An ulcer is a non-healing tear in the layers of the skin that may be accompanied by inflammation. When an ulcer does not heal, it becomes chronic. Chronic leg ulcers mainly affect older people.
People with diabetes are especially at risk, so foot care is an important part of treating this condition.
The most common cause of chronic ulcers is poor circulation in the legs. These ulcers are called arterial and venous. Other reasons include:
? injuries (traumatic ulcers);
? diabetes mellitus - due to poor circulation or loss of sensation (nerve damage), which leads to the development of bedsores;
? some skin diseases;
? vascular diseases (stroke, angina, myocardial infarction);
Arterial ulcers account for about 10% of all cases of ulcers. Feet often feel cold and may take on a whitish or bluish shiny hue.
Arterial ulcers can be painful. Pain often increases when the legs are at rest and in an elevated position. Pain can be eased by sitting on the edge of the bed and placing your feet on the floor. The force of gravity will cause more intense blood flow to the legs.
What can cause or worsen arterial ulcers?
? high blood pressure;
? damaged tissue and scars left after already healed ulcers;
? coronary heart disease, including coronary thrombosis (blood clots blocking the heart arteries);
? atherosclerosis in the legs;
Venous ulcers account for 70% of all cases of ulcer development. A leg affected by such an ulcer has a characteristic appearance.
? The skin surrounding the ulcer is dry, itchy, and sometimes thickened and brownish in color. In case of severe swelling, the skin softly stretches and shines;
? Varicose eczema may develop, in which the skin becomes scaly and cracks;
? The ulcer has the appearance of an abrasion and is usually painless unless there is inflammation;
? If inflamed, the ulcer may emit a foul odor and secrete a pale yellowish-green fluid;
Venous ulcers often appear just above the ankle, usually on the inside of the leg.
What can trigger or worsen a venous ulcer?
? Healed ulcers that have damaged part of the venous system;
? fracture or other injuries;
? blood clots in the deep veins (deep vein thrombosis);
? work that requires sitting or standing for long periods of time;
? inflammation of the veins (phlebitis), especially deep ones;
? pregnancy - the greater the number of conceptions, the higher the risk;
Treatment is determined by the factors that caused the ulcer or are preventing it from healing. Once these factors are under control, such as blood sugar in diabetes, the ulcer should go away on its own.
The course of treatment includes cleaning the wound, anti-inflammatory treatment and the use of bandages. If there is no arterial disease, pressure bandages and bandages with the leg elevated will be beneficial.
Vascular surgery may also be beneficial: implantation of new leg arteries or balloon angioplasty, a procedure that dilates narrowed arteries and removes their blockage. Sometimes a leg ulcer can be closed with plastic surgery. The procedure involves grafting skin from some area of the body over the ulcer.
If the ulcer is caused by any disease, it must be treated. For example, a patient may be prescribed cholesterol-lowering medications to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and improve blood flow to tissues.
The article will discuss trophic ulcers in varicose veins. The complication is an extremely serious dysfunction of the body; in the worst case, ulcerative processes can lead to death.
Treatment can be divided into three stages - diagnosis, treatment of the ulcer (surgical and medicinal), support for wound healing.
The doctor’s preventive and supportive recommendations will need to be followed for several months after the active stage of treatment.
We will talk further about how to treat trophic ulcers on the legs with varicose veins at home.
Varicose veins on the legs can lead to serious and unpleasant complications, one of which is a trophic ulcer. Chronic disruption of blood flow leads to isolation of soft tissues. They stop receiving nutrition, and the capabilities of the immune system in the area of a future ulcer are reduced.
The formation of varicose ulcers on the leg is a rather long process. It is preceded by a long period of pain and discomfort. First of all, swelling occurs and the limbs become heavy. Cramps may occur at night.
Then the skin begins to itch very much, it changes visually, the veins in the legs swell and ulcers begin to develop.
After this, the vessels acquire purple and violet colors, and the affected area increases.
The last stage – atypical smoothness and shine of the skin.
It is almost impossible not to pay attention to the deterioration of well-being. The appearance of whitish lumps on the surface of the skin is considered critical. If you scratch this area even slightly, the reaction will be extremely unpleasant. The risk of infection increases many times over.
Microorganisms will immediately begin to multiply, and ulcers will quickly form on the body. Please note that ulcerative processes can be caused by leeches, which are sometimes used specifically for the treatment of varicose veins. Also, anti-varicose creams and gels sometimes play a bad joke.
If you use them constantly for many months, the tissues can be weakened, and the risk of trophic ulcers will only increase.
The most common area of the body (prone to ulcerative processes) is the lower leg area. The high probability is due to the specific structure of the body. The blood mainly moves in a circle there; due to illness, waste products accumulate in it, which cannot be removed from the circulation. Due to the abundance of waste, blood acquires a pronounced brown color.
The ulcer develops rapidly . In total, there are four stages - the onset of the disease, damage to the surface of the skin, soft tissues, penetration down to the bones. During the first two to three days, a trophic ulcer on the leg with varicose veins affects the upper skin.
The lesion then penetrates deeper, affecting the Achilles tendon and the back of the calf muscle. The disease can go even deeper inside, right down to the bone tissue; the periosteum of the tibia is in danger.
Unfortunately, if treatment is not started, subsequent complications are possible. Against the background of general deterioration, inguinal lymphadenitis, erysipelas, and varicothrombophlebitis with pus may develop.
Sometimes the consequences of a long-term illness are irreversible enlargement of the lymph nodes.
However, according to statistics, this occurs in only 2% of advanced diseases.
In the saddest cases, sepsis can be fatal.
Further in the article we will talk about how to treat ulcers with varicose veins on the legs.
Treatment of leg ulcers due to varicose veins, of course, begins with making the correct diagnosis. Diagnosis of a trophic ulcer is a complex and complex process.
To determine the causes and condition of the disease, the following methods are used:
The complexity and diversity of research is due to a variety of reasons. After all, an ulcer can be a consequence not only of varicose veins, but also of other dysfunctions of the body . These include, for example, diabetes, hypertension, neurotrophic and infectious ulcers.
And if leg ulcers are caused by varicose veins, how to treat them? The disease is treated with medication and surgery.
Doctors use low negative pressure to remove pus from the ulcer.
VAC therapy increases blood circulation and reduces swelling.
Laser coagulation, curettage, catheterization, and sclerotherapy are also used.
Surgical intervention is necessarily accompanied by drug treatment . At the initial stages of therapy, broad-spectrum antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, diclofenac) are used.
Often the patient has to undergo intravenous injections of antiplatelet agents (pentoxifylline or reopoglukin), and anti-allergy medications (tavegil and others) may also be prescribed.
Medicines will also be required for local treatment. After the surgical procedure, the damaged area must be cleaned of harmful microorganisms and dead tissue. The ulcer is washed with chlorhexidine and furatsilin. Bandages with levomikol or dioxykol are applied to the wound.
For this, ointments are used, for example, ebermin, solcoseryl, acteviin . The last phase of treatment is to eliminate the cause of the ulcer, that is, varicose veins. The doctor gives recommendations to avoid relapses and prescribes preventive procedures.
Prevention of varicose leg ulcers, as a rule, is regular health-improving physical education, the use of compression garments, and avoidance of excessive stress. It is recommended to lubricate the scarring areas for a long time with herbal oils based on St. John's wort or chamomile.
The main reason for the formation of a trophic ulcer in varicose veins is letting the disease take its course.
Self-medication can accelerate the negative course.
Leeches or months of use of creams against varicose veins often only worsen the patient’s condition.
Now you know how to treat leg ulcers with varicose veins, but it is still better to carry out prevention in order to prevent the development of the disease.
Trophic ulcer is a disease that most often occurs in people of retirement age. However, young people cannot escape this disease, most often affecting the patient’s legs.
A trophic ulcer is a long-term non-healing wound, most often formed on the legs, associated with impaired tissue nutrition (blood supply).
There is always a “preparatory” stage before an ulcer appears. It lasts for years in the human body and is associated with changes in blood vessels .
Initially, swelling appears and only goes away in the morning. Then small veins appear protruding onto the surface of the skin of the leg, then large ones, dilated venous nodes appear, then blue pigment spots.
The skin becomes thin and the end result is the appearance of a trophic ulcer.
The causes of ulcers are very diverse. Most often, the causes of the disease include the long-term process of varicose veins (a disease of the surface of the veins), post-thrombotic disease (a disease that developed after deep vein thrombosis).
Trophic ulcers often become a consequence of diseases.
Varicose veins gradually lead to trophic changes in the skin, most often in the ankle joint. Dilated veins disrupt blood circulation, causing blood clots to form, which affect the appearance of purulent foci.
Not all people with varicose veins develop trophic ulcers. For ulcers to appear, there must be some other mechanism acting from the outside that accompanies the development of ulcers.
These causes of trophic ulcers on the legs include:
However, most often, an ulcer appears due to the fault of the person himself, when he does not follow the doctor’s basic recommendations for the treatment of one or another of the listed diseases.
As a rule, the symptoms of a trophic ulcer on the leg largely duplicate the symptoms of the disease that provokes it, but they also have their own characteristics.
Symptoms and signs that characterize the further appearance of ulcers include, in increasing order, pain in the legs, night cramps, swelling that does not go away in the morning, the appearance of “bluish” spots on the legs, accompanied by a burning sensation, and the appearance of ulcers.
If after six to eight weeks there is no scarring of the resulting wound, we can safely talk about the appearance of a trophic ulcer.
If you understand the cause of a trophic ulcer, you can make the following classification:
Ulcers come in different shapes: oval or round. There may be one ulcer or several, combined into one.
An ulcer can also be classified depending on its size (it all depends on the area). The following are distinguished: small ulcer, medium, large, extensive.
A dangerous enemy, deep vein phlebothrombosis, must be diagnosed and eliminated in time. Find out how to do this here.
All vessels and veins stop working properly due to impaired blood circulation. Small vessels are most often affected. Further, the disease covers larger veins, and at the final stage an ulcer appears. According to doctors, up to ninety percent of ulcers form on the ankles of the feet .
There are four stages of ulcer development:
Treatment begins with a step-by-step diagnosis, which includes the following activities.
First of all, visual diagnostics (inspection of the wound).
Vascular diagnostics are often prescribed (using ultrasound), blood tests (detection of blood sugar) and urine, as well as consultations with other specialists (venereologist, cardiologist, gynecologist, etc.).
Treatment of this disease is very complex and lengthy. This disease can only be treated by a specialist - a dermatologist in collaboration with specialists in other fields. After ten to fifteen days of treatment, if there is no improvement, treatment should be repeated. Self-medication is not acceptable here.
The photo shows how a trophic ulcer on the leg is treated with a laser
As a result of diagnosis, a comprehensive treatment program is drawn up for the patient.
First of all, this is diet therapy . The use of products that inhibit the development of atherosclerosis and changes in blood vessels. It is necessary to exclude spicy, fatty, salty foods, as well as alcohol.
Wear compression garments selected by a specialist. Strict hygiene is mandatory. It is necessary to treat not only the ulcer itself, but also the entire system of ailments that led to it.
This treatment includes drug therapy in specialized clinic departments, aimed at cleansing the body, as well as washing and treating ulcers.
The complex of conservative treatment of trophic ulcers on the legs includes the following areas:
They also practice intravenous and infusion therapy, intravenous laser irradiation, lymphatic drainage massage, and magnetic therapy.
Doctors recommend that when using conservative treatment of trophic wounds, not to abandon folk remedies for treating trophic ulcers.
Herbal medicine is very appropriate in this case . They are aimed at healing ulcers and reducing pain. Compresses from sea buckthorn oil, fresh grated carrots, compresses (lotions) from chestnut, chamomile, gruel from tomatoes and boiled potatoes, St. John's wort and sea buckthorn oil.
When all methods of conservative treatment have been tried and no results have been achieved, the ulcerative defect has not healed or the trophic ulcer is quite large, the last resort remains - surgical intervention.
Plastic surgeries are being performed. They consist of transplanting a damaged area of skin. This method solves quite a lot of problems that are not accessible to traditional treatment methods. So, the pain goes away the very next day after skin grafting.
Ozone has very good oxidizing properties. As a result, high wound cleansing is achieved. Microtic tissues are removed. The site of the ulcerative lesion is preliminarily prepared for plastic surgery.
External ozone therapy is carried out in a course of five to ten procedures, is well tolerated and can be combined with any type of therapy.
Cream with antibacterial action, in the form of a white homogeneous mass.
Treatment of trophic ulcers on the legs with this substance promotes rapid healing of wounds.
Prescribed for the treatment of trophic ulcers or preparing the skin for plastic surgery.
It is used both openly and in the form of a “mush” for dressings.
There are many subtleties in the treatment and after treatment of a trophic ulcer.
If the treatment process is delayed and strong substances (tar, salicylic acid) are used, skin cancer may occur and develop. This circumstance can lead to amputation of the affected limb.
Most often, trophic ulcers occur as a result of untreated varicose veins . Therefore, the prevention of trophic ulcers on the legs includes, first of all, the prevention of varicose veins and other diseases that provoke the appearance of ulcers.
You should give your legs a rest , and if visible symptoms (swelling or spider veins) appear, start using ointments or gels. We should not forget about compression garments, gymnastics and diet.
When the first signs of a trophic disease appear, special attention should be paid to the hygiene of the affected area . Often, changes in the skin noticed in time, after receiving the necessary treatment, quickly disappear. Comprehensive treatment of the disease, as a rule, avoids the appearance of ulcers.
Trophic ulcers are an invariable companion to the advanced state of many ailments of the skin and blood vessels. Planned complex therapy for such diseases, in most cases, blocks the appearance of ulcers. If ulcers do begin to appear, you should immediately consult a doctor and begin treatment.
In the world, more than two million people suffer from the appearance of trophic ulcers on the legs (legs and feet) . This is a disease characterized by a deep defect in the skin epithelium or basement membrane, accompanied by an inflammatory process. It leads to tissue loss, and scars remain on the skin after the ulcer heals. Treatment of trophic ulcers on the legs, despite the development of medicine, remains one of the most difficult. This is due to a violation of the nutritional process of cells - trophism (hence the name of the disease). At the same time, the protective functions of the body are reduced, and the regenerative ability is partially lost.
All types of trophic ulcers are the result of diseases associated with impaired blood flow in the legs, leading to insufficient nutrition of epithelial cells and their gradual death. Depending on what was the root cause of this disease, several types of manifestations are distinguished:
Ulcerations of this type occur with the progression of ischemia of the soft tissues of the leg, which is a consequence of obliterating atherosclerosis, which affects the main arteries. The appearance of this type of ulcer is most often caused by hypothermia of the legs; using tight shoes; as well as damage to the integrity of the skin. A trophic ulcer of this type is localized on the sole and outer side of the foot, the big toe (its terminal phalanx), and in the heel area. These are small wounds, semicircular, with torn, compacted edges, filled with purulent contents. The area of skin around them is pale yellow. Atherosclerotic ulcers most often affect older people. Their appearance is preceded by a slight “intermittent claudication”, in which it is difficult for the patient to climb stairs. He is constantly cold and gets tired quickly. The leg almost always remains cold and hurts at night. If treatment is not started at this stage, ulcers appear that gradually grow over the entire surface of the foot.
This type of trophic ulcer is formed mainly on the lower leg, in the lower part of its inner surface. They are extremely rare on the back and outside sides. They occur when the venous blood flow of the lower extremities is disrupted, including as a complication of varicose veins. The appearance of ulcers is preceded by the following symptoms:
At the end of the initial stage, whitish clamps appear, reminiscent of paraffin flakes. If treatment is not started at this stage, then after a few days a small ulcer will form, the development of which will progress. At first it affects only the skin, then the Achilles tendon, the calf muscle (in the back), and the periosteum of the tibia. In this case, pus is released from the ulcer, which has an unpleasant odor. If treatment for a trophic leg ulcer of venous origin is chosen incorrectly or started late, severe diseases may develop, such as erysipelas, inguinal lymphadenitis, purulent varicothrombophlebitis. It often leads to irreversible enlargement of the lymphatic vessels and elephantiasis of the lower leg. There have been cases where late treatment started caused sepsis with a fatal outcome.
Diabetes mellitus is a disease that gives many different complications, one of them is diabetic trophic ulcer. Its development begins with loss of sensitivity of the lower extremities, associated with the death of individual nerve endings. This can be felt when you run your hand over your leg (it remains cold to the touch). Night pain occurs. The symptoms are similar to an ulcer of arterial origin. But there is also a significant difference - there is no intermittent claudication syndrome. The location of the ulcer is most often on the thumbs. Often the causes of its appearance are injury to corns on the sole. Another difference from an arterial ulcer is that the wound is deeper and larger in size. A diabetic ulcer is very dangerous because it is more often than other forms susceptible to various infections, leading to gangrene and leg amputation. One of the common causes of diabetic ulcers is advanced leg angiopathy.
The causes of this type of trophic ulcer are head or spinal injuries. The area they affect is the lateral surface of the heel or part of the sole from the side of the heel tubercle. Ulcers are in the form of a deep crater, the bottom of which is bone, tendon or muscle. At the same time, their external dimensions are insignificant. Pus accumulates in them. An unpleasant odor emanates from the wound. The tissue in the area where the ulcerative hole is located loses sensitivity.
This type of ulcer is considered rare. It is formed against the background of constant high blood pressure, which causes hyalinosis of the walls of small vessels and their spasm that persists for a long time. It occurs more often in the female population of the older age group (after 40 years). The onset of the disease is characterized by the appearance of a papule or an area of red-bluish color, with slight pain. As the disease develops, they turn into manifestations. A distinctive feature of the hypertensive form is the symmetry of the lesion. Ulcers appear on both legs at once, localizing in the middle part of the outer surface. Unlike all other forms, they develop very slowly. At the same time, they are accompanied by excruciating pain that does not subside day or night. They have a high probability of bacterial infection.
The cause of pyogenic ulcers is a decrease in immunity caused by furunculosis, folliculitis, purulent eczema, etc. This disease is typical for people with low social culture. Most often, their appearance is associated with non-compliance with hygiene rules. Pyogenic ulcers are located singly or in groups on the lower leg, over its entire surface. They are usually oval in shape and shallow in depth.
Treatment of trophic ulcers of the lower extremities is strictly individual for each individual patient. This is due to the variety of reasons that cause their appearance. Therefore, it is important to correctly diagnose the type of ulcer. For this purpose, cytological, histological, bacteriological and other types of research are carried out. Instrumental diagnostic methods are also used. After an accurate diagnosis has been established, treatment procedures begin. Trophic ulcers can be treated using both surgical and medicinal methods. The complex of therapeutic measures also includes local treatment aimed at cleansing the wound of purulent contents and necrotic tissue, treating with antiseptic solutions and applying ointments that promote scarring of wounds and restoration of the epithelium. Physiotherapeutic procedures and traditional medicine play a great role in recovery.
Surgical methods are surgical interventions during which dead tissue is excised and the source of inflammation is removed. These include:
A course of medication necessarily accompanies any surgical operation. It can also be carried out as independent therapy for some forms of trophic ulcers of moderate and mild development. Treatment with medications is divided into several stages, depending on the stage of the disease. At the first stage (wetting ulcer stage), the course of drug therapy includes the following drugs:
Local treatment at this stage is aimed at cleansing the ulcer of dead epithelium and pathogenic bacteria. It includes:
Also, depending on the situation, blood purification (hemosorption) can be carried out. At the second stage, which is characterized by the initial phase of healing and scar formation, the treatment uses healing ointments for trophic ulcers - solcoseryl, actevigin, ebermin, etc., as well as antioxidant drugs, for example, tolcoferon. The nature of local treatment is also changing. At this stage, special wound coverings are used: Swiderm, Geshispon, Algimaf, Algipor, Allevin, etc. Treatment of the ulcerated surface is carried out with curiosin. At subsequent stages, drug treatment is aimed at eliminating the underlying disease that causes the trophic ulcer.
Elastic compression must be performed at all stages of treatment. Most often, this is a bandage made of several layers of elastic bandages of limited extensibility, which must be changed daily. This type of compression is used for open ulcers of venous origin. Compression significantly reduces swelling and vein diameter, improves blood circulation in the lower extremities and the functioning of the lymphatic drainage system. One of the progressive compression systems for the treatment of venous trophic ulcers is Saphena Med UCV. It uses a pair of elastic stockings instead of bandages. For the treatment of ulcers with varicose veins, permanent elastic compression using medical knitwear “Sigvaris” or “Medi”, compression class II or III, is recommended. To carry out intermittent compression for pyogenic, congestive and other types, you can use special compression bandages called “Unna boot” on a zinc-gelatin base or “Air Cast boot”.
To increase the effectiveness of treatment procedures, one of the physiotherapeutic (hardware) procedures is prescribed at the healing stage.
Sometimes the ulcer is localized over too large an area and medical therapy does not give positive results. The wound remains open, causing constant pain to the patient. Most often this occurs with venous insufficiency in a pronounced form. In these cases, skin grafting is recommended for trophic ulcers. It is taken from the buttocks or thighs. The transplanted areas of the skin, taking root, become a kind of stimulator for the restoration of the skin epithelium around the wound.
Treatment of trophic ulcers is very difficult. It is very difficult to clear them of purulent contents, which prevents the wound from healing and the start of the recovery process. Significantly increases the effectiveness of drug therapy for trophic ulcers (especially at the healing stage), treatment with folk remedies. It includes washing the ulcerated hole with infusions and decoctions of medicinal plants, followed by treating them with prepared homemade ointments. The most effective antiseptic properties are infusions of celandine herbs, chamomile, calendula and string. They not only eliminate the inflammatory process, but also promote the formation of young epithelium. After rinsing, you can use one of the following recipes:
Treatment of trophic ulcers in diabetes is particularly difficult. The following recipes will help with this:
There are people who believe in the power of magic words. They can use a spell against trophic ulcers. To do this, it is important to perform a certain ritual, which is as follows:
From a bag of poppy seeds, collect exactly 77 seeds. You need to pour them into your palm and go to any intersection of two roads. Scatter the poppy seeds by standing in the wind. At the same time, the following words should be said: “77 evil spirits! You fly everywhere, Collecting tribute from sinful people! And take the ulcers from me, take them away! Throw them into an empty field, into that rotten expanse. Let the ulcers remain there, and they won’t come back to me again. My word is true, but the poppy seed is sticky. Everything said will come true, the dashing illness will be forgotten! AMEN!"
Even after complete healing of a trophic ulcer, relapses are possible. Therefore, it is important to follow all recommendations of your doctor. It is mandatory to carry out preventive treatment twice a year. Monitor the condition of blood vessels. Places with healed ulcers should be lubricated from time to time with oil infused with St. John's wort, calendula or chamomile. They have the ability to regenerate tissue. You need to avoid putting stress on your legs. It is recommended to wear special underwear that creates long-term compression. If possible, use treatment at balneological resorts. Contact a physical therapy office to select a set of physical exercises for you aimed at increasing the elasticity of blood vessels and reducing the risk of new ulcers.
Varicose veins of the lower extremities deservedly occupy one of the first places among all causes of disability. The leading symptoms of this pathology include ulcers on the legs due to varicose veins. The appearance of changes on the legs and feet is a consequence of disruption of the arteries and veins. As a result, the supply of blood to the surrounding tissues ceases, which leads to disruption of trophism. It is this process that is reflected in the very name of the disease - trophic ulcer of the lower extremities.
Varicose veins of the lower extremities necessarily lead to a weakening of the valve apparatus in the veins, a decrease in their elasticity and the occurrence of congestion in the vessels. Excess blood leads to changes in the structure of the walls of blood vessels, which reduces the nutrition of surrounding tissues with useful substances and the removal of waste products from body cells.
The causes of varicose veins are varied. This may include:
Other causes of the disease
Another cause of peptic ulcers on the legs is diabetes. This disease always affects blood vessels, which leads to disruption of tissue trophism. The process begins with damage to the nerve endings, which leads to a lack of sensitivity in the problem area.
Subsequent development of the disease is very similar to an arterial trophic ulcer. Blood sugar readings are important for differential diagnosis. It should also be taken into account that with diabetic vascular damage there is no gait disturbance in the patient.
Rarer types of such tissue lesions are hypertensive, pyogenic ulcers and neurotrophic ulcerative manifestations. The causes of these pathological processes are reflected in the names of the diseases themselves. A neurotrophic ulcer occurs after various injuries to the brain or spinal cord, hypertensive disorders are a consequence of high blood pressure, and a failure of the human immune system can lead to the development of pyogenic formations.
Modern medicine considers several stages of disease development. The process of formation of a primary trophic ulcer usually takes from 3 weeks to 2 months. During this period, swelling of the subcutaneous tissue develops in the affected area, inflammation, which is manifested by hyperemia of the skin.
The skin becomes mottled and round pale spots appear. This is a sign of necrosis. It is at the site of these spots that trophic ulcers form.
In the further development of the disease, the following stages can be noted:
Modern medicine attributes the occurrence of this pathology to the consequences of other pathological processes. The classification of ulcerative changes depends on the causes of tissue nutritional disorders.
First of all, ulcers are divided into arterial and venous. The former usually occur against the background of atherosclerotic changes in the arteries and are a symptom of obliterating atherosclerosis. With such a lesion, the main manifestations of the disease are located on the feet. They usually do not exceed 3–5 cm in diameter and have clear boundaries. These ulcers most often occur in older patients. Their appearance is preceded by neurological symptoms in the affected limbs, such as gait disturbances, pain and numbness in the legs.
a) Arterial ulcer; b) Venous ulcer
If the main ulcerative process occurs on the lower leg, then this indicates the presence of pathology in the venous network of the legs. Ulcers form in areas of the veins affected by varicose veins. We will consider the course of the disease, its clinical picture and treatment of trophic ulcers in varicose veins separately in more detail.
The fight against such manifestations of vascular disorders in the legs should be comprehensive. Vascular surgery specialists can offer their patients a fairly wide range of treatment options, which can be divided into three main types.
In this type of therapy, much depends on the stage of development of the process. If the ulcer on the leg contains purulent contents, experts recommend using bandages and compresses with a hypertonic solution. A pronounced positive effect can be obtained by using sea salt in the form of baths.
Various proteolytic enzymes, as well as interferon ointment, are widely used. These substances significantly speed up the period of cleansing the wound from pus. In addition, iodine solutions with antibiotics and antiseptics can be used for treatment.
If it is possible to achieve the transition of a wet ulcer to a dry one, drugs that improve the rheological properties of the blood and enhance the nutrition of the damaged areas come to the fore. Doctors have obtained excellent results when using complamin and rheopolyglucin to treat trophic ulcers.
Separately, it is necessary to highlight the main drug for local therapy - Solcoseryl ointment for trophic ulcers for varicose veins. A distinctive feature of this medicine is the possibility of use at almost any stage of the disease, since it is available in the pharmacy chain in the form of an ointment and gel. The effect of this medicinal substance is complex. The drug improves tissue trophism, removes decay products from tissue cells of the affected area, and helps cleanse the wound. In addition, the main effect of the use of solcoseryl is the acceleration of the formation of epithelial tissue on the surface of the ulcer.
As noted above, the treatment of trophic manifestations must be comprehensive, and traditional therapy plays a large role in this process. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are mandatory for this category of patients. Exclusion of the purulent component is the basis of treatment of this disease.
Don’t forget about agents that relieve tissue inflammation. Diclofenac and ibuprofen are widely used. When carrying out such treatment, it is necessary to exclude various pathologies of the esophagus and stomach in patients.
To improve rheology, rheopolyglucin and pentoxifyline are used, and antihistamines are prescribed to prevent various allergic reactions to the treatment.
To prevent disorders in the body associated with trophic ulcers, surgeons excise necrotic tissue and the source of inflammation itself. There are a variety of techniques for such surgical interventions. Here are some of them:
In addition to these three main treatment methods, modern medicine offers such patients a large selection of physiotherapeutic procedures that can be a good help in the fight against trophic ulcers in varicose veins. Most often, patients are recommended laser and magnetic therapy, ultraviolet irradiation of affected areas and ozone therapy.
The use of a pressure chamber also received good reviews. To consolidate the effect of treatment, experts advise their patients to undergo mud therapy in specialized resorts.
If the patient has varicose veins or wounds on the legs, treatment should only take place under the supervision of specialists. Although in some cases you can use traditional methods of combating this disease.
In the reference books of traditional medicine there are enough recipes for the treatment of trophic ulcers. Basically, such methods can be used after the acute process has stopped.
Experts advise using infusions and decoctions made from medicinal herbs – calendula, chamomile and string – for treatment. Celandine also has an excellent cleansing and regenerating effect.
To dry weeping ulcers, you can use an infusion of propolis in alcohol; ordinary tar has also proven itself to be effective. It is applied to the wound in the form of a compress; in the same form, Golden Us juice can be recommended.
Propolis should also be used as an ointment. The substance is mixed with goose fat in a ratio of 1 to 3 and a compress is made on the damaged area of the skin. The effect of such treatment often exceeds the wildest expectations of skeptics.
The positive qualities of tartar leaves have long been known in folk medicine. This plant gives good results in the treatment of ulcers of the lower extremities. Use as a powder on a cleaned and dried surface.
As with most chronic diseases, prevention of trophic ulcers in varicose veins is extremely important. First of all, constant monitoring by the patient of the condition of the veins and arteries of the legs is necessary. To do this, this category of patients must undergo preventive treatment for varicose veins once every six months.
The rest of the time you need to change your lifestyle. Avoid excessive stress on the provoked limbs as much as possible; physical impacts on the legs and feet are contraindicated.
It is necessary to constantly pay attention to exercise therapy. Doctors may recommend special sets of exercises to strengthen the walls of blood vessels in the legs. In everyday life, it is recommended to use special compression garments or elastic bandages to prevent congestion in the veins of the lower extremities. Mud baths and balneological resorts have already been discussed above.
The main condition for preventing the occurrence of ulcers in varicose veins is careful adherence to all recommendations of the attending physician. In this case, such a formidable complication as trophic ulcers will not join varicose veins.
In traditional medicine, Vishnevsky ointment plays an important role for varicose veins. It is also used for purulent wounds, thrombophlebitis, and inflammation of the veins. Ichthyol ointment is also included in the treatment.
Trophic ulcers of the lower extremities occur for various reasons - varicose veins, diabetes mellitus and others. Treatment with traditional methods can only worsen the situation. Medicines and dressings are reliable means in the fight against ulcers.
Damage to the blood vessels of the legs may lead to surgery being contraindicated. Then venotonics come to the rescue for varicose veins. They are also effective at the initial stage of varicose veins and before surgery. Which drugs, ointments or gels should I choose?
Patients with problems with the veins of the lower extremities should under no circumstances be left to chance. Complications of varicose veins of the lower extremities are dangerous due to their consequences. Which ones? Find out in our article.
Treatment methods for varicose veins of the lower extremities are quite extensive. Before deciding to go under the knife, it is worth trying alternative options.
Damage to the veins of the lower extremities is becoming increasingly common, even in young people. Traditional methods of treating varicose veins on the legs are becoming a worthy alternative to pharmaceutical drugs. What products, recipes and methods of influence are the most effective?
Drug treatment of varicose veins in the legs is carried out using gels, ointments, and tablets. What drug treatment for varicose veins will be effective?
When a problem arises with the vessels and veins in the legs, the patient is offered many treatment options. Cream, gel and ointment for varicose veins can relieve swelling and alleviate the condition.
Physiotherapy for varicose veins is carried out as an auxiliary method during treatment. It helps normalize venous and lymphatic exchange in the lower extremities.