Enhancing Healing with Intermittent Pneumatic Compression: Targeted Relief for Venous Leg Ulcers
Ulcers are open skin sores and they can affect any area of the skin. Most often they occur on the legs. Venous Leg Ulcers (VLUs) are caused by problems with blood flow (circulation) in leg veins.
Normally, when a person gets a cut or scrape, the body’s healing process starts working to close the wound. In time, the wound heals. But ulcers may not heal without proper treatment.
Venous ulcers may also be caused by other problems with leg veins, such as Varicose Veins or Chronic Venus Insufficiency.
VLUs, caused by chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and venous hypertension, affect approximately 1% of the population and 3% of people older than 80 years.
Caring for Venous Leg Ulcers
Venous ulcers need proper care and treatment to prevent infection and to heal. It’s important to have any venous ulcers checked right away by your healthcare provider.
Treatment may require focusing on the circulatory or vein problems that are causing the ulcers. Or it may mean removing some tissue around the wound. You may be asked to:
- Clean the wound regularly
- Apply a dressing to the ulcer
- Avoid products that cause skin sensitivity
- Wear compression stockings to prevent blood from pooling in the legs and to speed healing
- Apply an antibacterial ointment or another topical medicine to prevent or treat an infection
- Take oral antibiotic medicines to prevent or treat an infection
- Have allergy testing done
Wearing a compression wrap to keep blood flowing back up to your heart can also help ulcers heal more quickly. In some cases, surgery or a skin graft is needed to close up the opening in the skin.
Using Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Pumps is another complementary option. Browse our collection!
Intermittent Pneumatic Compression is also featured in this Best Practice Recommendations for the Prevention and Management of VLUs Guide by Wounds Canada as one of several methods used to treat Venus Leg Ulcers, in conjunction with other methods.
Pneumatic Compression Devices for the treatment of VLUs may be covered by private insurance. Check with your insurance provider!
*As a Class II Medical Device regulated by Health Canada, a prescription is required.
Author: Paradigm Medical Inc.
