Leg ulcers

What causes leg ulcers? The most common underlying problem causing chronic leg ulcers is disease of the veins of the leg. Venous disease is the main reason for over two thirds of all leg ulcers. Venous Disease (caused by veins not working) - about 80% of leg ulcers Arterial Disease (caused by the arteries not working) - about 15% of leg ulcers Other causes (includes diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis as well as some rare conditions) - about 5% of leg ulcers In some cases two or more conditions may be causing damage at the same time. Your doctor will examine you and do some tests to see what sort of ulcer you have. The following advice applies to venous ulcers and may not be appropriate for other sorts of ulcers. How does venous disease cause ulcers? The veins in your leg are tubes that carry the blood back from the foot towards your heart. The veins in your legs have one-way valves that make sure the blood flows up the leg and not back down. In some people, these valves are not very effective or can be damaged by thrombosis (clots) in the veins. If the valves are damaged, blood can flow the wrong way down the veins, which results in a very high pressure in the veins when standing up. This abnormally high pressure in the veins damages the skin and leads to the ulcers. NOTE: We make every effort to ensure that the information contained on this site is accurate, but, it is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment, we recommends consultation with your doctor or health care professional.