All You Need To Know About Ulcers
What is an Ulcer?
An ulcer is a painful sore that takes longer to heal and requires advanced medical attention for proper & effective healing. If not treated properly, they can become infected & may be life-threatening for the patients.
Ulcers can form anywhere both inside and outside of the body, from the lining of your stomach to the outer layer of skin. For example, a leg ulcer found on the skin, or Pressure ulcer in bony areas, or in places where you can’t see them, such as a Peptic or stomach ulcer, etc.
The severity of a particular ulcer depends on the existing underlying condition or medical history of patients. For example, Poor blood pressure, Diabetes, or any medications, etc. Sometimes ulcers heal & disappear on their own while other times, they stay for even months and don’t show any signs of improvement. In these scenarios, they require advanced medical treatment by a wound doctor near me.
Different Types of Ulcers
An ulcer can form of any type. A few types of ulcers include:
- Pressure Ulcers
- Venous Ulcers
- Arterial Ulcers
- Diabetic Ulcer
- Gangrene
Symptoms & Causes of Ulcers
Pressure Ulcer
What Causes them? Also known as Bedsores, or pressure sores, prolonged pressure on the skin leads to poor blood circulation and causes an ulcer to form usually on the bony areas of the skin such as heels, ankles, hips, tailbone, etc. People who are confined to a bed or chair are at more risk of developing a pressure ulcer.
Symptoms - Common symptoms include Skin discoloration, Swelling, Drainage, Tender areas, etc. Report to the Pressure ulcer treatment Los Angeles if you notice any of these.
Venous Ulcers
What Causes them? They are open wounds that often form on the legs, below your knee, or on the inner area of your ankle. They occur due to damage to the veins caused by insufficient blood flow back to the heart. This leads to high blood pressure in the lower leg veins, causes the buildup of fluid, and formation of a venous ulcer.
Symptoms - The symptoms of Venous ulcer include leg swelling, cramping, itching, & tingling as well as dark red or purple skin, etc. If the sore becomes infected, it can have a bad odor & pus. Venous ulcer specialists California perform a multidisciplinary approach to treatment & provide advanced wound care.
Arterial Ulcers
What causes them? Also known as ischemic ulcers, they occur due to damage to the arteries caused by a lack of blood flow to the tissue. They are open source that commonly develops on the smaller side of the arterioles and capillaries.
Symptoms - The common symptoms of arterial ulcers include hairless skin, leg pain, red, yellow, or black sores, or affected areas that feel cool to touch.
Diabetic Foot Ulcer
What causes them? People with diabetes are more likely to develop a diabetic foot ulcer due to numbness in the feet or poor blood flow, making it difficult for them to notice any blisters, cuts, and sores in the foot. Undetected & untreated wounds can lead to infection and sometimes amputations. They may develop foot ulcers and require advanced wound care with a wound doctor near me.
Symptoms - The signs of a diabetic foot ulcer include: darkened skin, loss of hair in the affected area, numbness, pain, tingling, etc.
Gangrene
What causes them? Gangrene occurs when the tissues in the body die due to the lack of blood supply caused by illness, injury, or infection. It usually occurs in extremities like fingers, toes, and limbs but you can also get them in organs & muscles. The treatment for gangrene must be immediately started otherwise it can be life-threatening.
Symptoms - General symptoms include red, purple, or black skin in the affected area, swelling, loss of sensation, severe pain or foul-smelling, etc.
Treatment of Ulcers
The treatment will depend on the cause, size, type, location & severity of a particular wound. If you notice any of these above-mentioned symptoms, immediately seek advanced medical assistance from the top wound care doctor near me.
The team of experienced doctors, nurses, physicians, and surgeons will visit your location and try to find out the root cause of the wounds. They diagnose the ulcer with a blend of physical examination, medical history & tests as well as underlying medical conditions if any.
A number of tests can be performed to find out critical information about any long-term health conditions or sustained injury that may trigger the condition. For example, blood tests, X-rays, MRI scans, or CT scans. Surgery may also be required in case the wound's condition is severe.
The utmost benefit is that they provide a series of required & customized treatments in the comfort of your home, combined with home care & improved quality of life.
A proper wound care consult & treatment generally involves removing the affected tissues, preventing infection, or treating an existing infection followed by appropriate dressing & medications. They take regular follow-ups also to track the wound healing process.
This way you can reduce multiple hospital visits, and the stress of getting admitted multiple times in healthcare facilities. They provide you with a personalized approach to treatment blended with advanced technologies and expertise in the dedicated field.
So, don’t overlook any symptoms and schedule a bedside appointment with the best wound care doctor near me.
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