at risk of developing serious health issues, such as cellulitis, osteomyelitis, septicemia, venous eczema, and even malignancy.

Dr. Muthu Velusamy and our team of varicose veins specialists understand venous insufficiency and the damage it can cause. At Cardiovascular Institute of America in Tampa and Lutz, Florida, we’re also wound care experts who can provide healing treatments for your leg ulcer.

Evidence of a leg ulcer

Venous leg ulcers typically develop between your ankle and knee, but more commonly on the inside of your leg just above your ankle. Your symptoms can include:

• Shallow wound with uneven edges
• Draining of fluid
• Swelling in your leg
• Itchy, red skin around the wound
• Heaviness in your legs
• Tightness in your calves
• Throbbing
• Pooled blood under your skin
• Splotchy skin

If your wound starts to sink down deeper into your skin, it can get infected and take a long time to heal. 

Cause of leg ulcers

Your veins are like pipes, allowing your blood to flow freely. But when the valves in your leg veins have trouble keeping blood moving to your heart, the blood can pool in the veins.

An ulcer can form when you have persistent high blood pressure in veins that have these  malfunctioning valves. Your skin becomes damaged, allowing the wound to form.

Treatment options for a leg ulcer

Our treatments are highly personalized. We first evaluate the condition of your wound and work with you on determining the right treatment for you. It may include:

• Wearing compression hose
• Removing dead skin from your wound
• Changing out your dressing
• Taking antibiotics to ward off infection
• Keeping your legs in an elevated position as much as possible

We also use sclerotherapy with an injection that collapses your varicose veins, causing it to ultimately disappear, or we can use radiofrequency ablation to heat and collapse your veins.

How to prevent a leg ulcer

To keep your veins healthy or to stop issues from getting worse, we recommend that you:

• Avoid sitting for too long
• Stand up and move your body
• Don’t smoke, or quit if you do
• Keep a consistent exercise schedule
• Keep your weight within a healthy range

Staying proactive about your venous health can help you avoid the possibility of developing leg ulcers. 

To learn more about leg ulcers, or if you have symptoms of your own, schedule an appointment with Dr. Velusamy and our team today. Contact us at the office nearest you by calling or using the online booking tool. 

Please feel free to send us a message before your visit if you have any questions or concerns.