Venous Leg Ulcer (adjunctive care)
Also known as: venous leg ulcer, venous stasis ulcer, open leg wound
Venous leg ulcers are slow-healing open wounds around the ankle, driven by faulty vein drainage — often with swelling, brown staining and eczema. Compression bandaging is the proven core treatment, with specialist wound care. Chinese medicine treats the surrounding swelling and the tissue state (damp-heat, stasis, deficiency) to support healing, without ever replacing compression or wound care.
Plain-English one-pager you can print or hand to a patient. Free, no sign-in needed.
Lifestyle & Diet
- •Wear compression as prescribed — it is the single most effective therapy for venous ulcers.
- •Elevate the legs above hip level when resting.
- •Moisturise surrounding skin; never pick at healed skin.
- •Keep mobile; walking aids the calf pump.
Cautions & Contraindications
- •Never needle into or through the ulcer bed or broken skin.[]
- •Arterial disease must be excluded before compression — request a Doppler assessment.[]
- •Caution with blood-moving herbs if on anticoagulants.[]
When to reassess or seek care again
Photograph and measure the wound weekly with the wound clinic; reassess the TCM pattern at 4 weeks. Escalate any deterioration to the wound team.
Explore more diseases
Sources & Further Reading
Clinical guidance, red flags and safety notes on this page draw on the following current sources alongside the classical references above.
- NICE · 2024
- Victorian Government · 2024
- Healthdirect Australia · 2024
Educational reference for licensed practitioners. Not a substitute for individual clinical assessment. Refer to conventional care for any red-flag or undiagnosed presentation.