Are you worried about a sudden ankle discoloration? Your loved ones might tell you the discoloration is a cosmetic issue, but the discoloration could lead to serious health complications. First, ankle discoloration is associated with itching, inflammation, and discomfort due to varicose veins. You can overcome ankle discoloration Tinley Park by treating varicose veins and avoiding prolonged sitting as it leads to blood pooling on the legs. You may need lifestyle changes, medications, and surgeries to overcome the varicose veins and discolored ankles. Here are tips for dealing with ankle discoloration.
What Causes Ankle Discoloration
Varicose veins happen when the valves in the veins do not facilitate blood transfer to the upper body, leading to blood pooling in the limbs. The damage to the vein valves may occur due to injuries to high blood pressure. It results in poor circulation, which may cause poor blood circulation and ankle discoloration. Although the issue might seem like a cosmetic problem, itching and burning sensations lead to the legs’ heaviness. Discolored ankles may result in deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a life-threatening condition. The clot initially forms on the veins’ walls but would detach and travel to the heart and lungs, leading to pulmonary embolism.
Symptoms of Ankle Discoloration
The earliest ankle discoloration may be attributed to edema, which makes the blood capillaries burst resulting in patches on the skin. This discoloration may be red, brown, or purple, depending on your skin tone and the extent of edema. The ankle discoloration occurs as the blood hemoglobin breaks down and builds up on the tissues. The discolored site might have scaly, shiny, thickened, and dry skin. Ankle discoloration leads to itchiness and discomfort and sometimes makes walking for a long distance uncomfortable.
How to Treat Ankle Discoloration
The physician will recommend lifestyle changes for varicose veins before opting for medications or surgery. You may need to avoid long walks or sitting for an extended time. They will examine how the discolored ankles respond to the lifestyle changes before formulating the subsequent remedies treatments.
Compression stockings work well for varicose veins as they reduce the swellings, keep the blood flowing and prevent deadly blood clots. They recommend leg elevation, which aids blood flow, especially if blood pools in the lower limbs. A low-salt diet will decrease fluid retention in the legs and reduce high blood pressure.
Vitamin C supplements in your diet may make the blood vessels flexible and healthy, leading to better health outcomes. You may use topical corticosteroids, which calm inflammation on the discolored ankles, and opt for topical antibiotics to deal with infections on the site. Vein surgery may be the last option for varicose veins as they eliminate the condition permanently. The surgeon will identify the problematic veins and cut them off from the vein network.
Ankle discoloration might seem like a cosmetic problem, but it occurs due to varicose veins and would lead to serious health complications. First, the discoloration results from blood pools on the ankles which lose hemoglobin leading to discoloration. Varicose veins lead to itching, swelling, and potential infections. Furthermore, it may result in blood clots traveling to the heart and lungs, potentially resulting in death. You should let a doctor inspect the declared ankle as they will recommend suitable therapies and treatments.
