Ulcers

Ulcers services offered in Anaheim, CA

Ulcers are open sores (wounds) that form when there’s a problem with blood flow that deprives the tissues of oxygen. If you have ulcers, wound care specialist Wayne Rash, DPM, of Anaheim Wound Care in Anaheim, California, can help. Dr. Rash uses advanced tests like skin perfusion vascular testing and real-time bacterial fluorescence imaging to assess your ulcers. He also specializes in advanced wound therapies that help ulcers to heal. To benefit from Dr. Rash’s expertise in ulcers, call Anaheim Wound Care today or book an appointment online.

What are ulcers?

Ulcers are open sores that can penetrate deeply into the tissues, sometimes down to the bone. They are slow-to-heal or non-healing wounds that can form anywhere on your skin, although the feet and legs are the most common locations.

Ulcers can be painful and limit your mobility. They’re also prone to infection, which can cause gangrene and eventual limb loss. Anaheim Wound Care specializes in these complex, hard-to-treat wounds, and Dr. Rash can often prevent amputation with his extensive expertise in the latest treatments.

What are the different types of ulcers?

There are several different types of ulcers, including:

Diabetic foot ulcers

Diabetic ulcers develop when high blood sugar levels damage your feet’s nerves and blood vessels. Nerve damage (diabetic peripheral neuropathy) can numb your feet, so you don’t realize you’ve got a cut or break in your skin. Limited blood flow restricts the healing process, so you develop sores that gradually get bigger.

Venous stasis ulcers

Venous leg ulcers are similar to diabetic ulcers. They develop if you have chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a condition where blood doesn’t pump back up your leg correctly. Poor blood flow and fluid retention in your legs weaken the tissues, encouraging ulcer development.

Arterial ulcers

Arterial ulcers are a complication of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This condition arises when excess cholesterol in your blood builds up and lines the inside of your artery walls. The sticky residue the cholesterol forms (plaque) reduces the space for blood flow along the arteries, depriving your feet and legs of vital oxygen, nutrients, and healing cells.

Pressure ulcers

Pressure ulcers (decubitus ulcers or bedsores) develop when part of your body is under constant pressure. This is one of the reasons why it’s so important for bed-bound people to have help moving positions regularly throughout the day.

What other problems can cause ulcers and slow-healing wounds?

Other problems that can cause ulcers to develop include:

Post-surgical wounds and complications

The wounds that remain after surgery can sometimes fail to heal properly and become infected.

Post-Mohs surgery

Mohs surgery is a specialized technique for removing skin cancers while causing minimal damage to healthy tissue. You could develop an ulcer if the skin doesn’t heal properly after Mohs surgery.

Radiation wounds

If you suffer radiation exposure, it can cause your skin and tissues to break down, creating painful ulcers.

Non-healing traumatic wounds

Sometimes wounds you get from a trauma, like a car accident, fail to heal properly.

Dr. Rash specializes in treating all these kinds of ulcers as well as atypical ulcers (ones that don’t conform to the usual causes and symptoms). He uses cutting-edge diagnostics like real-time bacterial fluorescence imaging and skin perfusion vascular testing to evaluate the wound, and provides the most advanced treatments to promote healing.

For expert help with any kind of ulcer, call Anaheim Wound Care today or book an appointment online.