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When treating leg ulcers, there are several areas involved in the treatment, such as the possibility of antibiotics, wound or ulcer care and nutrition. It can be a combination of treatments that aid in healing an ulcer. Antibiotics may need to be prescribed to control the bacteria growth and the spread of any infection. Many ulcers need weekly wound care to help them heal. This consists of having the ulcer regularly cleaned to remove any debris and rebandaged with clean bandages. The bandages may be wrapped as a compression bandage, which is adding several layers of bandages over the dressing, then a compression stocking over the bandages. This helps to keep the pressure down in the veins, which is thought to be the most important aspect of ulcer healing. Dressing changes are typically done once a week. If the bandage causes any numbness or problems with circulation, it should be removed immediately.
Disruption to the circulation can impede the healing process and cause an ulcer to worsen. Leg ulcers should be kept elevated. Elevating the leg higher than the hip helps to pull any fluid that has collected in the direction it should go, which is towards the heart. This helps prevent excess swelling in the leg, which helps to relieve excess pressure in the veins of the leg as well, and promotes better healing. -
Nutrition plays a big role in healing leg ulcers. Getting the right mix of treatment and nutrition can help an ulcer heal effectively and timely. There are certain vitamins and minerals that are known to aid in the healing process: vitamin C is one of these vitamins. It has been found that vitamin C mixed with bioflavonoids increases the potential of better circulation. Other vitamins known to help with circulation are vitamin E, B complex, zinc and amino acids. Vitamin K is also important; it is known to play an important role in the clotting of the blood. Getting the right nutritional balance with vitamins and minerals helps to fight infection, aids in blood clotting factors and properly oxygenates the blood for faster healing. Smoking is known to decrease the amount of oxygen that gets to the ulcer through the bloodstream, which prevents potential healing. If you suffer from a leg ulcer and smoke, you should stop smoking to allow better blood flow to the wound.
Your diet also plays a big role in curing a leg ulcer. A diet high in fiber and a lot of leafy, green vegetables, especially dark green vegetables, is best. You should avoid sweets and refined sugar and eat more garlic and onions, which help to increase circulation. - Sometimes, it is necessary to perform surgery to help a leg ulcer to heal. The main type of surgical procedure performed on leg ulcers is known as subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery (SEPS). It is a minimally invasive procedure that treats the underlying causes of an ulcer. It is a procedure that requires disconnecting malfunctioning perforator veins that are not allowing proper blood flow to get to the extremity. With the disconnection, the blood flow is redirected through the good veins and can get to the ulcer more efficiently to aid in healing it. After surgery, it is important to get plenty of rest while keeping your leg elevated. You will also need to continue wound care and to keep the ulcer free of bacteria.
