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Leg Ulcers & Other Skin Changes Chicago

Venous leg ulcers are sores on your leg or foot that generally form on the inside of leg. A lot of the time, leg ulcers will develop just above the ankle. They can be caused by injuries or a condition that affects the veins. If bacteria gets into the ulcer, it can become infected and get even worse. Leg ulcers can be chronic and often take more than four weeks to heal.

Although leg ulcers can form due to injury, it is vastly more common that there is a disease present causing the ulcers to form. There a few types of diseases that might cause this, including venous diseases, arterial diseases, and rheumatoid arthritis, among others.

Venous diseases are those that cause your veins to not properly distribute blood to the rest of your body. Four out of five leg ulcers resulting from a disease are caused by venous diseases.

Arterial diseases are those that affect your arteries. With arterial diseases, your arteries do not function properly which can result in leg ulcers.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition that affects the joints in your body. It may result in leg ulcers, although this is not as common as with other conditions.

Symptoms of a venous leg ulcer include discolored, hardened, or scabbing skin around the site of the ulcer; pain, itching or irritated skin around the site of the ulcer; swollen ankles or swollen veins in the legs or ankles. Pain and severity differ between cases.

If the site around the leg ulcer becomes infected by bacteria, these symptoms will get worse, and the ulcer may begin to emit a green discharge with a foul stench. You may also experience a lot of pain in addition to a fever. If this is the case, seek professional medical attention immediately.

Treatment for leg ulcers and other skin conditions will often include controlling the pressure in the veins surrounding the site. This means elevating the leg, using compression bandaging or stockings, as well as dressings. Consulting a physician about proper treatment will be important.

After treatment, it is possible that leg ulcers might return. It is essential to actively prevent the recurrence of leg ulcers once they have been treated. This includes elevating your legs when laying down, regular use of compression stockings and bandaging, and regularly exercising your legs.

If you are a resident of Chicago, Naperville, or Schaumburg, Illinois, and are experiencing what you expect might be a leg ulcer, Veins Without Surgery may be able to help you. Our treatments, as our name suggests, will not be surgical in nature. We will work to find a way to eliminate your condition without invasive surgery. Call today or schedule an appointment online.

 

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Veins Without Surgery
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