What is a Venous Leg Ulcer?
In short, it is a chronic, open sore that develops on the leg (often near the ankle) due to poor blood circulation in the leg veins. They are often painful and take more than a month to heal. 60-80% of all leg wounds are Venous Leg Ulcers.
How is it caused?
It is caused by Venous Insufficiency (sometimes called vein disease, varicose veins, venous reflux, or chronic venous insufficiency). This condition occurs when the veins in the legs don’t pump blood back to the heart properly, blood pools in the veins and builds up pressure. The pressure may cause fluid to leak from blood vessels into the tissue of the leg resulting in swelling. When this occurs, there is stretching in the skin and would healing is decreased while risk of infection increases.
What are the symptoms of a Venous Leg Ulcer?
While the main symptom of a Venous Leg Ulcer is the wound itself. A Venous Leg Ulcer may occur alongside swollen ankles, skin darkening, skin hardening (having a woody consistency), heaviness or tired feeling in the legs, or sometimes muscle cramps.
How do I get rid of my Venous Leg Ulcer?
Venous leg ulcers are unlikely to heal without specialist treatment. These wounds always require compression and good wound care by a qualified clinician. Treatment may also involve closing the veins that are causing the ulcer by using endovenous laser ablation or ultrasound guided microfoam treatment. These wounds can take some time to heal, but with qualified, consistent care successful wound healing is possible.
