Venous Ulcers

Venous leg ulcers affect up to 2% of the population, with adults over 65 more commonly affected. If you have a nonhealing wound, turn to United Wound Care Centers of Illinois in Aurora, Illinois. Skilled nurse practitioners John Konopelski, C-APN, DNP, and Gladys Odoi, APRN, FNP-BC, MSN, along with their team, diagnose and treat venous ulcers to speed up healing and reduce the risk of infection and other complications. Schedule an in-person or home-based venous ulcer evaluation by calling the United Wound Care Centers of Illinois office or booking a visit online today.

What are venous ulcers?

Venous ulcers are open wounds that often appear on the legs near the ankles. They’re caused by blood flow problems. They frequently take several months to heal or don’t heal at all without medical intervention.

Venous ulcers appear because oxygen-poor blood doesn’t effectively flow from your extremities back to your heart. This blood pools instead, causing pressure and skin damage.

What are the symptoms of venous ulcers?

Symptoms of venous ulcers include:

• Open wounds
• Nonhealing (chronic) wounds
• Dull aching
• Itching
• Wounds with a foul odor
• Swelling
• Sores that ooze pus and/or other fluids

Venous ulcers are often irregularly shaped, shallow sores. The surrounding skin can be discolored or hard.

What are the risk factors for venous ulcers?

Venous ulcer risk factors include:

• Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI)
• Other venous diseases
• Family history of venous ulcers
• Diabetes
• Vein blockages, such as blood clots
• Damaged or weak blood vessel valves
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Aging
• Obesity
• Paralysis
• Smoking
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Previous injuries
• Varicose or spider veins
• Prior surgery

Adopting healthy habits and effectively managing underlying medical problems can reduce your risk of venous ulcers.

How are venous ulcers diagnosed?

The United Wound Care Centers of Illinois experts diagnose venous ulcers by discussing your medical history, reviewing your symptoms, and examining your wound.

You might need a Doppler study (ultrasound test), ankle-brachial index (blood pressure reading of your legs and arms), or imaging procedures to determine the cause of an ulcer and how to best treat it.

How are venous ulcers treated?

United Wound Care Centers of Illinois offers the following treatments for venous ulcers:

• Wound cleaning
• Off-loading
• Drainage
• Elevation
• Debridement
• Dressings
• Bandaging
• Topical medication
• Negative pressure wound therapy
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• Skin grafting
• Oral medication
• Compression stockings or bandages
• Ultrasound therapy
• Electromagnetic therapy
• Growth factor therapy
• Stem cell therapy
• Diabetic wound care
• Complex wound care
• Surgery

Your personalized venous ulcer treatment plan can consist of more than one treatment to maximize healing and avoid infection and other complications.

It’s also helpful to eat nutritious foods, manage high blood pressure or other underlying medical concerns, avoid smoking, take blood thinners when asked to, and maintain a healthy body weight.

Schedule an in-person or home-based venous ulcers evaluation at United Wound Care Centers of Illinois by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.