Venous Stasis Ulcers or “Venous Ulcers” are open wounds that occur around the ankle or lower leg, particularly when the legs do not push blood back to the heart.
Indeed, the blood which clogs in veins to build up the pressure and, if not treated at the right time, the increased pressure and excess of fluids in the affected area can cause an open sore. In addition, they do not heal for weeks or months. In simpler terms, they persist for a long period.
Causes:
The high pressure in the veins of the lower leg is the prime cause of Venous Ulcers. This leads to various problems such as damage to the cells and tissues. ( forms a wound, etc.)
Below are a few issues that can cause the Venous Ulcers:
- Varicose veins
- Venous hypertension
- Venous insufficiency
- Blood clots or poor circulation
Symptoms of Venous Ulcers:
some common signs of Venous Ulcers include:
- Leg swelling, heaviness and cramping.
- Itchiness and tingling, red-colored skin.
- Skin surrounding the ulcers may be tight, shiny, and warm
- Unevenly shaped borders of ulcers
- Leg pain
Who is at risk?
Following are the risk factors for Venous Ulcers:
- Varicose veins
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Smoking
- Family history of venous insufficiency
- Blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis)
- Blockage of the lymph vessels
- Older age, being female, or being tall
- Sitting or standing for a long period (usually for specific work)
- Fracture of a long bone in the leg or other serious injuries type (such as burns or muscle damage)
How can you reduce the risk of Venous Ulcers?
- Quit Smoking (since it’s bad for your blood vessel )
- If you are diabetic, keep your blood sugar level under control
- Perform physical exercise
- Consume healthy food and get plenty of sleep at night
- Lose weight (if you are overweight)
- Manage your blood pressure
Diagnosis & Treatment:
Generally, experts employ Duplex Ultrasound (a noninvasive test) in order to diagnose abnormal veins which cause Venous Ulcers. And, thus, provide you with effective treatment by utilizing different approaches. This includes Debridement & the use of the advanced dressing, Platelet-rich Plasma (PRP), dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane dHACM allograft Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT), or other surgical procedures.