Posts for: December, 2017
Venous ulcers can be painful and difficult to treat. Knowing how they form is essential to treating them before they advance.
Venous ulcers, also called vascular, stasis or varicose ulcers, form when the veins in the lower extremities do not allow for sufficient blood flow back to the heart. They typically appear as dark purple or red blotches under the skin on the inside of the leg between the ankle and the calf. Over time, they can ulcerate, creating an open wound that is painful, inflamed and itchy. These ulcers are typically slow to heal and can harbor infection as a result.
Recognizing the signs
If you notice a dark bruiselike area forming on one or both of your lower legs, contact your doctor immediately. Treating these pools of stagnant blood before they turn into ulcers is extremely important.
The first step in treating venous ulcers is to promote blood circulation. Alternate lying down with your feet propped up to the level of your heart with daily walking. Physical activity helps the blood to move through your body more efficiently. Even after an ulcer has healed, wearing compression stockings at all times (except for bathing and sleep) will also help to encourage the blood to continue to circulate properly.
Recurring ulcers may require skin grafts or surgery.
Although venous ulcers can be caused by other problems, they are often caused by lifestyle issues such as smoking, obesity and inactivity. Maintaining a healthful diet and a regimen of regular exercise can help prevent a multitude of problems, including the formation of venous ulcers.
It is important to remember that if an ulcer has formed, early treatment is usually more successful than waiting until the ulcer has become larger or infected. If you think you may be at risk for venous ulcers or other circulatory problems, talk with your doctor.
No one likes smelly shoes; here are some fast and easy ways to eliminate shoe odors.
Sometimes our day just wouldn’t be complete without our morning runs; however, sweating and active feet can often cause some rather unpleasant shoe odors. You don’t even have to be athletic to deal with this problem. Even just wearing the same shoes all day can cause this embarrassing issue. If you’ve started to notice an unpleasant smell coming from your shoes, there are ways to combat this problem without needing to toss them out.
- Use a newspaper: After wearing your shoes all day be sure to put newspaper in them immediately after taking them off. Even if you haven’t exercised in your shoes, your feet can still sweat. Absorb some of the odorproducing sweat by putting newspapers in your shoes. Leave the paper in until you’re ready to wear them, and you’ll be amazed at how fresh they still smell.
- Put them in the freezer or outside: While this sounds like an unusual method, putting your shoes in the freezer is a highly effective way to kill the bacteria that cause shoe odors (the bacteria is no match for the extreme cold). However, before you just toss your shoes into the freezer, it’s best to put them in a plastic bag first so you don’t contaminate your freezer and its contents. Leave the shoes inside overnight, then and take them out and let them thaw a bit before wearing. And if you happen to live in a climate where the temperature regularly drops below freezing at night, putting the shoes in a paper bag and leaving them out for the night isn’t a bad idea either!
- Create your own odorkilling powder: Baking soda is a miracle agent that can remove odors from just about anything, so why not your shoes? You don’t have to spend a ton of money on odorfighting products when you can make your very own powder with things you can easily find in your kitchen. Mix three tablespoons of baking soda with one tablespoon of cornstarch, and then add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil before mixing everything together. Sprinkle the powder into your shoes and let it sit overnight. Just be sure to dump out the powder before wearing them.
Follow these handy tips, and your shoes will smell brand new again. Don’t just shove your shoes in the closet after a long day, deodorize them to keep your shoes smelling fresh and clean!