Why Do Ulcers Occur In People with Varicose Veins?

A venous trophic ulcer is a defect in the skin and deeper tissues, often resulting from an advanced course of varicose veins that does not heal for six weeks or more. This is the most severe manifestation of venous disease.

Ulcers usually occur just above the ankle, on the inside part of the leg. In this place, the short veins between the deep and superficial veins are damaged most often. The ulcer develops gradually at first, the skin darkens and becomes brown, a seal forms in the center of the spot, and the skin becomes glossy. This is a pre-ulcerative condition in which any minor injury a scratch, cut, or injection can provoke the formation of a wound. The tissues around the wound swell, the skin becomes bluish or purple, and it is hot and painful to the touch. There may be a feeling of tightness or tension around the edges of the ulcer.

The size of the ulcer can be different, from small to giant. Such ulcers that occur with varicose veins take a long time to heal and can reoccur if left untreated.

Trophic leg ulcers are not uncommon. It is important to understand that this is not a separate disease but a complication of the underlying pathology. The appearance of ulcers is possible with damage to the arteries or veins of the lower extremities, including diabetes. Vein doctors state that in 70% of cases, trophic ulcers develop when there is a blood circulation disorder in the veins of the legs, or rather, at an advanced stage of varicose veins.

How Do Ulcers Develop?

Why can ulcers form if varicose veins are not treated? Lets see how the human venous system is arranged and what changes occur with varicose veins. Blood flows to the legs through the arteries, which divide into small branches to nourish the tissues. Then the blood, having given up oxygen and accumulated carbon dioxide, collects in the veins and flows from the legs through the deep and superficial veins.

Deep veins cannot be seen with the naked eye, as they are located in the tissues between the muscles. We can see only the veins that are located under the skin; they have a blue color.

Both deep and superficial veins have valves that ensure the outflow of blood in only one direction, from the bottom up, and communicate with each other using perforating veins. Thanks to the latter, the blood flows more actively. Normally, through these bridges, blood moves in only one direction from the surface to the depths. The largest is located slightly above the inner side of the ankle.

With varicose veins, the walls of the veins suffer, their tone decreases, and they stretch. The valves that move blood from the bottom up do not close. The blood begins to move in the opposite direction, called reflux. As a result, venous stasis of blood develops. In addition, there is also an abnormal movement of blood. All these processes provoke the appearance of swelling, heaviness, and pain in the legs. Prolonged standing or sitting in one place, pregnancy, a sedentary lifestyle, and obesity can trigger the occurrence of varicose veins or worsen its course.

If you do not treat and do not monitor your veins, varicose veins can progress gradually, the outflow of oxygen-poor blood decreases, stagnation, and inflammation worsen. As a result, the tissues in the lower legs and ankles receive little oxygen and nutrition, which can lead to the formation of ulcers.

The Treatment of Trophic Ulcers

A trophic ulcer should be treated; after all, it is an open wound into which an infection can get. If you can do without surgery, you must wear compression stockings recommended by your doctor and take prescribed medications that positively affect the state of the venous wall.

If surgery is the only option, the doctor eliminates the abnormal blood flow, ligates the perforating veins, and removes the varicose saphenous veins. Sometimes a skin graft is required to cover a large ulcer.

It is much easier to prevent the appearance of trophic ulcers than to treat them. The basis of prevention is daily physical activity, wearing compression stockings (the degree of compression and stiffness is determined by the doctor), and a course of medications that improve the tone of the veins.