Venous Ulcer...?

Question

Venous Ulcer.... How do you get them, what are the steps to healing one, and how long does it take?

Answer 1

Poor circulation mainly. I just got my first one two weeks ago and it scared me because I didn't know what it was. I went to the doctor and she prescribed Betamethasone Dipropionate which is a steriod cream. I rub it on twice a day and it is almost completely gone now. You have to get it taken care of soon because it can get progressively worse without treatment. She showed me stage 3 and you don't want that trust me. See a doctor.

Answer 2

Venous ulceration generally result from chronic venous hypertension, as a consequence of incompetence of venous drainage of the leg (as they are invariably gravity dependent).

In fact, superficial varicose veins alone are probably not enough to give you venous ulceration. The venous drainage of the leg is through a network of deep and superficial veins, via a common pathway of the deep veins in the groin.

Incompetenceof the superficial veins is unsightly but usually compensated well if the deep veins are patent and the valves competent.

The people who get venous ulcers generally have had previous deep venous damage, either idiopathic valvular weakness or post-thrombotic following recanalisation after a DVT.

This is more likely as you get older simply because you connective tissues get gradually weaker but there is huge variation in the rate at which people age biologically rather than true chronolical age.

Bad luck is a lot of the answer as to why people get them.
Healing them: 4 layer compression bandaging, as long as you don't have comorbid arterial disease.

Surgery DOES NOT ASSIST ULCER HEALING, although some research suggests it may reduce the incidence of recurrence after healing has occured (the studies in question having certain methodological limitations in the conclusions they drew).

It can take several months to be successful, and 4 layer bandaging needs experienced nursing care to work well.

Not an easy problem, I hope it heals for you.