Leg injury not healing

[barbs47]

Hi happy new year to you all. I injured my leg at the gym about 12 weeks ago. I went to our local minor injury unit and had 5 sterry strips on it and a bandage. I have been having it dressed at my surgery every week but it is not healing. I have severe COPD so my circulation is not great. Does anyone have any suggestions to help it heal? Thanks Barbs. X

[peege]

Hi. I think if I were you I'd try manuka honey dressings. I believe you can get them via Amazon. I might also try bathing it in warm saline solution - but that's me.

If you don't fancy trying those then you'd better get to your gp practice nurse to get treated there. Scrupulous hygiene is in order, it could turn into an ulcer which is very very hard to get rid of. Good luck. P

[barbs47 in reply to peege]

Thank you for your tips. I am visiting the surgery practice nurse every week to have it dressed. I will speak to her on Thursday.. thanks again. Barbs

[clematis5932]

I also had a tear on my skin last year, from a rose bush. As my skin is very thin now I have to be very careful. I also had the sterry strips put across with a dressing over the top. The local A&E said they do not stitch front of legs. I had to have it dressed by the nurse at my GP surgery three times a week for the first two weeks followed by twice a week then once a week. After that I had dressings put on which I could keep on for four days at a time. No getting it wet.

As my mother had a similar injury which had developed into an ulcer I was very scared of this happening to me. I am sorry that I can not remember the type of dressing used except that it did take a long while to heal about four months if I remember. They did try more than one type of dressing before it started to heal .

[barbs47 in reply to clematis5932]

Thank you for replying. I know what you mean about skin being very thin. I will keep visiting the practice nurse Barbs.

[Hidden]

I hope you’re seeing an experienced wound nurse at the surgery, some nurses are much more skilled with wound care than others. Try massaging the surrounding area gently, to increase blood flow. Manuka dressings too, as peege suggests. The foreleg can take ages, I’ve had problems with mine in the past. Has the nurse mentioned a vacuum dressing? I don’t know if it’s appropriate for your particular injury but you could ask.

[Hidden]

Here’s a link about vacuum dressings liverpoolcommunityhealth.nh...

[katieoxo60]

A similar thing happened to me sometime ago, if I remember right it took around six months to heal and left a brown scar. Although a deep cut I was treated only with a honey dressing at outset then some anti biotics due to redness round the wound. I felt if it had been stitched it would have healed quicker with less scarring, but was told the skin does not heal as well when we get older and takes longer to heal ( theres no answer to that is there? ) Hope yours heals soon, take care x

[barbs47 in reply to katieoxo60]

Thanks for replying I’ll just plod on don’t think I like this getting old haha. Barbs.

[Nitap]

Hi there, just a thought !! My late husband, who was living with the big 'C' of his lung was standing outside of our door watching my son cutting back the Hedge. A bit of twig shot out across the Drive right into his shin/leg. From therein it was a disaster he developed ulcers and his leg was continually discharging a smelly horrible fluid. The district nurses came in twice a day and dressed his leg with a medical Seaweed dressing. It took ages but it did heal, perhaps you could ask about this ?? Hopefully it could sort it out ?? Bless xxx

[barbs47 in reply to Nitap]

Hi thanks for your reply.i had it dressed on Thursday, they think it’s healing and going to leave it for another couple of weeks n then if it’s still the same they are going to check the blood flow in my leg. I will keep the Seaweed in mind. Thanks again Barbs x