Circulation Looking after your legs Tara Teske tara

  • Slides: 9
Download presentation
Circulation Looking after your legs! Tara Teske tara. teske@bdct. nhs. uk

Circulation Looking after your legs! Tara Teske tara. teske@bdct. nhs. uk

Blood flow in the legs

Blood flow in the legs

What Can Poor Circulation Lead To? • Leg Ulcers • Risk Factors Obesity Difficulty

What Can Poor Circulation Lead To? • Leg Ulcers • Risk Factors Obesity Difficulty walking Previous DVT or leg injury Varicose veins Previous surgery Older age Underlying conditions i. e. diabetes

What to do if you develop a leg wound? • SELF CARE FOR THE

What to do if you develop a leg wound? • SELF CARE FOR THE FIRST 2 WEEKS! • Clean with water • Use a simple dry dressing • Moisturise legs with a none scented cream to prevent irritation. • Monitor for infection • If after 2 weeks wound has not healed its time to see your district nurse

District Nurse Assessment Wound Assessment • After 2 weeks your leg wound is now

District Nurse Assessment Wound Assessment • After 2 weeks your leg wound is now classified as a ‘Leg Ulcer’ • Following doppler results appropriate dressings would be applied – such as compression bandaging. • If doppler readings are too high or too low referral to vascular specialists will be made. Doppler Studies

Why is early diagnosis important? • If identified early leg ulcers can take a

Why is early diagnosis important? • If identified early leg ulcers can take a few months to heal • The longer leg ulcers are left without appropriate treatment they can become larger, more painful and some can take years to heal.

What we expect from you • Full engagement and input from you with all

What we expect from you • Full engagement and input from you with all care planning and management. • Eating a healthy balanced diet with plenty of protein to aid wound healing. • Understanding that once your leg ulcer is healed you will need to: q q wear compression hosiery Wash and cream legs daily Have repeat doppler studies preformed a minimum of yearly Be re measured for compression hosiery every 6 months

Prevention! • Balanced diet • If over weight try to loss weight • Stay

Prevention! • Balanced diet • If over weight try to loss weight • Stay mobile – if mobility is poor when sitting preform foot and leg exercises (appropriate exercises can be obtained from your GP Practice/District nurses) • Don’t use scented soaps or creams that could irritate your skin.