Treatment of a leg ulcer
venous ulcer · leg ulcer · sore on the shin · non-healing leg wound
This is a wound on the lower leg that does not heal for a long time, most often because the veins are not working well. Treatment is dressings and leg compression.
For wounds on the lower leg that have not healed for several weeks.
⏱ Duration: a dressing change usually takes 20 to 40 minutes; treatment takes weeks and months
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Tests. An ultrasound of the leg veins and arteries is usually done to find the cause.
- Compression. Bandages or stockings are the main treatment. Wear them as your doctor prescribed.
- Legs. When you sit or lie down, raise your leg higher.
What to bring
- Your referral and the vein ultrasound
- Compression stockings, if you have them
- A list of your medicines
How it goes
- The old dressing is removed
- The wound and the skin around it are washed
- The doctor examines the wound and sometimes cleans it
- A dressing is put on the wound
- The leg is wrapped over it with a compression bandage
- You are told when the next dressing change is
What you'll feel
- Cleaning the wound can be unpleasant
- Compression feels strange in the first days, then usually gets easier
- If the bandage is very tight and your leg goes numb, take it off and call your doctor
Afterwards
- Walk - it helps the veins
- Keep the dressing dry
- Raise your leg when you rest
- After the ulcer heals, keep wearing stockings - this makes the ulcer less likely to come back
Contact a doctor straight away if
- Fever, or redness that spreads
- Your leg is numb, cold or blue under the bandage
- Severe pain or a bad smell from the wound
Common questions
Why bandage the leg?
Compression helps blood flow back up the veins. Without it the ulcer heals very slowly.
Can the cause be removed?
Sometimes, for example by treating the veins. Your doctor will discuss it after the ultrasound.