You may have an arterial skin ulcer if:
An arterial skin ulcer is treated by improving blood flow in the area. The treatment may include:
Treatment also includes care of the wound, such as:
If you have pain, your doctor will help you manage it.
In some cases, the tissue in the toes or the foot is too damaged to be saved. When that happens, the affected part of the leg or foot may have to be removed (amputated).
Your doctor will look at your ulcer and ask questions about your health. The doctor may press on the skin around the ulcer and check the pulses on your leg and foot. You may also have tests to show how well blood is flowing through the arteries of your leg.
There are things you can do to help your ulcer heal and lower your risk of getting another one.
This is especially important if you have poor blood flow in your legs.
Many things can put you at risk of having an arterial skin ulcer. These include:
Most arterial skin ulcers are caused by poor blood flow in the lower leg along with an injury on the leg or foot. This is often due to narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the leg.
An injury, even a small one, can become an ulcer if not enough blood can reach it to help it heal. You may get an ulcer on your leg or foot when you scrape or bump it. Or you may get one when something is pressing on it. For example, you may get an ulcer when you wear shoes that rub against your skin.
An arterial ulcer is a painful, deep sore or wound in the skin of the lower leg or foot. The ulcer doesn’t heal as you’d expect an ordinary sore to heal. That's because there isn't enough blood flowing to the area. Blood supplies oxygen and nutrients to the tissues.
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